Bria Salmena will release her debut solo album Big Dog on March 28th via Royal Mountain/Sub Pop Records. The LP chronicles a story of transformation–a deeply personal exploration of resilience and a declaration of artistic independence forged through collaboration.

Ahead of the album’s arrival, the artist has shared a new video for the lead-single “Stretch the Struggle,” directed by Gennelle Cruz & David May. Throughout the video, we are struck by its rebellious nature and the immediacy and power of Salmena’s performance. The surveillance motif that runs throughout the video mirrors Salmena’s own personal reckoning as she confronts the truths necessary to break free from what no longer serves her.

Big Dog was made with producer and multi-instrumentalist Duncan Hay Jennings in both FRIGS and Orville Peck’s band. Jennings, who is not only Salmena’s closest creative collaborator but also her closest friend, wrote Big Dog with Salmena over several years, during which Salmena was based in LA and Jennings in Toronto. Before Big Dog, the two gave classic and modern Americana songs a goth-y dream pop treatment on Salmena’s Cuntry Covers EPs.

Graham Walsh (Holy F**k, METZ, Debby Friday, Alvvays) helped the pair further refine their budding mix of rock and electronic music, while Meg Remy (of critically acclaimed experimental pop project U.S. Girls) focused primarily on Salmena’s vocals. Remy helped coax out the unforgettable performances that lie at the center of Big Dog through a series of cathartic meetings, pushing Salmena to dig even more deeply into the meaning of her lyrics and really think about different ways of using her voice. As Big Dog came together, it became apparent that Salmena’s songwriting had taken a raw and intimate turn, going well beyond her and Jennings’ work on their prior EPs. Big Dog features additional contributions from alternative rock icon Lee Ranaldo, who contributes guitar on the song “See’er.”

Bria Salmena
Big Dog
Track Listing
Royal Mountain/Sub Pop Records

1. Drastic
2. Backs of Birds
3. Closer to You
4. Hammer
5. Radisson
6. Twilight
7. On the Line
8. Stretch the Struggle
9. Rags
10. See’er
11. Peanut
12. Water Memory

Tour Dates

Wed. Apr. 02 – San Diego, CA – Casbah
Fri. Apr. 04 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy + Harriet’s
Sat. Apr. 05 – San Francisco, CA – Make Out Room
Tue. Apr. 08 – Seattle, WA – Madame Lou’s
Wed. Apr. 09 – Portland, OR – Swan Dive
Fri. Apr. 11 – Visilia, CA – Cellar Door
Sat. Apr. 12 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
Fri. Apr. 25 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Lounge
Sat. Apr. 26 – Kingston, NY – Tubby’s
Sun. Apr. 27 – New York, NY – Baby’s All Right
Tue. Apr. 29 – Baltimore, ML – Metro Baltimore
Wed. Apr. 30 – Richmond, VA – The Camel
Thu. May 01 – Nashville, TN – The Blue Room
Fri. May 02 – Cincinnati, OH – Southgate House Revival
Sat. May 03 – Chicago, IL – Hideout
Wed. May 07 – Montreal, QC – Bar Le Ritz PDB
Fri. May 09 – Toronto, ON – The Great Hall

Pre-order Big Dog by Bria Salmena HERE