> At a Glance
> – Shoshana Bean channeled a private, intense breakup into her most vulnerable album, Only Smoke
> – The indie project strips away vocal theatrics to spotlight emotional clarity, accountability, and self-worth
> – Bean wrote much of the record in Nashville between Hell’s Kitchen performances and calls it her best work yet
> – Why it matters: The album offers listeners a candid roadmap for healing after personal collapse
Shoshana Bean never planned to make a breakup album-until an abrupt, private relationship detonated her world and sent her straight into the writing room. The resulting project, Only Smoke, out now, is the most honest music she has ever released.
Heartbreak in the Spotlight
The Grammy winner began writing Only Smoke while earning raves-and her first Tony nomination-for Hell’s Kitchen. She stole off to Nashville on sick days and days off, turning private devastation into song.
Bean says the split felt like a “surprisingly devastating blow.” But three tracks in, she sensed the pain would yield something special.
> “I was like, This motherf—– is about to give me the best album of my career,” she tells News Of Los Angeles.
Rewriting the Rules
Unlike earlier records, this one avoids blame. Bean focused on her own patterns and choices.
- Tracks like Forward reclaim power without denying pain
- Hard Woman to Love reframes so-called flaws as self-respect
- The final song, Only Thing Left, lets shame dissolve
She calls the shift “hard work” but essential.
Healing After the Last Note
Bean credits the process with full recovery.
> “Every bit of writing and recording healed me,” she says.
She now headlines The Lost Boys on Broadway, opening April 26, and feels neutral about future love.
Key Takeaways
- Only Smoke is Bean’s seventh indie release, built “brick by brick” over 17 years
- The album was written largely in Nashville co-writing sessions with new collaborators
- Bean’s next act is a starring role in the Lost Boys musical beginning previews March 27
The singer leaves heartache behind, confident the music can now meet listeners wherever they are.
