BEL COMPLETES WORLD-CLASS ‘T1’ EP WITH NEW SINGLE ‘GOOD NEWS’
Melbourne-based avant-pop artist Bel has revealed the final installment of her trilogy EP “T1”, produced by Konstantin Kersting (Tones and I, The Jungle Giants, Mallrat). The boundary-pushing artist shatters expectations yet again with the latest single “Good News”.
Beginning her year with the release of “Better Than Me”, Bel immediately caught the attention of fans and industry tastemakers alike. The track’s sleek production and syrupy charm made it a song not just to be listened to, but one to be consumed through all the senses.
“Better Than Me follows the narrative of a girl who is going through various metamorphoses; from passive to assertive, teenager to adult, quiet to loud,” said Bel. “It’s a very important track to me, and I hope that the lyrics provide solace to those who are wanting to scream out the same message to whomever or whatever made them feel like they are second best. We all have an innate desire to be seen for who we truly are. I want listeners to muster the courage to demand more respect for themselves, igniting their own personal flames.”
Marrying the alternative-pop and experimental realms, Bel’s second single “Spectre” catapulted her to the forefront of Australia’s female pop ranks, and was covered by NME Australia, Astrophe Magazine, LadyGunn (US) and more. “Spectre” was a fearless and defiant return from an artist always on the cutting edge of sound and visual artistry. January saw Bel travel to the US to film the amazing music video for "Spectre", which she worked on with James Mountford, the creative director for BANKS and Chance The Rapper. The resulting art-house meets fashion film exemplifies Bel’s unique visual artistry and intense introspection, making comment on the demanding and often falsified nature of the fashion and music industries.
Now, we are graced with the EP’s final installment, “Good News”, a haunting and experimental track that amalgamates pop melodies with cinematic soundscapes and brooding surprises. “Good News” explores Bel’s once overwhelming and almost obsessive desire to escape a sense of helplessness.
“I wrote this song with six emotions in mind, six stages one goes through when trying to fight off sheer and utter defeat,” said Bel. “I was in a very toxic working relationship a few years back where I was withered down to nothing; all my self-belief shattered by an emotionally manipulative man in the music industry.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with achieving my goals. At this point in my life, those aims felt impossible. I was driving myself insane fixating on all the things I wasn’t achieving. Being awake and being asleep were equally torturous because the one thing I placed all my worth on felt so out of reach. I wanted this song to encompass all things obsession, paranoia, yearning, tunnel vision and mania. Moreso, to dramatise and heighten my own narrative.
This song has since taken on much deeper meaning. We are all craving Good News right now. 2020 is a year for all of us to stop talking and listen for once. In order for us to prosper as humans, we need to create Good News for ourselves, with active change and openness.”
The music video (directed by Phebe Schmick) is an eerie, anxiety-provoking but sensual piece of art which features Bel’s choreography moving through a series of six distinct emotions. Bel’s willingness to push musical and visual boundaries throughout her 2020 releases has earnt her comparisons to BANKS, Lana Del Rey and FKA Twigs, and makes clear the link to her cited inspirations James Blake, Grimes, Sevdaliza and Caroline Polachek.
This final single comes after the release of a unique spoken word video piece, also directed by James Mountford, which foregrounds Bel’s talent in poetry and writing. Titled T1, the piece serves as an introduction to the complete trilogy.
Bel also spent most of February in the US attending various Grammy Week events, as well as Bebe Rexha’s Women in Harmony event. She also spent time working as a creative director and model in shoots with Sicky Mag, Fen Hong Se Magazine, Alice D, LadyGunn and more.
Bel is an artist born from a supernatural cataclysm; a mysterious young woman, she exists in a world of her own design, where the ugly and raw nature of the world is not looked at through rose coloured glasses. Everything is real and authentic, with no veil to hide imperfections through. Instead, she celebrates them, unashamed and unwilling to compromise in her approach. A fire burns deep within Bel and fuels her to march forward, refusing to back down when it comes to her dreams and desires.
“Bel creates a dreamy world of her own: real authentic with no veil to hide imperfections.” - IRK Magazine
"Marrying dark pop and experimental realms, Bel’s lyrics take on a fearless attitude.”
- Substream
“(Bel’s music)...doesn’t exist just to be listened to; it is meant to be consumed through all the senses.” - Sicky Magazine
"Beautiful is an understatement.... It is sensual, powerful and it draws you to Bel’s world of metaphors symbols imbued with the fusion of art fashion and music.”
- A BOOK OF
“Bel hits the ground running with a sultry and expansive new track that proves she is worth paying attention too. ‘Better Than Me’ showcases an artist who is assertive in her message...who rejects genre conventions and exists as an amalgamation of art, music, creative direction and fashion.”
- Fen Hong Se Magazine
“Bel is so much more than a musician… her music trades on electro, classical, pop and rock but ultimately defies all genres.”
- Women in Pop
"There’s something truly striking about Melbourne’s newest pop icon, BEL."
- Purple Sneakers
"Rich is a woman with a clear vision and direction for this project, mixing the art and fashion worlds with her music."
- PileRats