Bitter: Sweet – The One
Shana Halligan, co-founder, lead vocalist, and primary creative force behind Bitter:Sweet has today announced the new album The One for release on August 28th.
She has also shared the lead single and title track, “The One.”
Produced by Max Bottini of the acclaimed Italian trip hop band Gabin, ‘The One’ is a sweeping slice of 70s inspired pop, seductive and cinematic, with smoky guitars, intoxicating and commanding percussion, alongside Halligan’s smooth pining vocals which yearn to be loved.
Regarding the single Halligan says, “‘The One’ came to me after the recent passing of my biological mum and the view of myself I have battled with based on her own feelings about herself. It was instilled upon me at a young age that once I no longer have youth and beauty I will no longer have a reason to be loved. In this song, I had been so desperately longing to be loved, accepted and cared for, for as long as time will allow, realising time is now fleeting…”
The breakthrough debut from Bitter:Sweet, The Mating Game, helped define a sound that fused trip-hop, jazz, cinematic pop, and electronic music. Selling half a million physical albums and passing 350 million streams, while also perfectly soundtracking countless major films, TV shows, and commercials. Along the way, Halligan has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Thievery Corporation, Serj Tankian, and Nouvelle Vague.
Following the release of 2025’s Baby Is Back, Halligan has entered a period of remarkable momentum, embracing a level of artistic confidence that has transformed her creative process. What began as a return to one of electronic music’s most beloved projects has evolved into something much bigger: a creative renaissance fuelled by a renewed trust in her own instincts.
Indeed, Halligan now approaches songwriting with a sense of openness and possibility. Ideas arrive quickly. Songs emerge from spontaneous collaborations and moments of pure inspiration. Some draw from the downtempo grooves and cinematic textures that first defined Bitter:Sweet, others wander into disco, electronic experimentation, orchestral arrangements, or darker, grittier sonic landscapes. The common thread? Halligan herself. “I’ve become the conductor,” she says.
The role suits her. Halligan has surrounded herself with a diverse cast of producers, musicians, and songwriters, pulling inspiration from every direction while remaining firmly at the centre of the work. From double Grammy winning producer Ken Lewis (BTS, Taylor Swift) to Thievery Corporation compatriot Rob Garza, Halligan has crawled her rolodex to bring this music to life. In addition to Halligan, Lewis, and Garza, the record features Max (of duo Gabin), Luca Musto, Brent Kolatalo (Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga), Shoffy, Casey Abrams, and Shoffy, Casey Abrams, and Max Cinnamon. The result is music that feels expansive and adventurous while remaining unmistakably Bitter:Sweet: cinematic, soulful, and eminently engaging.
There is confidence in this music, but also a playful lightness. Strength, but also curiosity. The result is a body of work that honours everything Bitter:Sweet has been while opening the door to everything it can become. If the first chapter of Bitter:Sweet introduced the world to one of modern music’s most captivating voices, this chapter reveals an artist operating at the height of her powers; fearlessly creative and more inspired than ever.
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