Renowned Harpist & Composer Stephanie Babirak Examines Morality & Identity On New Album ‘Rotten Fruit’

By Ellie Baker on June 30, 2026

Emerging from the nuanced contemporary harp scene, Stephanie Babirak brings a fresh voice to a timeless instrument, blending her classical training with a uniquely modern sound.

Originally from Maine and now based in New York City, Babirak has built a distinctive career as a harpist, singer, songwriter, and recording artist, performing at prestigious venues in New York such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and Terminal 5, in addition to touring nationally.

Known for making the harp feel both elegant and modern, Babirak has embarked on a new journey, with the release of her debut solo album, Rotten Fruit. Across its eight tracks, the record balances themes of morality, identity, and self-discovery, telling a story that takes the listener on a journey of emotions.

Rotten Fruit opens with “Apocalypse,” which tells a story of an old fashioned love affair, detailing the importance of having each other during a time where the world feels “apocalyptic.” The song opens with a smooth guitar melody, accompanied by Babirak’s airy and glittering harp. The clever and intentional placement of harp melodies throughout this song leaves the listener eager to discover more of what this unique artist has in store within the rest of the album.

The next track, titled “Waves and Whispers,” describes the feeling of reminiscing on a former lover, where summer time, ocean breezes, and grass-stained shoes bring you back to old memories with someone you once loved. Lyrics such as, “Birds in the morning / When days are the longest / My memories are strongest,” capture the overall theme of the song, leaving the listener with a nostalgic feeling. The light and summery melody — again accompanied with angelic harp — pairs beautifully with the lyrics.

Another notable track, “Lakeside,” brings a new and fresh vibe to the album, opening with upbeat drums blended with mellow and dark violin. The song seems to tell a story of a manipulative relationship that is falling apart, where no amount of forgiveness can prevent from doubting the relationship. This track brings a versatile energy to the album, and stands out among the others.

The short and sweet instrumental closing track, “Coda,” has a lovely way of wrapping up the album. This song features a soft piano melody, with slow, dreamlike harp runs mixed in. The bright and quiet closer perfectly encapsulates Babirak’s immense talent when it comes to her instrument and feel for compositon.

“The title Rotten Fruit grew out of [the song] ‘Waterline,’ but it ended up becoming a framework for thinking about ‘badness’ across the entire record,” Babirak says. “The album name comes from that Biblical idea that you can judge a tree by its fruit, meaning that you understand something by what it actually produces rather than what it claims to be.”

The album was written and recorded with Babirak’s friend and longtime collaborator Peter Scoma, who sings and plays guitar on every track, along with Joshua Benash who mixed and produced it.

With this being Babirak’s debut solo album and stepping outside of her ensemble collaborations, it proves to be an exciting step forward in her burgeoning and unique musical career, and the sky is certainly the limit.