Shana Halligan’s musical roots have been in trip-hop ever since she began fronting Bitter:Sweet 20 years ago alongside Rick Torres and Kiran Shahani of Supreme Beings of Leisure, and later teaming up with Thievery Corporation on their 2014 single “Depth of My Soul.” Yet her forthcoming LP The One has its roots in the ’70s rather than the ’90s, with a full team of producers onboard to help pull these songs in various directions while remaining tethered to this decade. Following the release of the Spaghetti-Western-esque title track earlier this summer, Halligan returns today with “So Messy,” a sauntering cut that feels equally inspired by the soft balladry of the 1970s as it does the pop music of the 2000s.
“This one was so much fun to create!” Halligan shares of the single. “I felt like I was living in a ’70s movie or funny ass TV show on roller skates (the right kind). I actually laughed so much on the mic while I sang this (by myself, I might add). I kept having to redo it. It was such a hot character I was playing. I also decided to keep the vocals really loose—no tuning, whole takes. It’s a little ‘messy’ behind the beat, imperfect. That’s how it would have felt in the ’70s. Our ears are so used to perfection these days, I wanted to bring back a human element in this and not take myself so seriously. The DJ in my band since the beginning of Bitter:Sweet, LC , who is the coolest guy I know, helped out on this track. I hope Shakira hears my shout out to her on this one. Hips don’t lie.”
The One is slated to drop early next year, following the release of 2025’s Baby Is Back LP—the project’s first album since going on hiatus in 2010. Check out the latest cut from the new record below.
