Hello Tomorrow: Bellah Mae | Gigwise

New pop star just dropped

Lucy Harbron
11:00 10th February 2023

Valentine's day is around the corner and we’re ready to rage. Cupid’s arrow just hurts, the sweets hurt our teeth, the card messages never translate - we’ll be sitting it out. And with her new track ‘Drama King’ dropping today as a follow up to ‘Boyfriend Of The Year’, we feel assured that Bellah Mae is in the same boat.

Bursting onto the scene in the final weeks of 2022, Bellah’s got her claws into this year already. With all the rage, angsty and catchy beats we need right now, she’s one to keep your eye on. Getting to know the new pop contender, we sat down to find out who Bellah Mae is…

First up - who is Bellah Mae? Could you describe the artist to us as if she isn’t…you?

Imagine if Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus and Avril Lavigne had a baby…that's Bellah Mae.

Both your tracks so far have been incredibly anthemic - what’s the writing process like? As euphoric as the tracks sound?

I love a fun or unique title to work towards, or at least a set concept, so I always come up with those on my days off from the studio. I also love going to the sauna, and the inspiration for ‘Drama King’ actually came from the sauna – I really get into my feels in there! I then took the idea into a session the next day.

What's the ideal situation to listen to your music in?

I think my music is perfect for mates to shout the lyrics in the car with each other. Any relationship problems can be helped with a drive with your friends, screaming songs that just capture exactly how you’re feeling!

Pop seems to be back in a big way, what were your earliest interactions with pop music or pop stars that made you want to do it?

Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus was the epitome of what a popstar was to me when I was younger. In the show, Hannah would run across the stage and touch fan’s hands, so I used to make my mum and two sisters pretend they were my fans, and put their hands through the banisters and I’d run down the stairs reaching out to them whilst ‘performing’!

‘Drama King’ especially has a very gen-z voice, singing about social media and dating etiquette - is that humorous, relatable edge important in every track you make?

I always talk through my songs as if it’s a conversation I’m having with my friends, before I ever write them into lyrics. So lines like “You follow Instagram models / one after the other / but god forbid I follow back my best friend’s brother”, this was pretty much the exact conversation I had with my mate! I’m always honest and vulnerable first when I’m writing, and that in turn actually ends up being what's most ‘relatable', seeing as so many of us feel such similar emotions.

As you’re just getting started, what’s on your bucket list? Thinking this year, 5 years, 10 years times - what are you setting your sights on?

1 year – achieve a Top 40 song, play the Jingle Bell Ball, sell out a headline show, start the Hot Ex-Girlfriends Club Podcast

5 years – play a world tour, release a platinum selling album, and play my part in addressing the gender inequalities within the music industry.

10 years – recognised as female artist of the decade, and have family and 7 dogs (including 3 golden retrievers).

But for me the most important thing, no matter where I end up, I always want to be connecting with people through my music, and being the most positive figure and role model I can be.