We were already pretty excited for the 2016 Boston Music Awards. But when we learned that Sad13, the solo pop project from Speedy Ortiz’ Sadie Dupuis, would be performing live at the House of Blues for that night’s ceremonies, our excitement flew off the charts.
And her appearance is a natural progression of things. Speedy Ortiz took home four BMAs at last year’s party at the Sinclair, and in three of the top categories: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (Foil Deer), Song of the Year (“Raising The Skate”), and Best Charitable Effort, for their work with Girls Rock Camp Foundation. On this year’s ballot, the guitar-pop thrashers are up for a trio of nods: Song Of The Year (“Death Note”, off this spring’s Foiled Again EP), Rock/Indie Artist of the Year, and Dupuis for Female Vocalist of the Year.
If Sad13’s new album Slugger, due November 11 via Carpark, was out a bit earlier, we’re sure Dupuis’ newer efforts would be all over the ballots as well (though Female Vocalist of the Year can certainly apply to Sad13).
She’s released two songs from the LP in recent weeks, and today returns with a third, a sinister, groove-swinging number called “Devil In U”. It examines the good and bad sides of two people coming to terms with their relationship. Listen to it below on Soundcloud.
“It’s about constraining your life to avoid conflict in the face of emotional abuse,” Dupuis says, via Stereogum. “You cut yourself off from your support systems and passions to prevent and assuage your partner’s irrational reactions; you force yourself to fit another person’s definition of ‘angelic’ so as not to provoke their ‘devilish’ side. But no devil is worth your care if they don’t love and support you for who you are. And if the ‘Devil In U’ causes you to hurt someone you supposedly love, maybe you’re just the devil, period.”
For those who don’t want to wait for the BMAs to see Sad13 live and in action here in Boston, catch her performing at Hassle Fest November 5 at Brighton Music Hall in Allston.