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A familiar voice on some of our favorite records finally gets her solo — Beka has a cuppa and a natter over her debut single, upcoming EP, and being there for her friends amidst the pandemic.
After years of seeing her on our Wanderland and Karpos Live stages with HONNE, London-based singer-songwriter, Beka, finally sets her own path and launches her Instagram Live show, A Cuppa and A Natter, and releases her first single ‘I’ll Be There’ off her upcoming EP. Sit back, relax, and have a cup of tea as Beka shares with you her musical journey during quarantine, advocating for mental health, and a special message for her Filipino fans.
So, how has life been in quarantine?
You know what? I know this is a bit naughty to say but I’ve had a really good time, I think. Because so much happened for me musically in quarantine, also I’m quarantining with my husband and my best friends so it’s chill. And yeah, it’s been alright, which is a bit naughty–I shouldn’t say! It’s been terrible!
You’ve mentioned that quarantine has been great for you, do you have any personal goals you’ve accomplished while in lockdown?
Before lockdown, I had my music that I got together and I was excited to release. But to be honest, from February onwards, that’s when things really started building momentum for me. So, that’s when I started working properly with my creative team – who were amazing – we got together, got the feel of the brand and what we want the color palette to be, how we want it to be shot – everything that has to do with what you see visually. And then, I also met my label in lockdown and finished ‘I’ll Be There’ and wrote the bridge for that. And so, I feel like having the stillness facilitated everything ramping up – which is really exciting.
What’s your favorite song you’ve written in the EP and what inspired you to write that song?
Oh my gosh, that is a great question. These are also very cheeky questions! Do you know what, ‘I’ll Be There’ is always going to have a really, really beautiful part of my heart because it was the first thing that I ever wrote for myself and it was about the deepest part of my life, and it’s been the debut song and so many people have connected with it in a way that I really felt when I wrote it. So, I think as much as the other songs are great, I think ‘I’ll Be There’ will always be my reigning favorite. Especially in the car, when no one else is around and you can just blast it out.
You’ve been on tour with HONNE and you’ve been here with the boys a couple of times, any chance we would hear them in your upcoming EP?
That is a naughty question! No, I’m joking! Well, the thing is they actually produced 3, was it 3? Yeah, they produced 3 of the tracks that [are] on the EP so I think you’ll definitely get a bit of a HONNE flavor, but I think what I’ve loved with working with them is they’re so flexible with the way that they create, they’re not just locked in with their own sound, they always bring something kind of interesting in a way that they do. So, you know, [they] rewind a sound and then put it back in, and then they do so many creative things like that. They’re really playful but they’ve really helped me kind of hone in on my sound so that it’s not the same, which I’ve really enjoyed. So, yeah, you definitely hear their vibe in production for sure.
So, do you have any upcoming projects or fun activities in store that we can expect from you?
Yes, I do! In life or in music? Or in both? Both!
It’d be amazing if I just said I’m gonna do some gardening and you can come along! (laughs) So, one thing that I’m really excited [about] is I’m doing some limited edition ‘I’ll Be There’ merch, and I’m really excited about it. They’re beautiful tees with embroidered writing on it saying ‘I’ll be there’ and I was thinking: how did I want to do this merch? Because I wanted it to be something that could really further the meaning of the song and get people to connect. And so, what I decided was that for every one who has bought one, I’m gonna give them a second one to give to their person to say: ‘I’ll be there for you’. So then, you buy one, I’ll give you one for free and you can pick the size that you want for your friend, we’ll post them both to you and then you can give that one to that person and just have that moment with them. And I’m so excited, like, I want to see people sending me pictures of them and their person wearing them. And then, there’s another tee that’s coming out soon, which is more, like, having a shoulder pad, beka-style tee with the saying ‘I’ll be there’ in lilac and in black. So yeah, I’m really excited about the merch. I’m excited to just give loads of things away and for people to have, like, their person wearing something gifted to them. It’s gonna be awesome, I can’t wait! I’ll send you them! Buy them and I’ll send you a second one for free!
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