Artist Spotlight #7 : Bea Anderson
Bea’s earliest experience of music came as a three-year-old when her Mum placed her in front of an audience and asked her to sing. As she shares here, her musical journey since then has really formed itself as an extension of her development as a person. Her interest in timeless sounds and music with soul has guided her releases and collaborations, prioritising ‘authentic over current’. With her first release on 2022, ‘Mirror, Mirror’, landing on the BBC Radio 1Xtra playlist she looks ahead to her next single ‘Pieces’ and how she’d like to see the industry develop.
shesaid.so: Tell us more about your artist journey and how your sound has developed to where it is today?
BA: As strange as it sounds, I feel so far into my journey — yet it’s only just starting! It’s taken years of cultivation/experimentation to get to this sound so I am super excited about how I have been received. Guitar has always been key to my songwriting, hence why it’s usually the main instrument in my songs thus far. My EP was quite guitar based, but more so because I wanted to show the world how I make music and where it’s derived from. Moving onto my releases for this year however, everything is much more production based, and really shows my artistic influences.
shesaid.so: There are some iconic artists and creators who have inspired and influenced you (including Lauryn Hill, Solange, H.E.R). In your opinion, what sets artists like these apart?
BA:
“Timelessness! You could listen to these albums YEARS from today and they’d still be relevant, fresh and exciting. That same concept is literally what I strive to be, authentic over current, and timeless.”
shesaid.so: You had an exciting start to 2022 with lots of support for your beautiful record, Mirror Mirror. What did that mean to you?
BA: The support meant everything! I was quite nervous releasing Mirror Mirror as it was such a stand out track and not too current. I really wasn’t sure how it would be received, however, seeing how people interacted with the song was so heartwarming and a reminder to always stay true to myself and my music.
shesaid.so: ‘Pieces’ is next up! What can you tell us about the writing process of that song?
BA: So I started writing pieces in a virtual session. The producer, Jarom S’ua (US based), played the beginning of this beat and I literally fell in love with the tune over zoom! I wrote the first verse and chorus in half an hour and completed the song in a few days. That doesn’t always happen with music, but when it does it’s like absolute magic.
shesaid.so: shesaid.so is a community guided by intersectionality. In your opinion, how could the music industry do better in terms of inclusivity?
BA: I think there are SO many female music producers and beat makers of multiple genres, which is absolutely beautiful. It would be great to see those names as the lead producers of major artists, giving them the same amount of exposure as male producers in their field.
shesaid.so: Has community played a role in your evolution as a creative?
BA: Most definitely. Community plays a huge part in my why. My aim is to be a role model for young women and minorities to look up to and aspire to be like — encouraging them to dream big, regardless of their upbringing or surroundings.
shesaid.so: And finally, could you share three bullet-point top tips for artists just starting out? What would you have loved to hear?
- Find yourself first and then allow your music to be an extension of that.
- Your journey is separate to everyone else’s, stay focused on yours.
- And, take your time, don’t rush baby!
Where you can find Bea Anderson:
Spotify // Apple Music // YouTube // SoundCloud
