Courtney Farren, "Fear"

Off the ropes and into the fray with Courtney Farren; press photo courtesy of the artist and Garrett Borns.

The question of why we are who are and do what we do is an eternal question we ask ourselves and one another. The drive to gain these better understandings of our society and the self is delineated through the schools of psychology, psychoanalysis, the guidance of mental health professionals, paperbacks by Jung, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Frankl, to whatever en vogue New York Bestseller publication that has been making the rounds on the press circuits. Through the lessons, experiences, methodologies and more from others we find parallels to our own particular paradigms, situations and a barrage of other correlating similarities. And while there is much to learn and take away from these bastions of popular wisdom, without any meaningful personal application it all remains just ephemeral hypotheticals and pedantic hovering in the liminal ether of academia (or pseudoscience at worst, depending on the source). The real work is done in the reflections, the self-confrontations, taking on the scariest battles that reverberate within the psyche and soul, staring down the sources from which our worst nagging fear spring from.

This is the match scheduled for a one fall — pop star Courtney Farren versus her own “Fear”, the candid and confrontational new single from the upcoming album Punchlines. On the heels of “I’m Not Alone (I’m Lonely)”, “Last Seen in New York” and “Together Together“; Farren faces the inward conflicts of causality that are past the threshold of conscious behaviors. “Fear” is an epistemological dive into the opaque aches of incompleteness, the muddy motivations and the fog of feeling scared, confused and other such scattered sentiments. The East Los Angeles, San Francisco raised, world traveling artist seeks the solace of making that safe nesting place of home from within the center of the human spirit.

"Fear" rhythmically pings with notes and harmonies that articulate the pulsing onset of a panic attack. Courtney Farren creates the feeling musically and lyrically of the world spinning dizzily around you while the pressing negative thoughts whirl and twirl wildly like a malfunctioning carnival ride orbiting dangerously off the safety of its axis. The pangs of paranoia and the hurt that stems from the traumas obfuscated by the defense mechanisms that are utilized as temporary balms play out with a blunt honesty, like a therapy session that dissolves the clinical for motions of actualization and full on realization. Courtney weighs out the degrees of caution, the ways in which we hold ourselves back in pursuit to discover the whys while working toward a revelatory resolution. The track moves in a proactive locomotion, as Farren puts in the work to conquer the things that keep her from living her truth all the while exhibiting harmonic expressions of empathy and the utmost care. As 2024 proves to be a year that belongs to the artists themselves, Courtney Farren expertly presents one of the year’s best singles worthy of repeat listens and revelations of self-love.

Boxing rounds with Courtney Farren; press photo courtesy of the artist & Garrett Born.

Courtney Farren provided the following reflections on the new single:

Courtney Farren coming out of the corner swinging; press photo courtesy of the artist & Garrett Borns.

“Fear” is uncomfortable, and this song is my attempt to unpack that. I constantly struggle to understand and confront life in real time. I’m always asking myself, how did I get here?

Rising to the occaision with Courtney Farren; press photo courtesy of the artist and Garrett Borns.

There’s a lot of responsibility in being human, and I think fear fundamentally drives a lot of our actions and decisions. Putting this song into the world, after writing and producing it in my room, is my attempt to confront my fear of “Fear”.

Courtney Farren’s debut album Punchlines will be available June 28.