We previously featured barDe when she shared a cinematic and emotional cover of Misfits’ iconic hit, Dig Up Her Bones, so when we heard that the rising star was back with the provocatively titled, C U Next Tuesday, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.
Opening with a strummed guitar soundscape and astral frequency with 80s adjacent vocalizations and a pulsating beat, barDe opens C U Next Tuesday with an all too familiar narrative as she sings, “Just smile cos you look prettier, he says, cos he’s hitting on her, come on, you know to…”
We deeply connect with the poignancy of the prose, and barDe‘s cinematic delivery. There is no doubt that C U Next Tuesday would be perfect for a multitude of sync placements, notably a Hollywood movie or TV that reflects the themes of the lyrics.
barDe tells us how C U Next Tuesday is designed to serve as a bold and defiant commentary about standing up to patriarchal patterning. With her narrative-driven storytelling, laced with poetic prowess, she brings to life the lived experience of women around the world. There is a nostalgic timelessness to the soundscape, and we can imagine that fans of Fleetwood Mac would really be able to connect with C U Next Tuesday.
The tempo shift for the middle eight is sublime, and invites further introspection into the message as barDe sings, “You gotta learn that no means no…”.
C U Next Tuesday is culturally important because it turns everyday experiences of sexism, such as backhanded compliments, pressure to “smile” or being told to “calm down” into a collective feminist statement.
It centres the idea that “no is a complete sentence” and incorporates phrases that were contributed by more than 100 women. The song transforms these individual moments of frustration into a shared catharsis, and it is empowering at its core.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added C U Next Tuesday to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream barDe‘s exquisite, growing discography, including What the Hell Hey, and Next to Last Girl.