Coming out of Western Australia, Bailey Perrie has been making a significant impression in the pop rock music sphere. Blending the punch of pop punk with the wide appeal of modern pop, she’s forged a sound driven by memorable hooks, energy and meaningful lyricism. Since first arriving in 2020, Bailey expanded both her catalogue and audience, collecting international awards, Grammy consideration and fans around the world while remaining steadfast in her mission to create music that feels adventurous and emotionally compelling.
Her artistic journey has been one of constant momentum; following her debut single, “Surely,” she continued releasing a succession of singles and alternate versions before unveiling her first full-length record, Emergence, which landed in 2023. Since then, a string of new singles and albums two and three have showcased an artist going from strength to strength with each move while taking her songwriting and sound forward and growing her international following.
Fresh from the release of her recent album, You Know You Kinda Like It, Bailey now reveals another side of her personality with her latest single titled “The Villain.” Bursting with playful confidence, the track channels the thrill of rebellion while celebrating the freedom that comes from releasing impossible expectations and allowing yourself to exist beyond other people’s opinions. Stacked with energetic guitars, infectious melodies and an exhilarating pace, “The Villain” lands with octane impact.
The song’s inspiration arrives from an unexpected place of the mischievous appeal of fictional movie villains, imagining the possibility of stepping outside life’s unwritten rules without lasting consequences. The central idea is less about embracing bad behaviour than exploring what freedom might feel like if perfection stopped being the goal. That playful concept opens the door to something more relatable and within the tongue-in-cheek lyrics and spirited production ultimately sits a message that revolves around self-acceptance.
Brought in by the shuffle of drums, bounce of bass and intricate blend of guitar chords and airy synth flickers, Bailey’s voice glides in to ask “do you ever wonder what it’d be like if there were no rules” above the laid back groove of the arrangement. Delivered via her expressive voice, the catchy melodic leads roll into a gripping chorus where crashing drums and driving guitars collide to serve up an exhilarating sonic burst packed full of enthralling rock energy and spectacular vocal performance. Cut with slick lead guitars and smooth ebb and flow, the song rises to a thrilling finale where Bailey’s belted voice soars above the surge of instrumentation to close with the line “because in the bigger picture, villains have more fun.”
Anthemic, energising and wholly absorbing, “The Villain” sees Bailey lay down an epic pop rock outing that’s sure to impress new and existing listeners alike. With her latest single, she delivers a release that’s a fast-moving, hook-filled jam frames the idea that the most liberating thing an artist can do is stop worrying about pleasing everybody else. As her audience continues to grow both at home and around the world, Bailey Perrie is showing no signs of slowing down on her captivating musical adventure and we can’t wait to see what she’s got in store next.
Listen to The Villain below
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