Following her first new music of 2025 with ‘waiting on time’, Manchester-based Bria Keely, better known as better joy, has shared her new single ‘quiet thing’ taken from her forthcoming debut EP ‘heading into blue’ released on 28th March.
Building through gritty guitars and honeyed vocals to a euphoric chorus, new track ‘quiet thing’ is a captivating and buoyant new track. A reflective and personal song, lyrically it illuminates the understated beauty of the normal and quiet times in relationships.
Bria says, "’Quiet thing’ is one of those songs that has taken on so many different lives since its original conception. I was originally inspired by someone close to me, who at the time was describing the quiet type of love he needed from his partner when going through a tough time. It got me thinking how important it is to not take the quiet moments in relationships for granted. I suppose I wanted to write an ode to those moments, but I didn’t want it to be sweet-sounding; I wanted the lyrics to be against music that had a bit of grit to offset the sweetness.”
New single ‘quiet thing’ is taken from better joy’s forthcoming debut EP ‘heading into blue’, produced by Mike Hedges (The Cure, U2, Manic Street Preachers). The 6-track EP features previous singles ‘waiting on time’, ‘carnival’ and ‘what a day’ alongside new single ‘quiet time, as well as two brand-new tracks, ‘couldn’t run forever’ and ‘can I land the plane?’. It is the first full-length project from better joy and is both a perfect introduction to better joy’s alt-pop sound and an exciting taster of more to come this year. The vinyl version of the EP is available to pre-order now here.
When better joy launched in late 2023, her vivid songs brought comparisons to The Cure, The Smiths and Phoebe Bridgers. A solo project led by Bria Keely and backed up by her band, Bria has an upfront and centre voice as colourful as Debbie Harry and a knack for effortless storytelling. Ringing, complex riffs winding around Bria's vocals, dancing bass lines, characterful drumming and vulnerable lyrics: this is the sound of better joy.
Fresh off the back of a support tour with Hard Fi at the end of last year, better joy embarks on a debut headline UK tour in March and April, including a headline London show at Old Blue Last. Tickets are available here and full dates are below.
HEADLINE TOUR DATES:
Thurs 27th March - Garage, Glasgow
Fri 28th March - Zero, Newcastle
Sat 29th March - Dead Wax, Birmingham
Sun 30th March - Bodega, Nottingham
Tues 1st April - The Louisiana, Bristol
Thurs 3rd April - Old Blue Last, London
Fri 4th April – Night & Day, Manchester (upgraded due to demand)
Sat 5th April - The Joiners, Southampton
Thurs 10th April – V11, Rotterdam
Fri 11th April – Supersonic, Paris
OTHER DATES:
Tues 25th Feb – Melkweg, Amsterdam (supporting Kawala)
Thurs 13th March – Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds (supporting M60)
Sat 3rd & Sun 4th May – Liverpool Sound City, Liverpool
Fri 9th May – Wrexham, Focus Wales
Fri 16th & Sat 17th May – London Calling, Amsterdam
Sat 14th June – Portsmouth, Golden Touch festival
Sat 26th July – Chester, Together Again festival
Sun 27th July – Truck Festival, Oxfordshire
Sun 3rd August – Y Not Festival, Derbyshire
Comments
Videos