On October 22nd, a couple of friends and I made our way through the grey Tuesday drizzle to the Red Room at Cafe 939 in Copley. We were on our way to see BENEE, a funky New Zealand singer whose music has dominated my playlists for the last few weeks.
Stella Bennett, more commonly known as BENEE, is a nineteen-year-old musician who is creating catchy tracks unlike anything I’ve heard before. After a self-described “quarter-life crisis,” BENEE dropped her communications degree to pursue music full-time. Her spontaneous decision to do what she loves sends a message to my generation, telling young adults to follow their dreams. Her recent EP, FIRE ON MARZZ, was released in June of this year. It features six tracks with memorable lyrics and a funky, unique sound.
Photo Credit: Nikko La Mere
While other artists sing about relatable feelings like love and loss, BENEE’s music takes a different path. Her songs are primarily about dreams and small memorable experiences she has had, bringing a playful vibe to her music. One song, “Afterlife,” is simply about a dream in which she woke up after she died. With lyrics like, “Then I will die for the third time, and rise up limpin’ like a zombie,” BENEE’s music is a relief from the repetitive nature of typical pop songs.
Upon arriving at Cafe 939, my friends and I knew we were in for a good time. The Red Room was a small venue and we were able to score the first row. The opener, binki, was funny and charismatic. While I didn’t love his music, his stage presence was captivating and he had us all laughing in between his songs.
BENEE and her crew took the stage pretty quickly after the opener. Her band looked badass, all dressed in black, and for some reason, all super hot. BENEE herself was charming and immediately captured the hearts of the crowd. With blue stripes in her hair and a killer outfit, there was no denying her swag. She was very animated throughout her performance and made silly faces and awkward gestures while she sang. It was clear that BENEE was getting used to being the center of attention, but her bashful personality made her quirky actions endearing. Her heavy New Zealand accent was adorable as well, and my friends and I were constantly commenting on her interesting pronunciations.
Photo Credit: Ones to Watch
The size of the venue made the concert much more intimate and interactive, and the crowd was able to speak freely with BENEE between her songs. Her voice itself was amazing. All of the tracks she sang sounded just like they do through my headphones. Since her EP is only six songs long, BENEE performed a couple of unreleased tracks as well.
Something that really struck me about BENEE was her age. This was the first time I had seen an artist who was the exact same age as me, and it really caught me off guard. It was inspiring to see someone my age doing exactly what they want to do.
While BENEE’s music career is just starting, it is obvious that this girl is going to be a big hit. You can follow her on Instagram (@beneemusic), or stream her music here.
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