Nessa Barrett is a musician who keeps turning her scars into music. Due to her family constantly moving, she barely had any friends; thus, learned to keep to herself while dreaming of the day she would live on her own.
Thankfully, her parents loved music and Barrett found solace in it. She hoped to pursue music professionally and recorded her first song at four years old in her dad’s home studio.
The singer became a TikTok star in 2019 after posting lip-syncing videos of popular songs. Before long, Warner Records noticed her talent and signed her.
The TikTok star is known for singing dark music inspired by her experiences, and most of her fans have learned of her mental struggles through her songs. So far, she has released two albums and among the best Nessa Barrett songs of all time, here are ten.
10. Lucky Star
Barrett opened up to People Magazine, saying that writing her “Young Forever” album took almost 18 months. She was in a dark place and even ended up in a psych ward.
So, when she penned “Lucky Star,” it was about her wondering what the future held for her because, at times, she felt like she would not even finish the album. However, she accepted her dark moments and began praying every night while doing everything to stay alive.
9. Love Bomb
Barrett suffers from borderline personality disorder; thus, she used this song to spread awareness about the condition. The singer said that while love bombing has always had a negative connotation, most people who suffer from borderline personality disorder love bombs to express how sorry they are.
In the song, she tries to seek forgiveness through love bombs after her manic episodes, although she knows they no longer work.
8. Talk to Myself
Many philosophers believe that you are your own worst enemy. If you entertain negative thoughts and are always criticizing yourself, you do not need anyone else to bring you down.
That is the message in the song “Talk to Myself,” in which Barrett reveals how negatively she talks to herself. The voices in her head tell her she is better off dead, useless, and stupid. So, she adds that no one can make her feel inferior because she does that to herself already.
7. Pretty Poison
“Pretty Poison” is about Barrett accepting her imperfections and letting people know she wears them with pride. It took a long time for her to learn how to deal with her mental struggles, going to the extent of self-harm. She tattooed her body with dark messages, one of which was “pretty poison.”
The tattoo is on the inside of her arm and represents the mental and emotional anguish she suffered. Fortunately, Barrett now uses music to express her inner frustrations.
6. Tired of California
Since she was a little girl, Barrett dreamed of living in Los Angeles, specifically California. So, upon turning 17, she ran away from home to fulfill her dream of living in the city. She confessed California has rewarded her with many opportunities. However, after being there for a while, she felt trapped; hence, is tired of California.
5. If You Love Me
When Barrett said that she was open to taking any direction with her music after her debut song “Pain,” she meant it. With this second single, the singer reveals more energy. She co-wrote it with Leo Mellace and Nate Cyphert, the brilliant minds who also helped penned “Pain.”
It speaks of teenage romance, and Barrett said it was about how love makes people crazy to the extent of seeking revenge when hurt. The video does not disappoint in delivering the message. After being locked up in a glass box with a man, she kills him out of anger.
4. Pain
When Barrett moved from Galloway, New Jersey to Los Angeles, she was determined to pursue music. She wanted to be known for her musical talent, not just her TikTok videos.
So, she sat at a piano and began writing a ballad, “Pain,” which wound up as her emotional debut released on July 31, 2020. She disclosed that doing the piano ballad as her debut allowed her to go in any direction with her music.
It was a great decision that earned her a record label because as soon as Warner Records’ CEO saw the music clip on TikTok, he knew he had to sign her. As Billboard published, Warner Records’ executives believed in Barrett before she could believe in herself.
3. Dying on the Inside
Barrett confessed that even after revealing her struggles, she still found it hard to talk about her eating disorder. However, through this song she wrote with Mags Duval and Danny Silberstein, the singer managed to disclose her struggle with the disorder. She said that it is one of the most honest songs she has ever released and when Barrett first heard it, she could not help but burst into tears.
2. Die First
Barrett disclosed the song means more to her than anyone could ever understand. According to Distractify, Barrett never publicly admitted that the song was inspired by one of her close friends, Cooper Noriega who passed away in the summer of 2022.
Still, those who knew how close the two friends were did not have to be told that the singer penned the lyrics with Noriega in mind. She played it to him before releasing her album and the deceased friend loved it so much that it became his favorite song from that album. After his passing, it was released in his honor.
1. La Di Die
After breaking up with Josh Richards, Barrett collaborated with his best friend, Jaden Hossler, on this song. The song is about how fame is destructive, and she even sings about dying at twenty-seven.
The reference to the specific age is from the many famous musicians who died at 27. Barrett recognizes she has achieved fame and success at a young age. Hopefully, she does not end up like Amy Winehouse or Kurt Cobain.
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