Bellah Mae continues her ascent to pop super-stardom with sophomore EP ‘Never Waste A Heartbreak’ LISTEN HERE. Pairing country-infused storytelling with anthemic pop production, it sees the rising UK artist lean into her eclectic musical upbringing as she navigates post-breakup fallout, transforming the pain of heartbreak into relatable, Gen Z soundtracks.
Leading with the storytelling songwriting honed during her time in Nashville, (a venture which began when Dolly Parton’s manager invited her over after hearing one of her early songs online) Bellah’s lyrical eye for creating emotionally resonant breakup songs shines through. Opener ‘Hell & Never Back’ marks a dazzling entrance for the 23-year-old’s self-proclaimed ‘Sad Girl Era’. Written alongside frequent collaborator Alex O’Shaughnessy, it lays out the frustrations of a toxic, back-and-forth relationship, “It was one of those classic breakups that goes on for ages, where you break up and get back together. When I thought I’d wrapped the EP, I had so much more to write about how I was feeling, and it all played so powerfully into the meaning of the whole project.” Bellah reflects.
On the track, ‘Stay Friends’, Bellah Mae taps into her varied influences, as she offers a diaristic account of receiving mixed signals from an ex. “I just wanted to write it exactly as it was, as if I was having a conversation,” she explains. It’s this endearing honesty that also characterises single releases, the poignantly contemplative ‘2053’ and pre-emptive breakup track ‘Compatible’. “As a songwriter, if my music connects with people and helps them, then I’ve 100% done my job.” says Bellah. Combating feelings of angst and insecurity with tongue-in-cheek quips like “I’m way too short and cute to be the bigger spoon”, moments of carefree wit are weaved amongst pensive introspection.
A cathartic journey through the aftermath of heartbreak, the EP explores emotional turmoil in all its forms: shifting between sombre, stinging ballads and glistening pop tunes. Switching from soft vulnerability to unapologetic confidence, the aptly titled ‘4 Better 4 Worse’ sees Bellah place her own spin on a conventional marriage vow as she revels in her newfound sense of empowerment. “It’ll only hit you like a tonne of red bricks when I’m off on a yacht drinking Aperol Spritz” she bites.
The final cut comes in the form of the irresistibly infectious ‘Love of My Life’. Blending danceable grooves with Bellah’s gleaming vocals, it’s a full-package pop anthem. Complete with a soaring chorus, the vibrant track brims with self-assuredness and reaffirms her mantra: “We never waste a heartbreak, we can always get a song out of it!”
‘Never Waste A Heartbreak’ arrives just six months after her debut EP, ‘With All Due Disrespect’, which featured the sass-filled hit ‘Drama King’ and the gut-wrenching breakthrough anthem ‘On Purpose (For My Future Daughter)’. Speaking on her growth since the initial body of work, Bellah explains “On this EP, I really had a lot more freedom to lean into my country roots, because it’s a heartbreak EP! A lot of the tracks are very stripped back, so I had the flexibility to really get into the details on the lyrics.”
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