.jpeg)
Independent artist Bren. is making waves with "bad habits." This thrilling, emotional song feels more like a late-night confession you weren't meant to hear than a song. The song is about how hard it is to carry someone with you across miles and time zones, even when distance should have done its job by now. It is based on emotional exhaustion and unending heartbreak.
"bad habits." live in that awkward space where memory won't let go. The pain doesn't come from big, explosive moments, it comes from the slow burn, which is the mental link that keeps someone in your thoughts more than they are in real life. Bren. leans into this tension with a lot of openness, letting the weight of longing sit front and center without saying sorry.
The song's sound is all about contrast. bren. mixes alternative punk rebellion with hyperpop chaos to make a sound that is both rough and full of emotion. The song has a fast-paced urgency that recalls Green Day's three-chord fury, and a confessional intensity that evokes Olivia Rodrigo's emotional openness. There's a high-energy edge throughout that reminds me of Charli XCX's fearless pop experimentation, which makes the song sound bold and defiant.
What makes "bad habits." hit so hard is that it doesn't play it safe. Bren. doesn't make the emotional pain go away or clean up the mess, he lets the heartbreak stay jagged and unresolved. The song is an anthem for anyone who knows what it's like to be stuck emotionally while moving forward physically. Bren shows that he isn't afraid to sit with discomfort in "bad habits." He turns heartbreak into something loud, chaotic, and undeniably human. It's a powerful first performance that shows an artist ready to make his own way, scars, noise, and all.