Bel Serves Thundering Dark-Pop Realness In "Good News"
Dark-pop enchantress Bel has been making some serious waves in 2020. Hot on the tails of two singles -- “Better than Me” and “Spectre” -- the Melbourne-based artist is back with her latest track “Good News.” The song is a soaring, witchy, hard-hitting banger that will remind listeners of BANKS and an edgier, darker Sky Ferreira. It is definitely a worthy match for its predecessors and is sure to have new fans fall in love with Bel’s entrancing style of music.
“Good News” is defiant and omnipresent; its sleek, eerie, atmospheric production makes us feel as though Bel is standing atop some sort of pedestal, looking down as the world seems to go mad. It’s perfectly timely for these unprecedented times we’re in, a climate in which the bad news seems to be ongoing and ever-present. While we’re sure that Bel wasn’t necessarily predicting this terrible situation, it nonetheless seems to be perfect for any occasion, be it when you’ve had a tough week and are just waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel, or if you’re just fed up with your flatmate after they’ve gone and eaten your food in the fridge again.
Bel released her debut EP Melancholia in 2017 to high praise from a series of triple j hosts and Australian music media alike, setting the stage for her return in 2020 with a fresh set of music.
Beginning her year with the release of “Better Than Me”, Bel immediately caught the attention of fans and industry tastemakers alike. The track’s sleek production and syrupy charm made it a song not just to be listened to, but one to be consumed through all the senses.
Marrying the alternative-pop and experimental realms, Bel’s second single “Spectre” catapulted her to the forefront of Australia’s female pop ranks, and was covered by NME Australia, Astrophe Magazine, LadyGunn (US) and more. “Spectre” was a fearless and defiant return from an artist always on the cutting edge of sound and visual artistry. January saw Bel travel to the US to film the amazing music video for "Spectre", which she worked on with James Mountford, the creative director for BANKS and Chance TheRapper. The resulting art-house meets fashion film exemplifies Bel’s unique visual artistry and intense introspection, making comment on the demanding and often falsified nature of the fashion and music industries.
Mixing together mainstream dark pop that has been championed by Lorde and the aforementioned BANKS with experimental production and unique vocals, Bel is evidently hungry to keep chasing success -- and she deserves every bit of it.
We can’t wait to see where the future takes Bel, and we’re excited for the music that’s coming with it!
