Braden Bales Releases Highly Anticipated New EP "5 STAGES OF GRIEF" Out Now
BRADEN BALES RELEASES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED EP 5 STAGES OF GRIEF OUT NOW ON CAPITOL RECORDS - LISTEN HERE
Los Angeles, CA - (July 4, 2025) — Today, rising singer-songwriter Braden Bales, has unleashed his eagerly awaited new EP, 5 STAGES OF GRIEF, out now via Capitol Records. The project solidifies Braden Bales as Gen Z’s preeminent voice for emotional authenticity – transforming personal grief into universally resonant and relatable anthems. 5 STAGES OF GRIEF centers on the emotional journey through loss and acceptance, anchored by Braden Bales' candid lyricism and expressive storytelling.
“We lose people all the time. It’s human. Anything worth loving leaves a hole in your heart when it’s gone. The ‘5 STAGES OF GRIEF’ project is a map of all the places my mind went to while I was struggling to let go of someone I cared about deeply. It’s raw and honest and vulnerable to the point of self-deprecation. Learn from my mistakes, grieve with me, or passively listen. I hope this helps you how it helped me.”
- Braden Bales
The EP features four previously released singles, including the breakout hits “I DON'T (BUT I DO),” “SUBTITLE,” and “YOU LIED”. 5 STAGES OF GRIEF delivers one brand-new track, "WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT," highlighting Bales’ evolving artistic maturity. Blending introspective narratives with an intimate alt-pop soundscape, the project authentically captures the complexities of grief and healing through unfiltered vulnerability.
Over the last few months, Braden Bales has given fans the opportunity to step into his world in a live setting. He recently finished his first headlining tour and opened for singer / songwriter Livingston on his most recent North American The Story Continues Tour, which hit major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta and more. Now, Braden Bales is ready to share what the ins and outs of healing can really look like. For a generation navigating fractured connections, 5 STAGES OF GRIEF offers both solace and a blueprint for resilience.
5 Stages Of Grief Tracklist:
I DON'T (BUT I DO)
I DON’T WANNA KNOW
SUBTITLE
YOU LIED
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT
About Braden Bales:
With a style defined by self-reflection and unfiltered storytelling, 23-year-old Braden Bales is quickly emerging as one of music’s most compelling new voices. Since the breakout success of his 2023 single “CHRONICALLY CAUTIOUS” ( released via Geffen Records) Bales’ steady rise to prominence has been bolstered by his distinctive balance of ear-catching sounds with emotionally transparent subject matter. Working across guitar-textured strains of pop, rock, and indie, Bales lyrically bares his heart in hooky frameworks that linger in listeners’ minds long after his songs expire. And while most would consider his striking candor a courageous creative choice, for Bales, it’s not so much a choice as it is a requisite for authentic self-expression.
“I’m confessing how I feel in my music, and that’s important for people to know,” he says. “My music is not some cookie cutter expression of something that is intended to be purely commercial.”
Even so, early commercial appeal — and success — has followed. “CHRONICALLY CAUTIOUS,” generated over 50,000 TikTok views the evening it landed and has since amassed more than 46 million Spotify streams. Its follow-up single, “ME MYSELF AND YOU,” logged upwards of 2 million streams on the platform — another early testament to his music’s resonance. Along the way, Bales, who originally signed with Geffen Records but now continues his artistic journey with Capitol Records, dropped two EPs in between tours in 2023. The respective projects, NOMAD, his debut EP, and CATALYST, further solidified his sound.
The Oakville, Ontario-born artist, now based in Los Angeles, is at a pivotal point in his burgeoning career that heralds the release of his most cohesive and deeply personal project to date, 5 STAGES OF GRIEF. The EP signals his increasing shift towards full creative autonomy, with Bales — who holds a degree in audio engineering —credited as a co-producer. Conceptually, the project centers on the five stages of grief, with each song representing a stage. Sonically, it maintains his confessional songwriting style but channels more of a live band feel than his past releases, culminating in a more mature and organic offshoot of his sound.
Photo Credit: Ried Martin
To Buy or Stream “5 STAGES OF GRIEF”:
https://bradenbales.lnk.to/5stagesofgrief
Follow Braden Bales:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE | SOUNDCLOUD
