Music Review – If You Want To – Beabadoobee2 min read

Bea Kristi known as beabadoobee, is a London-based up and coming artist. Known for her own independent, unique bedroom-acoustic sound, she has made an impression on the music scene with a throwback to 90’s and early 2000’s alternative rock and folk.

Born in England to Filipino parents with a mere 19 years on her shoulders, she has already racked up 1,230,000 listens monthly on Spotify and 6 million views in total on YouTube.

My first impression of beabadoobee’s music video ‘If You Want To’ was how the tune instantly felt familiar, in a refreshing way.

There’s a clear throwback to angsty Indie and Classic Rock music from likes of The Sundays or even No Doubt. It has a surprisingly simply production, using a Rock band set up and occasionally untuned guitars which gives the track an organic and endearing sound.

One could possibly hear a modern reference to the very fresh whisper pop which is used by modern greats like Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey.

The lyrics are equally as refreshing, using humour to ease the heaviness of the topic which surrounds Insomnia and mental health.

“Bed bugs in my mind
Keep them all alive
Insomnia creeps at night
Sleep paralysis till I die”

Although not unheard of, the paradox of a happy tune together with a sad lyric is brilliant, and it works wonders. The song manages to be both mature and innocent as the listener gets a feeling of childhood nostalgia and coming of age realism.

Together with her sleepy mannerism and head-bobbing-long-haired band members, it makes for a perfect Indie-pop music video.

The video uses quirky animations and symbolisms, whilst also providing a space for likeminded sleep-deprived people like myself. The colour red is heavily utilised to portray the sense of chaos that I usually call Zombie-brain.

The set shifts between beabadoobee’s regular bedroom to a plain white space. Interestingly, we will never know if they are hallucinations or dreams induced by a prescribed pill the doctor gives her in the opening scene.

One of the great powers of music is how it can make you feel strong belonging and sense of community. Not unlike many other young Asian women, I’ve found there aren’t many singers and musicians who look like me.

That’s why I found it exciting to see this young artist who challenges stereotypes without even trying. She is in no means political, she is just herself and that is what is so exciting about seeing representation.

‘If You Want To’ is the 5^th track on beabadobee’s 2017 album release ‘Patched up’.

Source of Photo: beabadoobee official facebook page.