Blame Brett

“Blame Brett” explores the well-known narrative of a person who has been hurt in the past, and is now adopting a defensive and non-committal attitude towards future relationships. This is a classic theme, often featured in teen and young adult-oriented pop, which is all the more relatable as it delves into the complexities of emotional healing and self-preservation after a difficult breakup.

The lyrics build a narrative of emotional self-defense and detachment. The speaker is upfront about their intentions, acknowledging that they may not be capable of forming a meaningful, committed relationship. The overall tone is unapologetic, suggesting a sense of resignation and a readiness to take responsibility for their actions.

By warning her present lover – or the man she’s currently involved with – that he risks being hurt if they move on with their affair, the speaker implicitly outlines the kind of behaviour she has had to put up with in her previous romance.

Jordan Miller: “If you listen to the song, it’s not actually about our breakup. I had been on this really weird date with this other guy—I won’t name his name!—and we had only been on three dates, and he told me that he loved me. And I was like, ‘Oh, wow, this is fresh off of my real severe breakup—I’m really not ready for this yet.’ So I wanted to write a song apologising to all of my future partners where I’m like, ‘I’m going to be a bit of an asshole for a little while, LOL, don’t blame me, blame my ex-boyfriend!’ And I think it was Lowell’s idea to do the 'Blame Brett’ thing. It’s just really good alliteration! But everyone was like, ‘Yeah, that’s really funny… but you should probably get his permission first,’ so I of course did call him first. Obviously, I am clearly still going through a little bit of pain in this song, but it wasn’t meant to be vindictive. It’s a silly sort of tongue-in-cheek thing.“ — via Apple Music