Listening to Australian rocker Asha Jefferies, there’s almost a clear definition to her sound that cuts across the airwaves and the distance between the continent to, well, most anywhere else. Her new single “Brand New Bitch” speaks to self-discovery, putting one’s foot down and, as Jefferies says, “getting free and moving on.”
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Stream: “Brand New Bitch” – Asha Jefferies
I just want to be a brand new bitch this evening…
In the best way possible, the latest single from Asha Jefferies stirs a sort of core memory or instant recognition.
It sounds like a song destined for a prime playlist spot, the sort of song you can turn towards again repeatedly without ever tiring of it.
There are bands and artists who’ve harnessed this notion handily in recent years – Alvvays comes to mind, with a timeless quality beamed in from another decade. Big Thief, a prime influence on Jefferies, might be another, and if recent tracks put to tape are any indication, that journey is just beginning.
“Brand New Bitch” falls in that same propulsive, catchy, gritty part of the sonic Venn diagram, so to speak: It’s refreshing and original, and it’s a pleasing earworm and a prime example as to why the youthful rocker has already shared stages with the likes of Aussie star Julia Jacklin.
The track also has deep personal roots, exploring how it felt for Jefferies to come into her own as a young queer woman.
I lost feeling in my feet 4 years ago
Sank into the bedsheets
Sometimes those thoughts don’t know where to run
You were there you had no idea
Wanted to love a woman while you were loving a child
Breathe in, take the photo,
you’re a brand new bitch
time to let go
The single is rounded out by a music video (directed by Jefferies and Cory Wood, and starring Jefferies in part) that hops around Meanjin (AKA Brisbane) from motorbike to car to bar – a roadmap, perhaps, for Jefferies’ journey of self-discovery.
And Jefferies continues to carve out her lane in distinct fashion, a path that’s also included notable “Down Under” festival slots at the likes of BIGSOUND and Against The Grain.
The spotlight is due to shine a bit more brightly yet: Jefferies will open for American indie-folk rockers Lord Huron on a string of Australian dates this month, themselves no stranger to tracks with a truly classic, vibrant quality.
Paradise, this is paradise,
paradise until it reminded me of hell
Skull me like the last drink
Like the last time you prepared for hell
I was there you had no idea
Wanted to love a woman while I was loving a child
Breathe in, keep the photos, you’re a brand new bitch
Try to plateau
There you are, on your own
A brand new bitch, off you go
It’s all part of an exciting string of months for Jefferies: Her debut album, Ego Ride, arrives later this spring. And speaking of carving out her own lane – the record promises more than a few sonic treats for eager listeners, especially those who crave a true, plugged-in, “live in the studio” sound.
Jefferies notes that “all songs were recorded live together in one room and the sound of the album shapeshifts from indie pop to piano ballad to psychedelic indie rock to folktronica.”
But beyond that, it’s another important, driving narrative for the young rocker.
I just want to be a brand new bitch this evening…
I just want to be a brand new bitch this evening…
I just want to be a brand new bitch this evening…
There you are, there you go
A brand new bitch, on your own
The LP, due out April 12th via Nettwerk Music Group, is a postscript to the end of a relationship:“It is not a breakup album, it is an album about what happens from a breakup.”
Jefferies adds that the record “is a story written and dedicated to my younger self, that the meter of your world will keep on running and there is hope to be had.”
With tracks like “Brand New Bitch” fueling the open road ahead, one imagines Jefferies’ work will grace more than just Australian stages one day soon yet.
The track also has deep personal roots, exploring how it felt for Jefferies to come into her own as a young queer woman.
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:: connect with Asha Jefferies here ::
Stream: “Brand New Bitch” – Asha Jefferies
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© Cody Wood
© Cody Wood
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