Beabadoobee has been blowing up in the music industry, as well as on social media, as demonstrated by her Brit award nomination, making me so grateful to be able to speak with her whilst she’s still playing smaller sized venues! Her recent EP release, Space Cadet, showcases her recent sound development due to the build up of her band, now featuring her bassist Eliana, and drummer Louis. The EP features the hit ‘She Plays Bass’, which has now racked up more than 2.5 million streams on spotify.
How is tour going so far?
It’s been good yeah, the UK is so different cause obviously I know more people. Plus I’m legal here, whereas in America I wasn’t, so I can actually go out, so that’s fun!
Have you played much in the UK before?
I mean I’ve done headliners in London, like three times, but that’s it. And then a few festivals and stuff like that, but this is crazy, having a show every day!
Is this your first time playing Southampton?
Yeah!
Are you finding that the shows you’ve played so far have been quite similar?
Yeah! The crowds have all been amazing, but Brighton was super special, it was a mad one. But the crowds here are just so nice. I have special love for UK fans, cause this is like my home.
So you’ve been announced as the support act for The 1975’s tour next February, are you more excited or nervous?
Obviously right now I’m super excited, but I’m actually just shitting myself, like everything I think about it I shit myself, obviously not literally! Yesterday me and my bassist were in the green room and were about to go on stage, and I was like “Imagine, we’re going on stage, but it’s the O2!”. I can’t, I literally can’t. Bro.
Do you find it strange, having been a fan of The 1975 growing up, to now being their support act?
Oh yeah, it was weird, but I’ve chilled with him (Matty Healy) loads before this tour; he’s such an amazing guy, and he has sick clothes that he gives me so that’s calm. I’m more excited to just watch their set, it’s like a party every night, I can’t wait. At every 1975 gig I go to, it’s so live, I get so fucked and then just dance, so I can’t wait to do that every night! It’s gonna be insane.
So speaking of announcements, you’ve been nominated for the Brit’s Rising Star award! How are you feeling about that?!
It’s crazy. I’m just so incredibly grateful that this is happening to me, but also I’m just very confused, cause it’s so strange, but I’m obviously not complaining!
Where were you when you found out?
I was genuinely taking a poo. All the other nominees in their interviews are like “Oh I was in my green room, about to go on stage” when they’ve been asked, and I’m just like “Yeah I was taking a shit”.
You had your EP released in October, what would you say are the main changes/developments between your earlier EP, Patched Up, and Space Cadet?
Well I guess it’s just been a journey for me, like I’ve been getting comfortable in my own skin. With Patched Up, I didn’t have a band, so that was when I was trying to get a band together, whereas now I have basically my best mates that I make music with and write the songs together. With chord progressions, they’ll put their own ideas on their instrument, and it just makes it so much easier. I can hear it more in my head knowing that I’ve got them. So I think space cadet was super easy to make because I had all these inspirations, so finally I can just rock out on stage.
Did you ever play with a band before or was it more acoustic?
It was just me and an acoustic guitar, or an electric. We could’ve used normal session players, but I wanted to be comfortable around the people that I play with- like Eliana is my best friend, so is Louis, and they’re both super talented, so I’m just really happy that they’re around.
What genre would you say your music falls into?
Uhhh I just don’t know. It’s obviously very inspired by sub-pop, and stuff from the 90s, so a lot of people say that my music is like that. I’m very vocal about how I love the 90s and bands like Pavement and Sonic Youth, but I don’t know if I’m just that or if I’m quite a few categories, just mixed up in a big cauldron.
So would you say that bands like Pavement and Sonic Youth are your main musical influences?
Oh yeah definitely, like Elliot Smith and Daniel Johnston. With this album, when I’m writing, I want a mix up of Patched Up, Loveworm and Space Cadet to sound like a journey.
Are there any new upcoming artists that you find influential to your sound?
Well Soccer Mommy is new, but she has been around for ages, I really like her. I love Alex G and Whitney, they’re all insanely talented individuals.
You recently covered ‘Don’t You (forget about me)’, are there any other songs you’d want to cover?
I’d love to cover The Cranberries or The Cardigans, something like that, cause I love 80s film. I grew up with them, and their soundtracks are just amazing; The Cranberries are played in every coming of age film. So yeah I’d wanna do something by one of those two bands.
Finally, if you could use this platform that you’ve built to promote any one message/topic, what would it be?
I’d guess it would probably be misogyny in the music industry, cause now these bad-ass women are starting to come up with all these amazing songs, like Soccer Mommy and Snail Mail, it’s just amazing to see front woman bands. It makes me super proud, and we’re basically just gonna take over the world!
Check out Beabadoobee’s upcoming tour dates here.
