Bishop Briggs has the kind of voice that's unforgettable. Her new EP, When Everything Went Dark, perfectly shows the power in her music and her resilience in life.
Leading off with "Reborn," Briggs makes her statement early. This is an EP about healing and persevering. "I have been reborn, I'm not myself, I'm better now," her voice slices through the shimmering synths. It's a declaration that she's not defeated.
The title of the EP has layers. Bishop said in a recent press release, "When I was little, I would sleep with a night light that filled my bedroom with warmth as I drifted off to sleep. Something about the afterglow made me feel protected as if someone was staying awake looking out for me. As I got older, I learned to truly rest. You have to feel that safety deep in your body. As the leaves have changed colors several times over, I've had a lot of difficulty shutting my eyes despite feeling completely exhausted."
"Baggage" starts off with a "Can't write the songs I used to, 'cause I'm lucid in my state of mind," Briggs easily slides through her distinctive whispers to the guttural power in her voice that makes her music so dynamic. It's visceral. It builds and builds until it feels like she can't take it anymore, but she comes out stronger each time.
The sultry breakdowns on "Cherry On Top" and "Bad" serves as the sultry foils. Briggs flexes her ability to shift into Bond villain vibes with her breathy vocals and booming choruses that feel instantly badass.
The emotional centerpiece of the project, "High Water," is filled with gut-wrenching lyrics and a cathartic chorus that embodies the soul of her music. It's easy to feel everything she's feeling. When the music cuts out at the end, and it centers on her vocals, the pain is so palpable and inescapable.
"Superhuman" serves as a reminder and a mantra that maybe she's making to herself. "You're superhuman, bulletproof as can be. I know the truth is you can do anything," – she sings triumphantly, the perfect closer to the project.
Bishop Briggs just came out as the winner of the latest season of The Masked Singer. Her performances were met with awe as she flexed her insane vocal range, but as anyone who has followed her career knows, her voice is unmistakable. With the release of this EP and the announcement of her co-headlining tour with Misterwives in the fall, it's clear she's on the right path.
