Posted by Delivering upbeat satirical pop for the social media generation, London-based Baby Queen is quickly becoming the ruling monarch of the new era of lyric-focussed bangers. Originally planning to go by her name, Bella quickly realised her work had taken on a life of its own. “The music had a specific colour,” she says, christening Baby Queen to represent the balance between “total immaturity and the egoist inside everyone”, holding a mirror up to the internet age of oversharing and performativity that raised us.
“A reason why people go into music is because they feel like they don’t have a voice and nobody cares,” she said about her motivation to make music tackling topics of mental health, anti-depressants and body image.
Off-setting her dark lyricism with a happy major-chord pop backing, Baby Queen’s mission is to build “a sense of community and a sense of not being alone”, bringing important conversations to the table without letting the sadness linger. Talking about this balance, she says “we’re in a really interesting time in music and in the world where people don’t want anything that’s picture perfect”, but is aware that we all still need something to dance to. “I don’t think people really want to hear an album of sad songs from Baby Queen… I prefer things that sound sweet.”
Referencing an eclectic mix of Taylor Swift, The 1975 and Kae Tempest, Baby Queen has a words-first approach passed down from her idols. “Taylor taught me how to write,” she says, “you never really leave the inflections that you’re taught. I still write Taylor Swift melodies, she taught me how to structure a song and develop a narrative.”
Exploding onto the scene during a strange period, the timing really couldn’t be better for a star like Baby Queen, bringing us tracks you can dance to in your bedroom and packing them full of lyrics that make you feel like maybe your emotions aren’t as isolated as you thought. “I’m very excited to be part of the music industry during this time,” she tells me through a smile, “it feels like the lyric has started to mean something again.”
Already giving us the ‘Medicine’ EP, we can expect a lot more in 2021; “We’re not wasting any time is pretty much all I can say.”
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WHAT: Fresh pop artist with a satirical voice.
WHERE: South Africa born, London Based.
3 Songs: ‘Want me’, ‘Buzzkill’, ‘Internet Religion’
FACT: ‘Want Me’ is about her obsession with Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer
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Words: Lucy Harbron
Photography: Sophie Mayanne