Melbourne’s rising indie-pop force Jess Ball has returned with a candid new single, 'Please Don’t Hate Me For This' - an earworm confession that dives headfirst into the emotional fallout of bottling things up for too long.
Blending shimmering pop production with a candid lyrical punch, the track captures the uneasy reality of finally admitting feelings that might wound someone close. It’s Jess at her most unfiltered, totally vulnerable and unapologetically human. Teaming up once again with powerhouse producers 1and2 Productions, she delivers a polished yet emotionally volatile cut that cements her evolution from dance-music collaborator to fully fledged storyteller.
Speaking about the track, Jess explains that the inspiration comes from the pressure-cooker moments when suppressed frustrations explode without warning: “I wrote this song about those moments when we say things we don’t truly mean - words that spill out in the heat of anger after holding too much in for too long. It’s about the buildup of unspoken emotions that erupt and hurt the people closest to us. At its core, the song is an apology to those who’ve borne the weight of my outbursts during times of burnout and overstimulation.”
It’s an honest admission wrapped in a buoyant, radio-ready melody - one of Jess’s trademarks. Her ability to pair emotional heaviness with accessible pop sensibility has been a defining thread in her work, and 'Please Don’t Hate Me For This' pushes that duality further than ever.
Before launching her solo career, Jess carved out a global presence as a go-to EDM vocalist. Her breakout moment came in 2020 with 'I Found You (Neptune)' alongside Swiss producer EDX - a track that topped the Future House Beatport charts and landed in SiriusXM’s Top 40 Electro tracks of the year.
Since stepping into the spotlight under her own name in 2024, Jess has been steadily revealing the breadth of her artistry. Her debut EP and subsequent singles showcased a hybrid sound shaped by influences like Cigarettes After Sex, Olivia Dean, and Massive Attack - dreamy yet grounded, emotional yet sharply produced.
'Please Don’t Hate Me For This' feels like a natural next chapter: bold, introspective, and melodically confident. It positions Jess as a songwriter unafraid to mine her own contradictions - the impulse to lash out, the regret that follows, and the courage it takes to own the damage.
