The pull of someone you know isn’t right for you is intense. Feeling that draw to this person even though you know they will hurt you is confusing and exciting. We all know how it’ll end but they keep tugging you back in and you go willingly. No matter what, you’re destined to fall victim to this rousing bad idea. Brii Elliss knows this idea firsthand. Her song Bad Idea is the anthem for those of us who find ourselves loving the bad ideas in life regardless of how damaging they might be.
The song begins with a harmonic piano. The gentle twinkling of the piano coupled with Brii's opening vocals deceives the listener into assuming the song is a heart-wrenching ballad about lost love. The song then plunges into a mixture of previous piano but with the addition of strings, aggressive 808 claps, and hip-hop-infused bass beats. The mixture of natural instruments and computer-generated hip-hop instrumentals is perfect. It creates a sense of excitement in the listener that captivates their attention. The piano sticks around throughout the song. It falls to the background when the 808 is at its height and pulls forward when the lyrics demand more drama and reflection. These highs and lows not only create a dynamic listening experience but also remind the listener and to some extent Brii of the actual ending to a bad idea, heartbreak. The lyrics reflect this perfectly as well. The self-awareness is palpable within each line. Brii isn’t going into this romance unaware of what will happen and we learn this from line one. Brii is more aware than anyone of what her partner will do to her but their presence is too strong. Bad ideas seem so right at the moment.
Brii Ellis is a New Jersey native who loves RnB and incorporates those influences into her work. Her main influences are top artists such as H.E.R. and Amber Mark. Two artists have created a unique sound just as Brii has. Brii is so smart in the way she creates her art. Her sultry tones are reminiscent of her RnB influences but her beats have a deeper pop feel. This infusion of genre makes Brii Ellis stand out amongst the rest.
Written By Kaiana Lee
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