It’s been fewer that four minutes since Nessa Barrett unveiled the cover artwork for her new album, Aftercare, and the internet is already losing its mind.
“This is the c** tiest album of the century,” writes one of Barrett’s-6.1 million loyal Instagram followers. “I love that my fans have used c**t to describe this era,” says the singer of her second album, which drops today.
The profanity which has recently seen a radical reclamation from a derogatory slur to the highest form of flattery, feels a fitting description to capture Barrett’s new direction.
The new album, which navigates the complex emotions of love, sex and the aftermath of both, is new territory for the artist, who is known for her gritty sound and emotionally dark lyrics.
“I started writing about sex, which is something that was really taboo for me. I’m not a sexual person – I was very insecure and not comfortable with my sexuality,” reveals Barrett.
“It was so fun and freeing to write about being super-confident and shameless because I carried so much shame. I wanted to break down the walls for women. It’s been a really fun process and healing.”
Part of her process of stepping into this new age of empowerment was by constructing a character of the woman she wanted to be.
When asked who the ultimate empowered woman is to her, Barrett rattles off a slew of iconic female artists, some of whom also feature on the new album.
“I love Billie [Eilish] and Charli XCX. It was also such an honour to collaborate with Tommy Genesis on my song ‘Mustang Baby’. Tommy is such a cool and confident woman.
We actually met through Lana Del Rey, who is someone I have been inspired by for a long time, because we were both performing with Lana at a festival. It’s so beautiful that Lana brought us together. We’re both Leos with Cancer moons and life path number nine.”
Barrett has not been shy about her life’s complications, including depression, eating disorders and suicidal thoughts.
Her 2022 song “Die First” was written about her mother, but she dedicated it to best friend Cooper Noriega, who had died of a drug overdose a few weeks earlier. Later that year she was admitted to a psychiatric ward.
Barrett, who has credited her Christian faith for helping her in her struggles, knows all too well the power the universe holds, and has previously revealed that she feels her music
has powers of manifestation. So, is she now more selective about what she chooses to release?
“If I am inspired to write about something it’s for a reason,” she explains.
“Even if it’s something I wouldn’t want to manifest, I feel like the universe has ways of getting things out there. My past music has manifested some pretty dark stuff in my life. Now that I’m finally writing about fun cool stuff, I wouldn’t mind for some of this stuff to manifest.”
Aftercare is out now.
This article originally appeared on Marie Claire Australia and is republished here with permission.
