J. Breckenridge Releases New Single 'Not Forgiving You'

RED CARD RECORDS has announced the debut of "Not Forgiving You" - the fourth single from J. BRECKENRIDGE, the singer/songwriter and recording artist persona of noted stage and screen performer Josh Breckenridge - today, Friday, May 14. "Not Forgiving You," now available on all digital and streaming platforms, is the next step in the rollout of his upcoming debut album of all-original music Monotony. The album is scheduled for digital release on Friday, May 28 and will be available on vinyl this summer. Breckenridge's songs seamlessly blend old-school soul and contemporary chamber pop with R&B and jazz influences. The music is produced by Grammy Award nominee James Frazee (Patti Smith, Esperanza Spalding, Bettye Lavette). Breckenridge is known for his standout roles on Broadway and appearances on hit TV shows "The Blacklist" (CBS), "Blue Bloods" (NBC), and "FBI" (CBS). He will be part of the Apple Original Films live filming of the Tony Award-winning international hit musical Come from Away and will rejoin the cast when it returns to Broadway in September.

Listen to the new song below!

Breckenridge's passionate original songs - with their taut, expressive arrangements, emotional delivery, and fresh yet familiar melodies - call to mind influences as wide-ranging as the classic R&B of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Smokey Robinson to the current sounds of Bruno Mars, Michael Bublé, and John Legend. Sometimes mellow, often rhythmic, Breckenridge's music is always intelligent, sophisticated, and personal.

"Not Forgiving You" is a deceptively lighthearted modern pop song with a playful infusion of vintage doo wop. But the number is really a way to reclaim the feelings of pain and shame from a past abusive relationship. "Sometimes we find surprising treasures in the troubling moments of our yesterdays," says Breckenridge. "'Not Forgiving You' is my mantra of strength against a mound of rough memories. There's nothing humorous about the darkness of domestic abuse, but there is something human about the unconventional coping mechanisms we sometimes pick to dull our senses. If my experiences with theater and storytelling have taught me anything, it's that when the stakes are high and words fail, the only option left is to sing about it!"

Breckenridge is supported by Carl Carter on bass, Alec Berlin on guitars, and David Paarlberg on keyboard. James Frazee provides drum programming. Breckenridge supplies all lead and background vocals.

"Come to Me," Breckenridge's first single, which debuted in February, is an homage to his southern California roots, with an open-hearted, feel-good vibe and an irresistible hook. "Y.O.U." - the second single, released in March - is an introspective, lilting midtempo number that addresses complicated feelings of self-responsibility and self-love with humor and finesse. The most recent single, "Home Is Where the Art Is," is a ballad with a haunting melody, bittersweet lyrics, and a lush string arrangement that ruefully reflects on the roads taken and not taken.

Breckenridge's time in a budding high school boy band gave him his first taste of songwriting. While the band itself didn't last, he has since honed his skills and is building a catalog of well-crafted lyrics and memorable melodies. Though he credits Lauryn Hill, Brian McKnight, and D'Angelo as inspirations, it was actually Mariah Carey that first brought out the emerging songwriter in him. "Mariah was my all-time favorite growing up, and she influenced me as a composer and lyricist. Her hits seemed endless, as well as endlessly hummable. It was the first time I thought 'I can do that!' I remember being a pre-pubescent boy belting out whistle tones to her music with a towel on my head and a toothbrush for a microphone!"

A Southern California native, Josh Breckenridge left the warmth of the west coast to earn a BFA from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, where he received the Laurie Beechman Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Performance." Upon graduation Josh traveled further east to New York City to pursue his passion for performing. After three short months, Breckenridge made his Broadway debut and has since enjoyed a colorfully consistent career as an actor-singer-dancer on Broadway, film and television. On Broadway, he appeared in the revival of Terrence McNally's play The Ritz at Studio 54, Kander & Ebb's Tony Award-nominated musical The Scottsboro Boys, and Come from Away. He was also featured in the San Francisco debut of the stage musical Tales of the City, based on Armistead Maupin's beloved series of novels, with a score co-written by Jake Shears of The Scissor Sisters. Throughout his career, Breckenridge has worked alongside legendary cultural talents like Trey Parker & Matt Stone, Huey Lewis, and David Bryan of Bon Jovi.

"My artist persona J. Breckenridge is a piece of my personality that has finally had time to surface," he explains. "During the pandemic, all the excuses dropped away. I've been lucky enough to have a busy Broadway and TV schedule. The one positive element of this temporary industry shutdown is that it allowed me the space to perfect these new songs. This time alone has been an important period of contemplation and I've been at my most emotionally available. It's been perfect for harnessing the multitude of feelings, the vastly different shades and colors of emotions this original material evokes."

"As a musical theater actor," Breckenridge continues, "I've been fortunate to perform someone else's music and someone else's lyrics on large stages, and I am grateful for those opportunities. But I have my own stories to tell. This music is just the beginning. I feel blessed and happy to have this chance to share it."

For updates, please follow J. BRECKENRIDGE at facebook.com/Jbreckenridgemusic and instagram.com/j.breckenridge.music. His website is j-breckenridge.com.

Photo credit: Bronson Farr