Audrey Powne - Broken Record

2025 downbeat rising star Audrey Powne heralds a new, groove laden direction with her latest single “BROKEN RECORD” inspired by the legacy of label mate the late great J Dilla.

Following the widespread critical acclaim of her 2024 debut album From the Fire, Audrey Powne returns with “BROKEN RECORD, ”a hook-laden, beat-driven ethereal jazz/soul crossover that signals a bold new chapter ahead of her forthcoming sophomore LP Bodies of Water.

Released once again via legendary UK label Barely Breaking Even (BBE Music), the track draws directly from the influence of J Dilla, particularly the unmistakable swing of his early productions, melding a driving hip-hop inflected beat with Powne’s signature stacked trumpet harmonies and intimate vocals.

Dexterously combining jazz, hip hop, R&B, and touches of the avant garde, most notably in the track’s unexpected coda “BROKEN RECORD” showcases Powne’s expanding scope as a trumpeter, vocalist, keyboardist, and producer. The song is built around a hypnotic Wurlitzer keys motif, performed by Powne herself, and brought to life by acclaimed drummer Jonathan Barber and bassist David Ginyard, whose performances allow the groove to evolve organically throughout.

“When I signed with BBE to release my debut record, knowing the intertwined history of the label and J Dilla, I found myself revisiting his early work and the way Dilla beats swing and make jazz heads like myself feel,” says Powne. “That feeling was front of mind when I started
writing this tune.”

Lyrically, “BROKEN RECORD” explores Powne’s personal, cyclical, and at times toxic relationship with alcohol, a subject familiar to many touring musicians, for whom drinking is often both a coping mechanism and an occupational hazard. Midway through the track, Powne’s trumpet enters to mark the second half of the journey, unfolding into dense, harmonically rich layers that build toward a striking, climactic conclusion informed by her ongoing exploration of the instrument’s timbral possibilities.

Where ‘From the Fire’ was revered for its cinematic scope and complex harmonic language, “BROKEN RECORD” highlights Powne’s eclectic instincts as a producer, venturing deeper into groove-driven R&B territory and allowing her vocals and trumpet to take centre stage.

Since relocating from Melbourne to London in 2024, Powne has quickly become a sought- after presence on the city’s jazz scene. Renowned headline performances at Ronnie Scott’s, Jazz Cafe, Brick Lane Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, and Public Records (NYC) have cemented her reputation as both a virtuosic performer and a charismatic, forward-thinking bandleader.

With co-signs from Jamie Cullum, Gilles Peterson, Bandcamp, KCRW, BBC Woman’s Hour, DownBeat magazine, and recognition from the ARIA Awards and the Australian Music Prize, Audrey Powne is fast emerging as a vital new voice across global jazz and crossover music circles.

“BROKEN RECORD” will be available on all streaming platforms on April 17, 2026.

Her sophomore LP Bodies of Water is slated for release via BBE Music in September 2026.

Audrey Powne will preview material from the forthcoming album at upcoming London performances, including Notting Hill Arts Club as part of Ronnie Scott’s Late Late pop up
series, and a special intimate show at the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room on June 11 TBA.

Credits:
“BROKEN RECORD” is composed and produced by Audrey Powne.

Trumpet, keys, and vocals performed and recorded by Audrey Powne. Drums by Jonathan Barber
Bass by David Ginyard.
Recorded by Abbey Lewis at Electric Garden Studios, Brooklyn.
Mixed by
Lewis Moody
Mastered by Frank Merritt

Releases April 17, 2026