With “breathe (a little),” Jade Barbara steps into her true artistic identity, blending raw emotion with vibrant dance-pop energy, marking a confident new chapter shaped by clarity, growth, and bold creative vision.
1. “breathe (a little)” feels like a defining moment for you. What makes this track feel like your true debut compared to your previous releases?
My past music all felt like experimentation. It was like, I’d write a song, put it to an instrumental, maybe record some harmonies and off it went. ‘Breathe (a little)’ was the first time I leaned back and thought “what do I want this era to stand for and look like?”. It’s lead to me feeling a lot more confident and happier with my release now.
2. The song is inspired by a real-life situation about feeling stuck in a relationship. How did you translate that emotional tension into such an energetic, dance-pop sound?
I wanted to embody a character of someone who was ranting about their partner mid night out, someone who’s taking her feelings light hearted and speaking without thinking. It’s like, “Just leave me alone for a second?”.
3. You mentioned refining your vocals over months using Logic Pro. How did working in a more professional production environment shape the final result?
It’s crazy how long it took for me to realize, if you want a professional sound, you’ve got to use professional workspaces. It was exciting to learn and experiment in a new DAW for the first time, and work on aspects of a song I didn’t even realize were so beneficial.
4. There are a strong Y2K and pop-rap influence in the track. Which artists or sounds inspired you while creating “breathe (a little)”?
I leaned into a lot of incredible artists such as Britney Spears and Jamelia. My friends were surprised to find out that a lot of the adlibs were actually inspired by Michael Jackson too. I really wanted to try my own take on 90s nightclub radio.
5. With your background in dance and performance, how do you plan to bring this song to life on stage during your upcoming live shows in Sydney?
There are a lot of good ideas in the making currently, which I cannot reveal yet. But I can say, I’m very excited to take the song to stages.
6. This single seems to mark the beginning of a new chapter for you. What can fans expect next from Jade Barbara in terms of music and artistic direction?
Expect more polished music and sounds coming very soon. ‘Breathe (a little)’s contrasting aesthetic between polished visuals and textured sound feels very like me, so I’m excited to explore my identity.
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