Nessa Barrett, born on August 6th, 2002, is a singer-songwriter born in New Jersey. Barrett lived in New Jersey until she was 17 years old. At that age, Barrett knew exactly what she wanted in her life: to be a famous singer. However, Barrett knew that it would be hard to achieve her dreams while living in her town. With that being said, Barrett packed up her whole life and ran away to California. Doing this at her age was costly, but luckily, the young star had already accumulated money from her early fame beginning on TikTok. Barrett’s fame started in 2019 after she went viral for her lip-syncing videos.
One year later, the TikTok star released her debut single, “Pain,” after signing a recording contract with Warner Records. Then, Barrett released “Pretty Poison,” her debut EP. The EP included seven pop-rock songs, including “i hope ur miserable until ur dead,” Barrett’s first song to reach Billboard’s Hot 100. Her music, although not completely well-known, was well-received by fans and often called vulnerable and relatable. Barrett writes about real feelings and emotions, which is why she appeals to fans. Through her music, Barrett explains what she has gone through, such as depression, eating disorders, BPD, and heartbreak. Therefore, reasoning why she released “Pretty Poison” on September 10, 2021, which coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day.
Just over a year after this, Barrett released her first studio album, Young Forever. This album is a 13-track album consisting of 2 singles: “die first” and “mad house.” In an interview with Billboard News, Barrett reveals that the album was about struggles with mental health. Just after this, Barrett began the Young Forever tour. The young star performed at 16 different stops in the United States and Canada, as well as an additional 7 stops in Europe.
Once Barrett finished touring, she released her second EP, “hell is a teenage girl.” The EP has eight tracks, and each song is meant to touch the hearts of many young female fans. Barrett describes the eight tracks as the eight stages of a breakup.“Hell is a teenage girl” touches on topics that make sense to teenage girls in today’s society.
Finally, in 2024, Barrett released her most recent album, Aftercare. The album has 15 tracks, including her two singles: “Passenger Princess” and “Dirty Little Secret.” The album itself explores ideas of healing and emotional intimacy. Aftercare is full of happier, more hyped songs compared to her other music, but it still has some vulnerable, slow songs as well. Shortly after the release of the album, Barrett announced the Aftercare World Tour. The tour included 36 shows along with a few others in Australia.
Nessa Barrett has come a long way since being a scared 17-year-old running away from the only home she’d ever known to chase her dreams. She’s become a safe place for many fans, an amazing musician, and a total icon. Her story is inspirational. She went from being a broken young girl to putting her emotions into her music as a successful attempt to heal.