Review: "heartbreak stain" - NJ
- Tessa Maddaloni
- Mar 26
- 2 min read
In a new single released March 20th, NJ details the hardships behind going through a breakup. “heartbreak stain” highlights NJ’s own personal journey, as she states that she wrote this track after finding items that belonged to her ex in her apartment after they already broke up. She sings about even having his favorite cereal still in her pantry, even though she has let the milk go stale. The soundscape of this song is calm and melancholic, with simply an acoustic guitar line and NJ’s soft vocals. She goes back and forth between supporting herself and feeling okay being on her own, and regretting the breakup along with wanting him back.
The chorus follows the journey of taking herself out for a date, of picking a table for one, of spending her time in her own mind alone. She starts the day by cheering herself up and convincing herself that she will have a great time just on her own, but by the end of the day she finds herself doubting her healing journey and thinking about her ex. She wonders if he is moving on, or if he misses her as much as she misses him. The last line of the chorus that gets repeated with haunting and emotional vocal harmonies layered under is “So I’ll set the table and pray / You miss me too”.
Despite having the same acronym as the state, NJ is a singer songwriter based in Atlanta, Georgia. Born and raised in Cincinnati, her love and passion for music has been evident since the start. She began to write her own music in 2019, after being involved in musical theater, band, and choir for her entire upbringing. As she has grown in her own musical career, she has progressed from writing mainstream pop songs to focusing on her own personal experiences and diving into the “indie acoustic guitar” world. She is releasing her debut album shortly, which will include “heartbreak stain” and her other latest single, “the beast”. Make sure to follow the social medias below to stay tuned for more music from NJ.
Written By Tessa Maddaloni
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