beabadoobee Channels 90s Nostalgia with Debut Album "Fake It Flowers"
beabadoobee, real name Beatrice Laus, has exploded onto the music scene over the past few years and has rapidly become one of my favorite artists. She is perhaps best known for her song “death bed (coffee for your head)”, which became extremely popular on TikTok in late 2019. The Filipino-born, British artist has released 3 EPs over the past three years, but Fake It Flowers is her first LP, coming in with a total of 12 tracks.
The album starts with “Care”, which is a perfect blend of modern-pop and 90s Riot grrrl. I played this song on repeat for a month straight when it was released as a single. It’s the perfect song to blast when you need to let go of people and things that no longer serve you.
The album flows straight into “Worth It”, which according to beabadoobee herself, is about “teenage infidelity and the mistakes one can make when they’re tempted by things. It’s a bit of a confession song but also an understanding that it’s part of life.”
“Dye It Red” is beabadoobee’s metaphorical middle finger to an ex that did not treat her well, as she said “this song is about horrible men in your life - if you’re lucky, hopefully you’ll never experience them.” In the chorus of the track, she sings “Let me cut my hair and dye it red if I want to / I haven’t found myself so comfortable / I’m not stopping” which only further serves as a further “fuck-you” to a person who was clearly manipulative and controlling. Good for you, sis.
The middle portion of the album continues to focus on love as a theme, but in a variety of positive and negative perspectives. “Back to Mars” is a short and sweet love song, clocking in at just about a minute and a half. “Charlie Brown” taps into the feeling of remorse when you’re making a difficult decision, and “Emo Song” is pretty self-explanatory in the feelings and message it conveys. beabadoobee said that “It’s one of the saddest songs on the album. It’s about your childhood. How it affects you when you’re older, like the men in your life and how you view affection.”
“Sorry”, “Further Away”, and “Horen Sarrison”, all focus on sadder, deeply personal topics, like confessions and finally finding acceptance. “How Was Your Day?” is another slower track about reminiscing and discussing memories. beabadoobee sings, “We haven’t talked in awhile / Forgot how you used to smile”, effectively tugging at the listener’s heart strings. She sings about a feeling we all experience, missing what used to be.
Together” pulls the mood back up, encouraging listeners to not remain stagnant and their life and discussing the importance of moving on, regardless of how hard it may be. Lastly, “Yoshimi, Forest, Magdalene” is an uplifting, romantic song about what beabadoobee wants to name her children when she has them. The song ends the album on the same tough, grungy note that it started with.
beabadoobee’s voice is soft and the power that it carries is almost unexpected. However, her soft voice and the heavy basslines and guitar riffs make for a perfect match that is influenced clearly by the 90s Riot grrrl movement and modern pop, but still manages to create a sound that is all her own.
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| Fake It Flowers album cover / photo via @radvxz on Instagram |
The album starts with “Care”, which is a perfect blend of modern-pop and 90s Riot grrrl. I played this song on repeat for a month straight when it was released as a single. It’s the perfect song to blast when you need to let go of people and things that no longer serve you.
The album flows straight into “Worth It”, which according to beabadoobee herself, is about “teenage infidelity and the mistakes one can make when they’re tempted by things. It’s a bit of a confession song but also an understanding that it’s part of life.”
“Dye It Red” is beabadoobee’s metaphorical middle finger to an ex that did not treat her well, as she said “this song is about horrible men in your life - if you’re lucky, hopefully you’ll never experience them.” In the chorus of the track, she sings “Let me cut my hair and dye it red if I want to / I haven’t found myself so comfortable / I’m not stopping” which only further serves as a further “fuck-you” to a person who was clearly manipulative and controlling. Good for you, sis.
The middle portion of the album continues to focus on love as a theme, but in a variety of positive and negative perspectives. “Back to Mars” is a short and sweet love song, clocking in at just about a minute and a half. “Charlie Brown” taps into the feeling of remorse when you’re making a difficult decision, and “Emo Song” is pretty self-explanatory in the feelings and message it conveys. beabadoobee said that “It’s one of the saddest songs on the album. It’s about your childhood. How it affects you when you’re older, like the men in your life and how you view affection.”
“Sorry”, “Further Away”, and “Horen Sarrison”, all focus on sadder, deeply personal topics, like confessions and finally finding acceptance. “How Was Your Day?” is another slower track about reminiscing and discussing memories. beabadoobee sings, “We haven’t talked in awhile / Forgot how you used to smile”, effectively tugging at the listener’s heart strings. She sings about a feeling we all experience, missing what used to be.
 |
| Photo via @radvxz on Instagram |
Together” pulls the mood back up, encouraging listeners to not remain stagnant and their life and discussing the importance of moving on, regardless of how hard it may be. Lastly, “Yoshimi, Forest, Magdalene” is an uplifting, romantic song about what beabadoobee wants to name her children when she has them. The song ends the album on the same tough, grungy note that it started with.
beabadoobee’s voice is soft and the power that it carries is almost unexpected. However, her soft voice and the heavy basslines and guitar riffs make for a perfect match that is influenced clearly by the 90s Riot grrrl movement and modern pop, but still manages to create a sound that is all her own.
beabadoobee's Fake It Flowers: 8/10
Listen to the album below:
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