Bitter:Sweet

BIOGRAPHY

THE ONE

“Bitter:Sweet are back – Shana Halligan is fully in charge.” – KCRW

“A sleek, soulful slab of jazz-informed electronic pop.” - LA Times

For the first time in her career, Shana Halligan absolutely radiates unassailable confidence. That may seem like an unlikely statement from an artist who, as the co-founder, lead vocalist, and primary creative force behind Bitter:Sweet, helped define a sound that fused trip-hop, jazz, cinematic pop, and electronic music into something wholly original.

The project’s breakthrough debut, The Mating Game, became a cultural phenomenon, selling half a million physical albums and passing 350,000,000 streams, and 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. Yet Halligan insists the music she’s making today feels different.

“It’s completely free.”

That freedom is the driving force behind Bitter:Sweet’s latest chapter. 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 fueled 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 center 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 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 THE ONE, a body of work that honors 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.