Bishop Briggs - 'Revolution'
Bishop Briggs’ latest release couldn’t have come at a better time if it tried; with punchy lyrics and a melody sure to become an anthem, the energy it radiates is stirring up a storm.
A brutally honest and powerful reclamation, ‘Revolution’ is an exploration of how pain and difficult periods in life can build up a person. Bishop Briggs in recent months has been frank about the challenges and traumas she has endured; wrestling with demons of her own amidst a world that consistently seems bleak, this track has been a point of catharsis for the artist and has helped her to find purpose and a calling.
Briggs is not one to shy away from politics and social justice issues and this drive and determination to seek out better resonates from the opening of the track. From the beginning the lyrics are poised and punchy: ‘I’ll burn at the stake and I’d do it twice’ is a particularly striking lyric not only because it is right at the start of the song but because it epitomizes the entire feeling that Briggs is seeking out to convey. Stylistically, everything about this track reads as a call-to-arms; the echoey vocals which move towards the sound of a militaristic drum beat builds up a sense of anticipation which explodes at the chorus. To say that the lyrics and the melody of this track smack you in the face would be true, but in the best possible sense. Briggs is not afraid to articulate that the pain and struggle which comes with enacting change is necessary and without being overtly threatening, she calls out to all those who have doubted her and who are not willing to stand by her side:
‘You won’t see me running, No I won’t let the bastards get me down… My pain is my armor, I’m bulletproof; so come take a shot, yeah, I dare you to’
A lot of the lyrics in this track are about fighting back and standing up for what you believe in however Briggs also emphasizes the importance of self-healing. She explains that to bring true change, you must not only antagonize but also work on yourself. She highlights that catharsis comes from personal growth, not from seeing your enemies fall.
After a long period of soul searching, Revolution is an ode to finding strength in difficult and painful times. Bishop Briggs’ music has always echoed themes of strength and resilience but none more so than this release. Everything about the track makes you want to scream and shout out against oppression but at the same time also encourages you to heal from your own wounds and grow. In her own words, Briggs has expressed that her hopes for the song are to make listeners ‘feel empowered and determined to fight towards your own revolution’. This notion of fighting back and standing up for what you believe in is the true drive of the track and while some have chosen to attribute the song to particular movements or political ideology, the beauty of the lyrics is that they speak to a universal desire for better.
Words by Kirsty-Ann Thomson
