Enigmatic alt pop artist Bellzzz discusses the root of her sound, her debut EP, and fostering understanding through music.
A fusing of contemporary pop strands with a helping of experimentation and a folk-driven core, Bellzzz’s debut EP “Dear Elizabeth,” is a piercing introduction to her surprising and sensory artistry. It’s an intimate yet expansive work, dosed by personal lyricism and broad, sprawling palettes, with her chameleonic and cascading vocality upping the emotional ante with each passing cut.
From the downcast dreaminess of “Dog” to the dark dance of “Conquests” and melancholic maximalism of “It Was Nice While It Lasted”, there’s a variety of sonic and thematic faces across the five-pronged opus, presenting Bellzzz as a daring and deft creator. Speaking exclusively to Wonderland, the artist talks ADHD, origins and the significance of music.
Listen to “Dear Elizabeth,”…
Read the interview…
Hey Bellzzz! Talk us through your musical origins? Who influenced you to make music?
I grew up with music constantly playing. My dad introduced me to some really cool artists every day. The ones I can really remember are Saul Williams, Counting Crows and Enter Shikari. I thought their music was a bit unusual because it wasn’t “Now That’s What I Call Music”. But I’m so thankful I was shown smaller artists at the time because it has now made my music taste so broad across so many different genres.
So when I first started really digging through music and different artists, I came across a live music video of “Peach Scone” by Hobo Johnson. It’s a video of him and his band in a garden with graffiti and old furniture everywhere, it looked super cosy and home-made and I absolutely loved the vibe they were going for. It somehow reminded me a lot about my childhood. I started to find out more about him and his journey, listening to all his songs, going to as many gigs as I could because I felt so connected to his music. I remember back in 2019 I stayed up all night listening to him and I started to feel so inspired, I knew this was how I wanted to express myself. Every song I have written since makes me think of him.
Your sound is an amalgamation of many things into something wholly unique. Where was the root of your approach found? How did you grow its root into this budding sonic flower?
To me, not overthinking things or trying too hard to write in a certain way, or to sound like anything in particular. Doing these things helps me to have more of a natural flow of creativity. When I don’t get caught up in analysing every lyric, I can tap into my emotions more which leads to a more authentic and expressive outcome. When we’re in the studio and feeling inspired, we just start messing about and having fun with sounds and grooves and just wait until something feels exciting or inspiring. I never get too inside my own head or question decisions or anything, just whatever works; if we’re all smiling then we know it’s something to move forward to.
What inspires and provokes your songwriting?
I love writing music and lyrics in a way which invites people to dig deeper into a story. It’s storytelling with different perspectives so you are able to see it however you want. I always had a story about a girl named Elizabeth who goes on a journey. It covers the topics of escapism, acceptance, relationships and feeling misunderstood and funnily enough, these are the topics that are extremely difficult for ADHD people. There’s something so calming about the fact that Elizabeth goes through this, and so do I, which is funnier because I wrote her story without realising this. Every song I write, I think about Elizabeth and I’ll never know why, but it is so inspiring.
Your debut single, “Plastic Unicorns”, was a dazzling genesis of your artistry. Why did the song feel like the best way of introducing yourself?
“Plastic Unicorns” was one of the first songs I wrote, so I knew that I wanted this to be my first release. When I listen to it, it reminds me of what kind of place I was in during the process of creating the song. Plastic Unicorns was others’ introduction to Elizabeth, but wrote it in a way that you can change the perspective and relate to the lyrics. I wrote the lyrics to be raw and authentic from personal experiences, so I could have people connecting and feeling safe here. Making the song wasn’t just art to me, it was definitely a reflection of mine and Elizabeth’s journey.
Congratulations on your debut EP, “Dear Elizabeth,”! How are you feeling about the release?
My first ever EP release feels so special to me, in a way it feels so therapeutic too. I’ve had a story in my head for years and I’m so excited to finally be able to see it out in the world, especially in an art way. The whole journey of creating this EP has been so interesting, especially starting it around lockdown when I had too much time alone in my brain so I guess this is what I came out with. I had to really dig down into my emotions and experiences which wasn’t easy, but for the EP to be released it was all worth it and I can’t wait to do it again.
What’s the story behind the project’s name?
The story behind the EP’s name is the story I wrote about Elizabeth. The harsh reality of my ADHD was trying to be someone I was not for years and years. Writing music and exploring her story is huge to me because it gives me reason and allows me to explore the real me also. This is my way of beginning to understand her as well as myself. It’s like the start of an ongoing letter to her. This is our introduction as “Dear Elizabeth”.
What was the creative and thought process behind the work? Why these tracks?
The songs in the EP are some of the first songs I wrote and the first time I’d tackled subjects that were deeply personal to me which before had been too hard to write about. One of the tracks is called “Far Away”; in 2020 I came up with the lyrics “Take me far away from here and you’ll see, that nothing mattered to me”. Already having Elizabeth in my mind when I wrote these lyrics, they stood out to me more than I thought. So when I thought about how an undiagnosed 15-year-old girl came up with these words, I knew I had to carry it on four years later. These songs just felt like the right ones to put out first to show people what I’m about, as well as introducing everyone to Elizabeth’s story – which I’m sure will continue.
Sonically, what shaped the EP?
In the process of the EP, there was so much experimenting with samples and sounds. I’m so grateful to share my sound with my two producers, it’s amazing to have three pairs of ears to help sculpt the sound. I remember a time in a studio when one of my producers (who is my uncle), literally just stood up and we all just turned our heads to the sound of his shoe laces smashing together and immediately we sampled it which turned out to be the “shaker” in “Plastic Unicorns”.
We had all sorts of stuff set up in the studio; loads of peddles, synths, samplers and percussion and messing around until the sounds felt right. It was really important to me that we didn’t recycle the same ideas, and also maintained a sound that felt like my own. I’ve never known why, but hearing some specific sounds feels so good to me, especially things that sound broken and distorted. I can never explain the feeling but it’s so soothing and satisfying, each sound brings its own unique experience. I guess it’s a “stim”, which means that these auditory sensations help me feel grounded and connected. I guess it allows me to escape into a moment.
What do you touch on across the EP, thematically?
It’s a mixed bag really… I cover loneliness, isolation, escapism, neurodiversity, relationships, misogyny and lucid dreaming, all coming from real life experiences. I wanted to express this struggle through my music, mainly because it helps me. I hope to create a powerful narrative that resonates with listeners. Ultimately, my goal is to foster understanding through my music.
What does the work mean to you? What do you hope it achieves?
Music is almost everything to me. The original goal was to make something of myself, to express how I feel and the reality that we go through. Music has an incredible power to bring people together, especially through experiences and mental states. We’re not alone. Through my lyrics I try to create a sense of belonging, I want to create a space and feel that it hits close to home. There is definitely more awareness around neurodiversity in 2025, but we can still feel so alone. I can make sense of how I feel when I write so I take advantage of this feeling and turn it into sounds.
What more is to come from you in 2025?
More songs, live shows, more creativity and more turning the studio upside down to find the perfect snare sounds. I’m so excited to see where time takes me. Hopefully I can connect with other musicians and artists this year and just see what happens.
The post New Noise: Bellzzz appeared first on Wonderland.
Source: www.wonderlandmagazine.com – All rights belong to the original publisher.
Stay Updated: Stay Updated with CUOS Media – News, Articles, Stories & More!
