Written By Giulia Campora
Another spooky season, another EP from Joshua Bassett that captures the perfect sound of Halloween.
Bassett has always explored various genres of music since his debut as an artist in 2020, while he was starring as one of the main protagonists of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. After releasing the pop album Easier in August, this newest EP, HELENA, is no exception, as he delves into the alternative genre with its powerful three tracks, “HELENA,” “Pretty Please (Demo),” and “VOODOO DOLL.”
“HELENA,” the track that kickstarts this EP, is simply phenomenal. The alternative sound and catchy lyrics make this song the perfect single to enter this genre. The bass at the beginning was an immediate hook, sealing the deal on wanting to dive headfirst into the EP. Bassett’s songwriting shines in this track, as he explains to his muse, Helena, the longing and fear of falling for one another, hoping that she stays one more night with him:
“Take your timе, there’s no need to rush/I’ll make you minе ’til the mornin’/Oh, baby, baby, try not to cry, that’s just how it goes/We’ll be alright ’til tomorrow.”
“VOODOO DOLL” is the second track on this EP and its lead single. Here, Bassett shifts his focus from vulnerability and yearning to the theme of toxicity in a relationship, as the muse in this song is someone he simply can’t get away from, despite his trying to forget her. Again, Bassett’s penmanship is effortlessly perfect, as he compares this love to being something occult and negative in his life, a forbidden fruit:
“Your love’s a curse, now every part of me is haunted/You sic the dogs on me, still rippin’ me apart/Black magic, are you happy getting what you wanted?/You can’t stab my back no more, you take it all out on my voodoo doll,” and “You’re the fruit forbidden/You’re the aftertaste/Even after all this time, can’t get away.”
“Pretty Please (Demo)” is the last track on the EP, and closer to his overall music style, pop/pop rock. This song has a particular and interesting backstory as well. Bassett first teased a small snippet of this track back in 2021, and it went viral on TikTok, with fans begging for an official release of this track.
Fast forward to 2026, Bassett finally listened to his fans’ requests, releasing the official demo of this track. Here, Bassett explains what it is like to have a messy relationship with someone: the continuous push-and-pull, the begging. We can all relate to this, for sure. Bassett always excels with his penmanship, with lyrics such as:
“Make me wanna hold out for your love tonight/I can’t help but wonder, am I on your mind/The way you’re on mine?/I wish I didn’t need you, need you, need you.”
HELENA is a masterpiece of an EP; my suggestion is that Bassett should definitely continue exploring the alternative genre more in the near future. That is because it showcases the great potential he has to create more perfect tracks such as these! This EP is an unforgettable one and should be added to your playlist, for sure.
