New York City-based harpist, singer-songwriter and composer Stephanie Babirak releases her latest album, Rotten Fruit.
A talented artist who blends classical and contemporary worlds, Babirak pairs magical harp arrangements with ethereal vocals and a strong message throughout the album.
Rotten Fruit explores philosophical and spiritual roots tangled around questions of morality, identity and perception. The album asks what “badness” really is, whether it is something that shapes and moulds you or something you can break through. It also reflects on how others see you and how those perceptions can shift your own sense of self.
Babirak shares the following about the inspiration behind Rotten Fruit:
“The title Rotten Fruit grew out of “Waterline,” but it ended up becoming a framework for thinking about “badness” across the entire record. The album name comes from that Biblical idea that you can judge a tree by its fruit, meaning that you understand something by what it actually produces rather than what it claims to be.
A lot of the record is me trying to understand where that “badness” lives. Is it something inherent in a person, or is it something that develops over time through family, environment, and repeated patterns? And how do you recognize it clearly when you are inside of it? That question shows up in different ways across the album, in my life as a person, a partner, and an artist. It’s less about labeling something as good or bad, and more about paying attention to what is actually there, even when it conflicts with what you hoped or believed.”
Alongside the album release, Babirak spotlights focus track ‘Apocalypse’. The song reflects the world we’re living in now, capturing the uncertainty and chaos of the present moment. ‘Apocalypse’ is about not losing your light through the darkness, even when the world feels broken.
“This song is about living right now in this political moment. Which often feels surreal and absurd and scary. I think we all have a general feeling that everything feels broken and is out of control, but yet…our everyday lives still have to carry on. We still fall in love, still go to work, still have to take the dog out for walks. ‘Apocalypse’ is about how strange and surreal that can be and about how love and connection can still feel meaningful even though it feels like we’re on a sinking ship.”
Stephanie Babirak
On Rotten Fruit, Stephanie Babirak explores dualism, good and bad, light and dark, through both her lyrics and the soundscape she has built, where classical and contemporary worlds meet. An artist that’s unforgettable and timeless.
Experience Stephanie Babirak live:
Every Sunday – New York, NY – Apotheke NoMad 6-9PM
Every Weekend – New York, NY – Park Rose 11:30AM – 2:30 PM
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