It’s been 11 years since the release of her self-titled album Brettina, and after a long wait, the Bahamian Jazz singer-songwriter has finally released her 4-track EP New Day. In the past decade, Brettina has used her time off the limelight to develop and perfect her musical style, a style she described in an interview with Soltesh Iyere for Saturday Magazine as a fusion of traditional Jazz and Island tones. She returned to the music scene with the release of her singles Bop Baiye & Simple Pleasures in 2020. These singles are currently on the tracklist of her EP.
While briefly describing the EP, Brettina calls it “an intro to the full story“, adding that although she has been accustomed to putting out full-length projects, an EP suffices for now. New Day not only exudes the same soulful and refreshing energy Brettina is known for, but it also showcases the musical growth she has attained within the last ten years.
The first track named after the EP, New Day has an upbeat and highly positive tune to it. It begins with the beat of a drum, immediately accompanied by a somewhat tropical guitar chord progression. Throughout the song, the tempo changes from high to low then back to high. Brettina’s message here is that someday, love will mend what has been broken and deemed irreparable. It gives hope that the future will be alright and a new day will surely come.
Bop Baiye is a calm, reflective song. It is a prime example of the musical style Brettina has taken to in the past decade. She talks about moving on from disappointment, forgetting the past and living in the present. It also gives listeners the perfect song to not just reflect on but also relax.
Unlike the two previous songs, Low is a song to a lover. It begins with a sultry Jazz tune which beautifully complements Brettina’s soothing vocals. She talks about finding peace with her lover and the blissful feeling she gets when she wakes up in her lover’s arms. In the chorus, she reveals that every time her lover leaves, life feels different, but she remains content and unwilling to change a thing.
When asked about the story behind Simple Pleasures, Brettina told Saturday Magazine that the song was written after a studio session. “We were speaking of the simple things in life and excited to share our own experiences. We realized right then how those simple things were as meaningful and made us happy” she had said. Also adding that the song was written as quickly as those pleasures are expressed. Simple pleasure is a blissful song that encourages listeners to embrace and fully enjoy the simple moments life offers.
New Day introduces the world to a side of Jazz music that has never seen. Brettina, together with songwriter/vocal producer Tricia Battani and Grammy-nominated producer G’harah Degeddingseze aka Pk, have successfully created an incredible body of work. The Bahamian Queen of Jazz has truly outdone herself this time.
