I'm Blue Da Ba Dee

It’s Wednesday morning, Finetuners. Let’s continue to connect, remain in community, and strive towards positivity and change. One step, foot in front of the other - fighting like hell. This week I want to talk about an artist who is a blend of culture as a Filipino-British singer. We are talking about Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus —> AKA beabadoobee! Get ready for some pop jams and that classic 4/4 backbeat to take us for the ride.

Who Is beabadoobee?

Bea is just such an endearing artist! She sort of blew up from her song “death bed (coffee for your head)” back in 2020 which has well over a billion listens on Spotify alone. Prior to this blow-up she had released a bunch of singles and EPs from 2017 up until “death bed” came out in 2020. Her approach to performing and crafting the LPs (and just her tunes in general, dudes) is so grounded in that she is truthful and honest of where she is in that moment - nervous, anxious, real, passionate. She was in music from a young age as well, starting with violin, and I believe her connection to music is apparent.

What Can I Expect Sonically? 🎵 

With the beauty of her expression juxtaposed with the masterful production work of Rick Rubin, this most recent release is a complete package. This album is a depiction of various emotions that she has faced through relationships, romantic or otherwise, composed with a bit of religious trauma, societal standards that are unattainable or unrealistic and the impact its had on her, and so much more.

This record, and her tunes by and large, feel similar to artists like Hana Vu (previously on Finetuned), Clairo, Faye Webster (previously on Finetuned), and Mitski. What this means for you if you are unaware of the aforementioned (you shouldn’t be, go read those), expect a relaxed ambient soundscape. These tunes incorporate sax, syncopated layered guitars, open and reverb-heavy drums, and air-y dream pop like vocals. This sound is one that is very easy to attach to, approach, and incorporate into your daily listening.

Finding Out How Tomorrow Moves ⤵️ 

Raw, honest lyrics. Deliberate production (thanks Rick). Clear, understandable direction. I think that this album and my admiration for it is reciprocated in that the audience of their music have been jamming this album heavy since its release in August of this year. The LEAST listened to track on Spotify alone is at over 3.2 million streams. Do yourself a favor and get involved, get stuck in.

Thanks for reading here, Finetuners! I do hope you all have enjoyed this week’s Finetuned. I’d appreciate any insights, admiration, or otherwise. You can reply to the newsletter directly or DM me on Twitter. (or email me here: [email protected])

Please do share Finetuned with your friends & fam & whoever else! I believe great music should be shared, cherished, and understood from all sorts of perspectives.

See you all in the next one! 🙌