Bel Good News

Melbourne-based avant-pop artist Bel has revealed the final installment of her trilogy EP "T1", produced by Konstantin Kersting (Tones and I, The Jungle Giants, Mallrat). The boundary-pushing artist shatters expectations yet again with the latest single "Good News".

Beginning her year with the release of "Better Than Me", Bel immediately caught the attention of fans and industry tastemakers alike. The track's sleek production and syrupy charm made it a song not just to be listened to, but one to be consumed through all the senses. 

"Better Than Me follows the narrative of a girl who is going through various metamorphoses; from passive to assertive, teenager to adult, quiet to loud," said Bel. "It's a very important track to me, and I hope that the lyrics provide solace to those who are wanting to scream out the same message to whomever or whatever made them feel like they are second best. We all have an innate desire to be seen for who we truly are. I want listeners to muster the courage to demand more respect for themselves, igniting their own personal flames."

Marrying the alternative-pop and experimental realms, Bel's second single "Spectre" catapulted her to the forefront of Australia's female pop ranks, and was covered by NME Australia, Astrophe Magazine, LadyGunn (US) and more. "Spectre" was a fearless and defiant return from an artist always on the cutting edge of sound and visual artistry. January saw Bel travel to the US to film the amazing music video for "Spectre", which she worked on with James Mountford, the creative director for BANKS and Chance The Rapper. The resulting art-house meets fashion film exemplifies Bel's unique visual artistry and intense introspection, making comment on the demanding and often falsified nature of the fashion and music industries.

Now, we are graced with the EP's final installment, "Good News", a haunting and experimental track that amalgamates pop melodies with cinematic soundscapes and brooding surprises. "Good News" explores Bel's once overwhelming and almost obsessive desire to escape a sense of helplessness. 

"I wrote this song with six emotions in mind, six stages one goes through when trying to fight off sheer and utter defeat," said Bel. "I was in a very toxic working relationship a few years back where I was withered down to nothing; all my self-belief shattered by an emotionally manipulative man in the music industry. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with achieving my goals. At this point in my life, those aims felt impossible. I was driving myself insane fixating on all the things I wasn't achieving. Being awake and being asleep were equally torturous because the one thing I placed all my worth on felt so out of reach. I wanted this song to encompass all things obsession, paranoia, yearning, tunnel vision and mania. Moreso, to dramatise and heighten my own narrative. 

This song has since taken on much deeper meaning. We are all craving Good News right now. 2020 is a year for all of us to stop talking and listen for once. In order for us to prosper as humans, we need to create Good News for ourselves, with active change and openness."

The music video (directed by Phebe Schmick) is an eerie, anxiety-provoking but sensual piece of art which features Bel's choreography moving through a series of six distinct emotions. Bel's willingness to push musical and visual boundaries throughout her 2020 releases has earnt her comparisons to BANKS, Lana Del Rey and FKA Twigs, and makes clear the link to her cited inspirations James Blake, Grimes, Sevdaliza and Caroline Polachek.