Why do people write music? I suppose it varies, sometimes with the answer been quite obvious and other times meaning being quietly subdued. Bellah Mae doesn’t hold back on the reason behind her creativity though in her new track ‘Boyfriend Of The Year’ which acts as a big f**k you to that formerly special someone.
Growing up in Solihull, Bellah Mae has always been surrounded by music as her Grandad was a country singer so got her into the classics at an early age. It clearly had an effect on her as she first picked up a guitar at 11 and quickly began learning Guns n Roses. That classic rock sound continues to be an influence as it is laced throughout the new single, neatly holding everything together.
With ‘Boyfriend Of The Year’ Bellah Mae manages to blend a few different genres and deliver the same pop punk aesthetic similar to that of Oliva Rodrigo. Another parallel between the two artists is the brutal lyricism. Bellah doesn’t hold back at all as she delivers sarcastic blow after sarcastic blow to her ex, who seems to have now become “Boyfriend of the Year”.
She made the song with fellow songwriter and collaborator Josh Breaks, who she met on social media. They’re a partnership that work well and balance each other out as Bellah herself confessed she is chaotic in her creative approach, formulating 100 different thoughts a minute. Whereas Josh is a lot more calculated and can filter through those ideas, picking out the gems, such as with the lyrics in her debut single.
“I’d had the opening line of the chorus in my notes app for a few months,” said Bellah, “but I didn’t know which angle I wanted to take the song. Josh and I started trying out ideas and, in an hour, we had written the song. It was one of those examples where it just writes itself”.
Bellah began by posting the track onto TikTok where it received immediate attention. She really harnesses why people manage to connect to this new era of pop punk with her direct lyricism, fun production and catchy choruses. She manages to make a song which is relatable and catchy but that isn’t too in the listeners face, meaning it’s easy to attach our own past to it, something which Bellah noticed as soon as it was posted.
“I wrote it from my personal experiences,” she said, “but the number of messages I’ve had from girls and guys sending me paragraphs about their own situations is incredible. As a songwriter, it’s confirmation that I’m doing something right.”
With ‘Boyfriend of the Year’ we don’t just have don’t just get a break-up jam to angry dance in our room to, we get a glimpse into the potential that Bellah Mae has as a songwriter and artist. The track is launching what has the chance to be a lustrous career as she wears influences such as Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo on her sleeve but manages to remain entirely original and exciting in her execution.
Bellah has always seen the potential in this track as the minute it was recorded it stood out as the one to begin everything. Writing it in only an hour, Bellah followed up with an excited text to her Dad announcing she had just finished a career launching song. Seeing ‘Boyfriend Of The Year’ as that right from the start shows that not only does Bellah have the ability to write and record killer tracks, but she understands herself enough the know the kind of artist she wants to be.
Bellah Mae’s debut single, ‘Boyfriend Of The Year’ is out now!
