Since their critically acclaimed debut, Bitter:Sweet has masterfully blended bold beats with lush melodies, carving out a signature cosmopolitan fusion that captivates listeners. Their genre-defying style draws inspiration from Portishead’s cinematic drama, Gilberto Gil’s tropical rhythms, Morcheeba’s downtempo elegance, & Serge Gainsbourg’s lyrical sophistication. The result is a sound synonymous w/style, allure, & timeless class. With over half a million records sold and over 50 various films, tv shows, & brands using Bitter:Sweet’s music to soundtrack their story, Bitter:Sweet is likely one of the world’s most listened to bands in the world, yet whose fame has yet to catch up with their amazing reach. Their trademark sound have appeared in such projects as, ‘The Devil WearsPrada’, ‘Entourage’, & ‘Desperate Housewives’, as well as in ad campaigns for Victoria’s Secret, Coach, & Range Rover. Shana Halligan is a Los Angeles-born singer, songwriter, composer, and one of the most distinctive voices in modern music. With a career spanning nearly 2 decades, she has become known for her sultry vocals, genre-defying creativity, & unrelenting dedication to her craft. She first rose to prominence as the lead vocalist & co-writer of Bitter:Sweet, which she co-founded in 2006. Shana has reignited the Bitter:Sweet project in 2025 with the release of Baby Is Back, an album that signals a daring reinvention. Dropped on April 24, this record reintroduces the band’s signature aesthetic through a contemporary lens, merging lush orchestration with smoky grooves & innovative storytelling. The album’s title track struts with playful bravado, while “Rise” delivers a poignant farewell to Halligan’s late father, adorned with haunting strings from Serj Tankian of System Of A Down and lyrical grace. Other standout cuts—“Ecoute Ma Voix,” “Rosary,” “Lover’s Waltz,” and “Roaring 21”—highlight the renewed fire and fearless artistry behind Bitter:Sweet’s return. Album out now. Bitter:Sweet returns with a brand new album, ‘Baby Is Back’ was officially released on April 25 2025. I for one am ready for this bold and sexy new chapter.
I had the chance to happily chat with Shana about the creation of and the story writing behind the new album, Baby Is Back. But first, We find out how she is doing as a person and what she has been up to in the ten years or so since BitterSweet dissolved. the we hop into how she was able to create a new sonic adventure that is both filled with nostalgia and a brand new something something – as we know – not as easy thing to be able to trap in a moment, never mind many moments. We also talk about how a recent spoken word gathering where she worked with jazz musicians really opened up some paths for her stories to find and walk down – really gaining introspection and yes, there’s more Bitter:Sweet even to come it sounds like. Shana take a moment to build a setlist, which I could just listen to over and over (and over) again. I am always excited when an artist, reveals some of their inner findings through art while in our conversation and Shana and I carved out a little of that here. And one of us is working on a book?! A pleasure.
