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better joy has been described as a roller coaster ride, offering unexpected twists that thrill listeners and defy expectations. With nods from tastemakers at BBC Radio 6 Music, NME, and DIY, she is swiftly emerging as one of the UK’s most anticipated indie breakthroughs. During our conversation, we discussed her new single “quiet thing,” an introspective track highlighting the understated beauty of everyday moments in relationships, perfectly demonstrating her knack for nuanced storytelling set against a backdrop of energetic, intricate instrumentation.
Bria, your project better joy launched in late 2023 and quickly gained comparisons to iconic bands such as The Cure and The Smiths, as well as contemporary voices like Phoebe Bridgers. How do you personally relate to these comparisons, and do they influence your creative process?
It’s a bit wild that those comparisons happen, to be honest – and if I think about it too much, I get into imposter syndrome territory. It’s flattering that people compare me to those bands and I was listening to a lot of those bands when I started writing music, so it’s cool if those influences have come through in the music. I think vocally, to be compared to someone like Phoebe Bridgers is an honour, I love her so much!
Your first release of 2025 was the single ‘waiting on time’. What inspired this track, and why did you choose it as your initial release for this year?
I wrote this song with my friend, Michael Champion (Wet Leg, Champs Champs) and my drummer Jamie Ford, and they’re two people who I love working with. We were just jamming in my garage and we came up with the music, didn’t think much of it. Then we just couldn’t stop thinking about the song, so we worked on the lyrics and it developed into something that’s so fun and uplifting. I loved the process of writing this song, and I think it holds happy memories for me – it makes sense that I started my EP campaign with such a positive force. This EP has been a really positive and exciting experience for me, it feels right that we started with ‘waiting on time’, a song about waiting for the right moment. It felt like the right moment to release it. This is a favourite to play live.
Growing up in Cheshire, a stone’s throw from Manchester, you have undoubtedly been surrounded by some of the richest musical culture in the world: The Stone Roses, Oasis, Take That, The Chemical Brothers and on and on… Do you often find yourself feeling romantic about your life there, and does that energy bleed into your sound?
I spent so much time in the city and it inevitably has had an influence on who I am and my sound. I am very proud to be Northern and proud of the musical history we’ve got. I’m definitely inspired by that Northern grit which is in so much of that music, I think music made in Manchester has a lot of soul and I hope that type of energy bleeds into my sound.
Your latest single, ‘quiet thing’, explores the understated moments in relationships. Can you discuss how personal experiences shaped the storytelling in this song?
So this song was inspired by a conversation I had with a close friend who had recently lost their mum. They were telling me that their relationship with their girlfriend was ‘quiet’ right now, but that it was getting him through that period. It made me think about how we always romanticize the big moments in relationships, when actually sometimes the most romantic moments are the quietest ones.
You’ve mentioned the intention behind pairing the sweetness of the lyrics with gritty instrumentation in ‘quiet thing’. What was the creative process behind achieving this musical contrast?
I didn’t want to write a ballad, I wanted to write a love song that people could dance to. The gritty guitars naturally make ‘quiet thing’ less ballad-like, and that was our intention when producing the song.
Your debut EP, ‘heading into blue’, produced by Mike Hedges, is set for release on March 28th. How did collaborating with Mike, known for his work with artists like The Cure and U2, influence your artistic direction?
Working with Mike is still a big pinch-me moment. With everything he’s done, I was a bit in awe of him to start with – and still am! – but he’s the loveliest person to work with, really encouraging and insightful. And his influences had a massive effect on the music. There was a night we were talking about Fender bass amps that were used in some of his Cure records and we were like, we have to bring them into these songs.
The EP includes previously released tracks ‘waiting on time’, ‘carnival’, and ‘what a day’. How do these tracks collectively set the stage for the overall narrative or emotional arc of the project?
They’re a taster of what better joy’s all about. They were all written at that point in my songwriting journey where I was starting to believe in myself as a writer and each song holds a special place in my journey. This EP feels like the first introduction to better joy.
Two new tracks, ‘couldn’t run forever’ and ‘can I land the plane?’, are debuting on this EP. Could you provide insights into these songs—what inspired them, and how do they enhance the story of ‘heading into blue’?
With Couldn’t Run Forever, I had no intention of sharing it with anyone; then I played it to my sister, randomly, and she pushed me to show it to Mike Hedges (producer). I didn’t think it was any good, I just started writing one night about how easy it is for me to run from things that scare me and that I had to stop running at some point. It’s sometimes difficult to know if what you write is any good, that’s why it’s important to surround yourself with positive influences who believe in you and encourage you. I’m lucky to have those voices in my corner. ‘Can I land the plane?’ is a question to myself: can I do this? Can I write music and become a successful performing artist, can I complete an EP, release music that connects? Guess I’ll only find out from releasing music, ha – but that song is a pretty vulnerable song. I think we all have those moments where we’re like – can we actually do this?. That song is an ode to those moments.
The meaning behind ‘heading into blue’, is that blue, for me, equates to self-expression and freedom – and with these songs, that’s where I’m heading. I am very proud of this EP, there was a lot of love poured into making this EP and I think it shows.
The visual presentation of your EP and singles strongly complements your musical narrative. How do you approach the visual elements—such as artwork and videos—to reflect or enhance the themes you explore musically?
The artwork is by my best friend, Imo Sinclair, and we’ve been in sync since we met when we were about 11. I wanted to have artwork that was bright and uplifting and Imo’s style really caters to that. I’m excited to see it on the merchandise! When it comes to visuals and videos, I’m finding my style as I go – the sound is influenced by 80s guitar music, so aesthetically, I wanted to bring those influences in too, but with a modern edge. I’m still figuring that all out!
Your aesthetic is often described as vivid and storytelling-driven, with fond comparisons to the vibrant stage presence of Debbie Harry. How consciously do you cultivate this visual identity, particularly in live performances and media representation?
It’s definitely something I’m conscious of, but it’s evolving all the time. I’m influenced by a lot of those icons like Debbie Harry, but I’m trying to do it my own way. I’m influenced by grunge, 90s fashion and 80s guitar music, and I’d say that elements of those feature in my visual world. But on the flip side, I don’t want to overthink the process too much, I just want to be an artist that people enjoy listening to and seeing live. Like I said before, I’m still figuring all that out!
I love how authentically you connect with your fans – it’s so refreshing to see an artist talk directly to their listeners! How is this approach reflected in your own life?
Social media’s great for that, a lot of my fans have been with me since the early days when I performed to 2 people in a pub. I feel really lucky to be able to communicate with my fans directly through my mailing list; I recently did a competition asking for song ideas for a cover I’m gonna do on tour. I think that artist-fan engagement makes the fans feel involved, I hope it does anyway? They’re the whole reason I can tour! I’ve always been a people person, so it feels natural for that to translate into this project. I learn alot from people and yeh, I’m lucky to be able to connect with people through my music.
You recently completed a support tour with Hard-Fi. Aside from having an obvious blast, how did touring alongside them impact your perspective on performing and your relationship with live audiences?
We learnt so much. Hard Fi have a really loyal fan base, who travel far and wide to go and see them. It’s important to show up for every crowd, even if the gig hasn’t sold out or it’s in a venue you don’t like, every fan is there to see you perform your best show and you owe it to them to show up. Each live audience is different so, I’m led a lot by instinct as to when to speak a bit more between songs and when to just hold back. Enjoying live performances and gut instincts are really connected.
Your first headline UK tour is set for March and April, including a notable London performance at Old Blue Last. How do you feel stepping into the role of headliner, and what do you hope fans will experience during these live shows?
Headlining is a whole new ball game, it feels as though there’s so much more freedom to the shows and room to just do whatever you want, the audience is there for you! I hope fans enjoy it so much, I hope they leave wanting more and are excited for what’s to come. I want them to connect with me and leave on a high. It’s a big tour we’ve got coming up, and I don’t take a moment of it for granted.
As ‘heading into blue’ marks your first significant body of work, what lessons from creating this EP will you take forward into future projects? Where do you see better joy’s sound evolving next?
A big lesson I learnt was to trust my instincts and to keep writing with vulnerability. The better joy sound is gonna keep evolving and I can’t wait to see where it goes. I already have lots of ideas and can see myself writing songs now that are really reflective of where I’m at now and who I’m listening to.
Are there specific musical directions or themes you’re particularly excited to explore in future releases?
I’m writing a lot about the idea of shame at the moment, so expect to see a few songs about that! I’m excited to see where my writing goes, it feels like ‘heading into blue’ is me just getting started.
Reflecting on your journey from launching better joy to preparing your debut EP and headlining tour, what has been the most rewarding part of this experience?
There’s so many rewarding factors! From connecting with fans through people listening to my music and finding me through playlists or reviews, to people coming to see us supporting an act, to writing music that ends up on the radio. There’s a lot to be grateful for.
Lastly, what do you ultimately hope listeners take away from your music—both from the new EP and your performances?
I hope people connect with the music and the performances, and feel uplifted from seeing better joy live.
