Bad Child: Breathing Fire
This young Toronto singer/songwriter/producer is now attracting international attention and this third single will fuel the buzz. It packs plenty into just 2:36, and the hiphop meets alt/art rock hybrid is fascinating.
By Kerry Doole
Bad Child: "Breathing Fire" (21 Entertainment and Universal Music Canada): Back in December, we reviewed the self-titled debut single from this young Toronto singer-songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist noting he is one to watch. Word has spread rapidly since then, and he is now attracting international attention (he has label deals with Capitol Records stateside and Virgin Records in the UK).
This compelling third single will further fuel the buzz. It is a textbook example of the maxim "more is less," packing plenty into its 2.36 length. It has a sparse and moody feel, with plenty of interesting production touches. Spike Stent (Frank Ocean, Lady Gaga, Beyonce) mixed the song. The Bad Child style is not easy to define, as it blends hip-hop and alt/art-rock strains. Intriguing stuff.
Of the track, Bad Child explains in a label press release that “’Breathing Fire’ is my journey through fleeting romance while also navigating struggles with indulgence in pain versus pleasure." That definition sounds like something out of The Weeknd's playbook.
He is set to play a marquee of summer fests that include Great Escape (UK), Ottawa Blues Fest (CA) plus Reading and Leeds Festivals (UK). Beforehand he is pencilled in for a set of US club dates that begin in Austin on March 26. Itinerary here
Links
Publicity: Allison Phillips, Universal Music Canada
Rogers Stadium during a rainy walkthrough in 2025.Courtesy Photo