Brisbane pop singer Bridget O’Shannessy romanticises her life with Thursday night adventures and second-hand poetry books.
Last week we entered the intoxicating world of Bridget O’Shannessy’s latest single, painkiller.
Equal parts pop revelry and slinky R&b, the track detailed the Brisbane-based artist’s quest to satiate her desires, in spite of the confusion that it can sometimes bring.
With diaristic lyricism and firm grasp on dark-pop, painkiller ushers in what’s sure to be a breakout moment for O’Shannessy, thanks in no small part to the assist of her brother and producer, Danny.
Fresh off the release of painkiller and inspired by the release, Bridget stopped by Happy Mag to run-through the places, songs, things and activities that take the pain away and allow her to romanticise life.
See Bridget O’Shannessy’s full list of life’s painkillers below, and scroll down to listen to her latest single, painkiller.
Thursday Night Adventures.
Whether it’s enjoying knock-off drinks at a wine bar, attending a friend’s gig at the Stranded Bar or The End, catching a movie at the Rosalie Cinema, or grabbing a booth at the Sushi Train or Little Red Dumpling with some friends.
I’m a staunch advocate for the Thursday night outing because it adds a little shimmer to the week.
Confetti on the floor.
I wrote the chorus of “painkiller” on the weekend of my 23rd birthday, a time when I wasn’t quite feeling myself. However, amidst my birthday blues, one thing that brought a small smile to my face was the confetti scattered all over my apartment floor.
It lingered there for weeks, serving as a constant reminder of the effort my family and friends had gone to, to celebrate with me.
It became a poignant metaphor for the chaos that often accompanies a full and vibrant life, where even the mess can possess a unique and captivating beauty.
Mimosas for Lunch.
I recently took a Monday off from work and decided to meet my best friend, Ali, for lunch at the Stanon in the city. The waiter guided us to a table in the corner of the balcony, bathed in dappled sunshine.
Naturally, Ali and I exchanged glances, silently concurring that we had scored the best seat in the house. We began our meal by ordering two mimosas, delving into discussions on politics, sharing laughter over some of our recent failed dates, and carefully reassessing which Sex and the City character we each embodied.
It didn’t take long before we came to the consensus that tiramisu was unquestionably an appropriate choice for a midday meal.
As we savored our dessert, we couldn’t resist the temptation to engage in some harmless flirting with our charming waiter, showering him with compliments as we ordered a shared tiramisu and two more mimosas.
Notes App.
I use my Notes app on my phone for just about everything. I keep lists of my friends’ coffee orders, jot down lyrics and poems, record my shopping lists and wish lists, and compile set lists along with songs I aim to learn.
When I find myself overwhelmed by something, I’ll take a moment to type it out on my phone until I arrive at a resolution I’m happy with. Like a knot in a necklace, I’ll keep writing something down until the knot is finally undone.
Second-hand Poetry Books from Op-Shops.
When I travel, when I have a day off, or when I’m looking for a little treat or some retail therapy, I make my way to an op-shop or a second-hand book store, marching straight for the poetry section.
I seek out the oldest little book or something penned by a poet I admire or am curious about. I’ll open a book to a random page and read until I stumble upon something that resonates with me, and then I make the purchase.
At home, I have stacks of poetry books that I pick up and annotate with underlined lines I find appealing or jot down little ideas and thoughts in the margins.
Sometimes, these poetic musings spark inspiration for a song, and at other times, they simply put me to sleep. In either case, it serves as a kind of painkiller.
Collaborative Playlists.
My sister, Maggie, has mentioned a few times that she believes her love language revolves around creating playlists on Spotify which has served as a form of communication since she moved to a farm a few hours away from the city.
She and I share numerous playlists that we work on together. For instance, there’s one featuring Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and the like, which we play when we want to immerse ourselves in the ambiance of a ’90s Nancy Meyers movie.
We also have a playlist titled ‘bits and bops’ that’s perfect for a Saturday afternoon glass of rosé and includes tracks by Earth, Wind and Fire.
And for those long road trips to the farm, we’ve crafted a playlist filled with the music of Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Selena Gomez, perfect for some spirited sing-alongs.
Catching the Ferry Across Town.
I always say “make the mundane a novelty by making a novelty, mundane”. I’ll take a seat in the back and sit with my poetry book, a playlist or my notes app and find a little peace in the breeze.
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Friday night Lefty’s gigs.
It’s 8:30 pm on a Friday night, and my phone suddenly lights up with a text from our band’s group chat. It’s our drummer, JP, inquiring if anyone has arrived yet, and then Ellen, our bassist, chimes in with a text saying, “see y’all soon mfs x.”
I respond with a playful “see you soon cowboys!!,” quickly grab my guitar, and head out the door.
Recently, during a conversation with one of the girls who works at Lefty’s, she casually mentioned that when my band and I make our entrance at Lefty’s for one of our shows, the security team communicates over the comms with the phrase, “Lefty’s favorite blonde has entered the building.”
It’s a fun little anecdote that perfectly captures the level of enjoyment we bring to our performances.
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Monday Night Writing Sesh.
Every Monday night, after finishing work, I head over to my Dad’s house in West End, where my brother, Danny, also lives.
I take a seat at the kitchen bench, where Dad has thoughtfully laid out the ingredients for dinner, and we engage in a lively conversation about our respective weeks.
It’s only a matter of time before Danny joins us at the kitchen bench, and the three of us delve into discussions about politics over dinner.
Once the dishes are cleared, Danny and I will compare tracks and lyrics that we’ve composed during the week. It was during one of these famous Monday nights that we created ‘painkiller.’
I approached Danny with the chorus written in full and asked him to craft a “bouncy bass-line,” and from there, the rest of the song effortlessly flowed into existence.
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Old Spiral-bound Note Books.
Have you ever kept a notebook for so long that you finally filled every page? I used to constantly buy new notebooks and never fill them, but recently, I finally filled one.
It was one of those yellow spiral notebooks that I had taken from work and just carried around in my bag wherever I went for about three months. Once I realized I’d filled it, I took a look through its pages and discovered a treasure trove of memories.
Inside, I found old to-do lists from when I released ‘Sydney Street,’ forgotten lyrics, quotes from meetings with mentors, and pages filled with the goals I had set for myself.
There was also a thankyou letter from my best friend, who had house-sat for me while I was in Perth for a show. I stumbled upon a hastily scrawled recipe from when my sister taught me how to make coq au vin for a last minute dinner party.
Reflecting on the contents of that notebook acted as a kind of personal painkiller.
