BRAZEN BARBIE SHARES LUSH NEW SINGLE ‘AIN’T NO DUMMY’ FROM UPCOMING MIXTAPE ‘BRAZEN’
Grit and glam go hand in hand as Kenyan-Australian musician Brazen Barbie today unveils a brand new cut and music video, Ain’t No Dummy, with the lush new single taken from her forthcoming new mixtape, BRAZEN, set for release on Friday August 1.
Bustling with vibrant production, razor-sharp flow and a dynamic fusion of R&B, hip hop and rap, Ain’t No Dummy is a playful yet powerful outing that incorporates nods to some of the greats like Missy Elliot, Duke Deuce, Project Pat and Eve, while also flexing Brazen Barbie’s powerhouse ability to fuse influences without imitation – and inject lashings of empowerment. “Ain’t No Dummy is about knowing better and still doing it anyway, but on your terms,” shares Brazen Barbie. “It’s playful and a bit messy, sitting in that space where you’re fully aware, but still choosing chaos for the fun of it. There’s contradiction in it. being petty but self-aware, letting things slide but clocking everything. It’s also about people underestimating you, thinking you’re naive, when really you’re ten steps ahead.”
Working with MixedByDaniel, aka Daniel Roberts and beat producer David Arcade, Ain’t No Dummy also arrives today armed with a new music video, with Brazen Barbie teaming up with artist NBreezy to ultimately conjure the playful yet inescapably substantial messaging to visual life. “The video leans into the contradictory side of the song,” says Brazen Barbie of the brand new clip. “It’s playful, hyper feminine, super dolled up and taps into the bimbo coded look, like we may look sweet and naive but looks can be deceiving. It’s fun and animated on the surface but there’s intention behind everything.”
With 12 tracks lying in wait on her upcoming mixtape BRAZEN, Brazen Barbie fiercely and triumphantly embodies her namesake, with bold and exuberant sensuality in tandem with resilience, vulnerability and plenty of fresh rap, hip hop and R&B twists and turns to captivate from start to finish. Whether doling out serpentine swagger (Can’t Hang), moody, trap-soaked flow (Been That), hypnotic lucidity (Sneaky), sparkling self-awareness with a glossy punch (Ain’t No Dummy) or oozing into contemporary R&B splendour (What Do I Care), BRAZEN captures a kaleidoscope of raw honesty and sheer talent into this singular mixtape, significantly heightened by Brazen Barbie’s effusive creative DNA and an ingrained ability to get deep without losing the twinkle in her eye. “BRAZEN is a self portrait,” shares Brazen Barbie. “Each track is a snapshot of a different mood or moment in my life, and a different version of the voice in my head. I wanted it to feel like turning up, in your head, and in a diary all at once. The themes that come across the project are self worth, resilience, power, and owning every part of myself, the good, the gritty, the tired. The themes run deep even when the delivery is playful.”
Beginning her creative journey at a young age, Brazen Barbie grew up surrounded by music at home and went on to play cello and sing as a kid – “but hip hop was what always really grabbed me,” she reveals. “I just vibed with how real it felt, the stories and attitude”. Spurred by a hunger to push her own boundaries and vulnerabilities, Brazen Barbie’s ability to inject her own voice into music that is simultaneously raw and fresh has seen her repeatedly (and vigorously) turn heads, with hits like CHECK and DON’T TALK celebrating confidence, independence and divine femininity. And while her braggadocious bars enamour on their own, it’s also Brazen Barbie’s playful punchlines that soften the gritty blow of her lyricism, revealing a depth and aptitude equally as powerful as her magnetic releases. Previously performing at Sydney Fringe Festival, BIGSOUND, SXSW and Promiseland, Brazen Barbie was also inducted into the Acclaim Magazine All Stars Class of ’24, and has also garnered features on VICE and Acclaim amongst many others.
Now poised to release her mixtape BRAZEN this August, the stage is tantalisingly set with the arrival today of Ain’t No Dummy; and, as Brazen Barbie concludes, this lush new track opens the door to some fresh sonic terrain. “I’m honestly so excited to drop Ain’t No Dummy,” enthuses Brazen Barbie. “It’s one of those tracks that just feels alive and shows a side of me that is different to my past releases. It’s pretty contagious, I’ve had it on repeat since I recorded it.
Ain’t No Dummy is out today.
BRAZEN mixtape is due out Friday August 1.