Bishop Briggs boldly confesses her inner demons in her latest single, “Baggage.” The track contains vulnerable lyrics that detail her personal struggles and heartaches—remnants from previous traumas that make her less than perfect. Rather than trying to hide her baggage, she embraces her humanity, including the dark past that people often feel they need to bury. In the chorus, she proudly proclaims “That’s my baggage// This shit gets hard to manage// I’m carrying a casket// There’s no other way.” She admits that carrying the amount of baggage she has is exhausting, and she is tired of hiding it away for the sake of a stranger’s comfort. She is unashamed of her past because it makes her who she is today. She continues with the lyrics, “My heart’s so calloused// I’m broken, bruised, and damaged// Gave up on feeling balanced.” Her past is riddled with grief, pain, and scars. But, she has not given up yet, and she knows she never will. Instead of letting her sorrow consume her, she has rewritten it in a manner that empowers her and showcases her normal human emotions. These profound lyrics are a comfort to listeners that are also haunted by their grim past and are afraid to let their trauma see the light of day. Instead, Briggs reassures them that they are not alone and that their baggage is a part of them. Those that truly matter to them will stick around despite the messy imperfections that come with them and love them through it. “Baggage” is an empowering track that emphasizes Briggs overwhelming ability to relate to her listeners and her outstanding songwriting talent.
“Baggage” is a dynamic track with a unique production that accentuates Briggs’s phenomenal vocal range and genre-bending skills. The song kicks off with an accordion that immediately showcases the track’s individualistic style. When the verse begins, the accordion mutes and is replaced by a deep bass paired with a piano in the background. Briggs’s voice has a slight rasp to it that enhances the soulful tone of the track. In the pre-chorus, high notes and a tambourine are introduced, while she harmonizes with herself, adding an additional layer to the song. In the first half of the chorus, the beat mutes and is replaced by a keyboard that is reminiscent of the 80s, emphasizing the lyrics, before returning for the second half. In addition, a bass drum and unique synth sound effects subtly pick up as they lead into the post-chorus. At this point, these synth sounds intensify while vocal effects are added that take the listener by pleasant surprise. Then, the accordion makes a brief appearance, before muting again as the second verse kicks off. In this verse, Briggs’s raspy vocals stress the heavy emotions, signifying the authenticity of the lyrics. When the second pre-chorus hits, high pitched synth sounds can just audibly be heard as it builds into the intense chorus. The strong production returns for the chorus and leads into the extended post-chorus. Rather than a traditional bridge, Briggs opts for a unique break in the song that shifts the production. She takes this moment to astonish the audience with her heavenly falsettos while the production contains only the accordion before returning to the full production for the final chorus. At the end, the snare drum utilizes a drum roll that signifies the last few lines before the outro where Briggs showcases her outstanding falsettos. Overall, the complex track highlights her impressive vocal range that can effortlessly sing anything from upbeat pop to soulful R&B and everything in between. Her ability to convey intense emotions through her vocals alone is unmatched and proves that she deserves to be the world’s next big superstar.
Bishop Briggs was born to Scottish parents in London and was raised in Japan and Hong Kong. After graduating high school, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. She spent her time performing at any and every venue in the city, before she was discovered in a small hole-in-the-wall venue by a former A7R representative, giving Briggs her big break. In 2016, she released her debut track, “Wild Horses.” The single went on to reach #1 on Spotify’s US Viral Chart and #2 On Spotify Global Viral 50 charts. Her follow-up single, “River,” peaked at #3 on the Alternative radio, received a platinum RIAA certification, and has over 680 million global streams. She has headlined her own tour and opened for prolific artists, such as Coldplay, Bleachers, Kaleo, and alt-J. Her single, “REVOLUTION,” is on the NHL 23 Soundtrack and her song, “Lessons of the Fire,” is the lead track for the Netflix original series, Devil In Ohio. Her new EP, When Everything Went Dark, is set for release on June 23, 2023. Most recently, on May 17, 2023, she was crowned the winner of The Masked Singer Season 9, where she performed as the Medusa Mask. Starting September 8, Briggs will be going on tour as a supporting act for the MisterWives Don’t Look Down Tour. Check out her social media to see if they are coming to a city near you!
Written By Karlee Skipper
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