Housewife

“But are you not entertained?” 20-year-old Brighid Fry (she/they) scoffs in Housewife’s newest single, “Fuck Around Phase.” The pop-grunge song is a snide retort, a self-reflexive response to deep, personal hurt.

“They say, ‘Brighid why’re you being an asshole?’” she sing-snarls over the verse’s crunchy riffs, before exalting, “Cause Brighid wanna have a good time!”

Luckily, that good time is easy with a band like Housewife. Because beneath the singalong hooks and top-notch production, Fry’s self-awareness and lyrical poignancy shines just as brightly.

Having written music since she was 14 years old, Fry’s musical style has evolved from her parents’ folksong influences, to her self-described early-teenaged emo phase, to this contemporary amalgamation of rock, pop, and lo-fi— all buoyed by her natural gift for melody. Housewife’s newest songs showcase Fry integrating all these influences into an honest depiction of being a young person today — the grief and growth, the failures and friendships, existential crises and exuberant celebrations. “Fuck Around Phase,” for example, highlights the dichotomy of navigating heartache while also enjoying oneself in the midst of a breakup. “King of Wands,” on the other hand, is a song both breathy and bass-heavy that takes cues from both tarot and Greek mythology to tackle contemporary social issues and her own intuition. In the myth, Apollo grants Cassandra the gift of prophecy, but with the curse that no one believes her. “It wasn’t like I set out to write a feminist song,” Fry begins. “That’s such a common experience in a lot of marginalized communities like, “Hey! We’re talking and the shit we’re saying is true!” But no one is listening.”

Based in Toronto, Fry likes to describe Housewife as a project comprised of anyone who collaborates with her — in Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York City-based recording studios, or on tour everywhere across North America. Mostly recently Fry traveled to Nashville to write and record these songs and others with music industry mainstays like producer and multi-instrumentalist Gabe Simon (Lana Del Rey, Dua Lipa, Anderson .Paak), performer and producer Mikky Ekko (Rihanna, Vince Staples, Diplo), and indie pop artist Young Summer.

In 2022, the band signed to the US-based major label Hazel Street Records (Sony / Orchard) to release the five-track EP, You’ll Be Forgiven, which was lauded by CBC Q’s Tom Power as “thoughtful and introspective [with] lyrics about coming of age, growing up, and making mistakes.” Previously, Housewife independently released two other EPs, which garnered accolades from the Canadian Folk Music Awards and Toronto Independent Music Awards, and toured with bands like Broken Social Scene, Stars, and Barenaked Ladies.

Now, with new life experiences and new vigor, Housewife returns to the scene. Fry is setting her sights on the future — through her volunteer work with the musician-led activism group Music Declares Emergency, as well as naturally through the release of new music. She’s ready to keep traveling, keep writing, recording, and performing. “It’s been a really steep learning curve,” she says, “but I’m just so excited about the new music!”