Track of the Day: Bad Ass Beauty – Broken (2023)
Tackling issues of misogyny, toxic relationships, sexual harassment, rejection, disappointment, hardship and various other provocative topics, Bad Ass Beauty is the epitome of female empowerment in the rock music scene. With her powerhouse vocals, hard-hitting attitude and confident demeanour, the US-based singer-songwriter has a flair for the evocative and outstanding. Already hitting our virtual pages with her singles ‘Me’ and ‘4 Horsemen’, LaQuinta Prince uses the moniker Bad Ass Beauty to make her mark on our (and many other critics’) ears. The latest addition to her well-received repertoire is the single ‘Broken’.
In the style of Chaka Khan, Beyonce and Whitney Houston, there is an indefinable presence to LaQuinta Prince. A presence that oozes confidence and charm but with a heartfelt tenderness belying the powerful female personae. With ‘Broken’, Prince builds an intimate intensity through the hard rock meets melodic metal sound. As with ‘4 Horsemen’ there is bold rock streaming through the melody; however, ‘Broken’ is far more distorted evoking a discomforting and disconcerting sensation. Interestingly enough, the pounding drums and overwhelming guitars have a cohesive harmony within the melodic chaos.
What I find intriguing about Bad Ass Beauty is how her singles capture the core of the song’s theme or message. In ‘Broken’ you feel tossed from pillar to post with a darkness wrapping about your body – a desperate state but, somehow, entertaining in its madness. Touching on toxic relationships and the turmoil felt, ‘Broken’ elegantly represents the angst, frustration, pain and tearing heartbreak we feel in those situations.
“Don’t ask me for any love/relationship advice. I have no clue what a decent, happy true love relationship is because I’ve never had one…ask me about toxic, manipulative, obsessive, controlling, abusive relations…here’s a song about all of them combined into one depressing 3 minute and 28-second tune…” – Bad Ass Beauty on ‘Broken’
Dark, creepy and filled with metal-inspired insanity, ‘Broken’ can have you lost in a sonic pool heaving from the desperation of toxic relationships. Yet, while the gothic madness ensues, there is a sense of empowerment in the single as Prince swears to never allow herself to feel those feelings or be in that reality again.
“It’s vocally disjoined…it’s exactly how I was feeling when I wrote it but also a love letter to what I will NEVER accept or allow in my life again.” – Bad Ass Beauty on ‘Broken’
For more from Bad Ass Beauty, check out her official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
