Raw, Relentless, Uncompromising

Jehnny Beth’s You Heartbreaker, You, released on August 29, 2025, on Fiction Records, marks the French post-punk artist’s second solo studio album. The album blends punk ferocity with industrial and art-pop textures to create a compact and punchy 28-minute statement on love, obsession and emotional fracture. 

Camille Berthomier, Jehnny Beth, first gained prominence as the frontwoman of Savages and later as one half of the duo John & Jehn. After her acclaimed 2020 solo debut To Love Is to Live, Berthomier returned with You Heartbreaker, You, written and produced with longtime collaborator Johnny Hostile at their studio in France. The album was preceded by singles including “Broken Rib” and “Obsession,” the latter of which provided the album its title and thematic anchor (via NME).

Berthomier described her creative intent in the run-up to release: “I knew I wanted to make an aggressive sound and for the record to start with a scream on the song ‘Broken Rib’,” a statement reflecting her drive to synthesize turmoil into art (via Pitchfork).

You Heartbreaker, You is constructed as a tight sequence of short, punchy cuts that oscillate between grinding punk energy and moments of bleak introspection. Many tracks clock in at under three minutes, emphasizing urgency and brevity in service of impact.

From the opening, “Broken Rib” sets the tone with pummeling drums, jagged guitars and Beth’s defiant shouts. The primal tension established here carries through songs like “Obsession,” which ‘channels inspiration from Tricky, KoRn and Tool’ with spiraling tension that bursts from whispered confession into snarling scream (via NME). The dynamic alternates between aggression and vulnerability, creating a sound design that feels both abrasive and cathartic.

Vocally, Beth is unafraid to push her voice into raw terrain, using grit and howl alongside clearer melodic lines. This approach underscores the album’s themes of heartbreak, obsession and resilience in a world that often feels fractious. Lyrically, the title phrase “you heartbreaker, you” captures a recurring tension between desire and conflict, love and disillusionment (via Stereogum).

Production choices afford each instrument space to bite and percussive hits cut sharply, guitars are produced with distortion while synthesizers add an unsettling layer that complements Beth’s vocal presence.

Critical reception has skewed positive. English magazine The Line of Best Fit noted that while “some lyrics dip into abstraction,” the album attempts to be honest and stylistically diverse. Reviewers have praised Beth’s refusal to soften her edges, calling the record “uncompromising and allergic to anything resembling warmth.” Fan responses on forums reflect appreciation for the album’s intensity and comparison to Nine Inch Nails, while a few listeners suggested some songs felt like sketches for longer pieces. 

Jehnny Beth has carved a multifaceted career as a musician, television presenter, radio host and actor. Before You Heartbreaker, You, she released To Love Is to Live and collaborated on projects like Utopian Ashes with Bobby Gillespie. Her roots in post-punk with Savages established her as a fierce, boundary-pushing voice in alternative music. 

You Heartbreaker, You stands as a testament to Jehnny Beth’s willingness to confront emotional and sonic extremities. Through abrasive textures, short-form songcraft and unflinching vocals, the album offers a fierce exploration of heartbreak, obsession and resilience. Its release affirms Beth’s place at the forefront of contemporary rock’s more uncompromising edges.