Manchester-based artist Beth McKenzie has just unveiled her infectious new indie pop bop, “She’s Finally Lost It!” With the candid lyrics born from a difficult period of her life, marked by power struggles within the music industry, Beth found herself grappling with her own mental stability, as she tried to break free from the manipulation and control of another person.
As the songwriter speaks about moments of vulnerability and isolation, she flips her experiences upside down and instead delivers a track which pokes fun at how unhinged the whole situation was. The colourful song glows with iridescent synths, playful lyrics and a move-inducing beat, all underpinned with a healthy dose of self-empowerment.
Noctis Magazine spoke with Beth about the new single and story behind it, as well as her love for British-pop icons, bucket list goals and her upcoming EP.
Congratulations on the release of “She’s Finally Lost It!”. With this track stemming from a very dark time of your life, how does it feel to finally have it out in the world? I can imagine it must feel freeing and also therapeutic?
Thank you so much! I’m so excited for everyone to hear this track, I knew instantly with this one that I loved it and I really hope other people do too! I’m in new territory with this track, I’m exploring a dark theme in an almost comical way and this is somehow so freeing – being able to talk about difficult experiences without feeling too overwhelmed.
Talking more about the theme behind the song, “She’s Finally Lost It!” narrates a shocking story of authority abuse within the music industry. Are you comfortable shedding a little more light on what you experienced?
Unfortunately, I’m not able to go into great detail about what happened, though I really wish I could.
I was treated badly by someone in a position of power, they took advantage of me, manipulated and controlled me down to the clothes I wore and the way I spoke. I felt like I was being watched constantly, being picked apart endlessly.
To start with, the mistreatment was decorated as ‘life lessons’, things that I ‘needed to experience’ should I want to make it in the music industry. By the end, it was clear to me that the things I experienced were far from normal and that I had to remove myself from the situation as soon as I could.
When I told this person that I wanted to progress my career without them, things only got worse. I spent the months that followed in a constant state of fear. This person promised to ruin my life… and they did try! I lost myself, my passion for music and truly started to feel as though I was losing my mind…
What advice would you give to any readers who may be experiencing something similar to what you went through?
I know it’s hard, but try to take a step back and look at the situation from an outsider’s perspective. It is so incredibly difficult to see things objectively when you’re in it. In fact, I’d say it’s almost impossible. So reach out to the people around you, let them help you, they’re going to be the reason you pull through.
Having gone through such manipulation and control and now being on the other side, is there anything you’ve learned that can guide your future path?
While I wish I didn’t have to experience what I did, I’ve learned so much from it. I’ve learned a lot about the music industry as a whole and myself. It’s clearer to me now more than ever what I hope to achieve with my music – I want to make people feel seen. I want to write about difficult topics and not shy away from tricky conversations. It’s so important that people who are experiencing dark things know that they’re not alone.
And also, I’ve learned to build a team of people that I can really trust. When you work in an industry as unpredictable as music, having people who look out for you is so important. I’m so grateful to have these people around me now!
You’ve mentioned that “She’s Finally Lost It!” draws inspiration from ‘00s British pop and artists like Chappell Roan and Gracie Abrams. Can you share more about the creative process behind the track and the sound you aimed to achieve?
Yes! Writing and recording ‘She’s Finally Lost It!’ was honestly the most fun I’ve had when creating a song, which was a surprise to me given the story behind it. Andy Gannon is my co-writer on this track and he also produced it. I remember I came into the studio with a somewhat depressing chorus. We started building it as a ballad, but it wasn’t really clicking. After going back and forth, we went for a walk and I told Andy more about the story behind the track, and how I felt like I was losing my mind all over again just by talking about it. So we decided to lean into this idea of me going absolutely insane.
We definitely took inspiration from the British-pop icons from the last few decades. I grew up on Lily Allen, Eliza Doolittle and Paloma Faith – I’m still such huge fans of all of them! Their writing is so unapologetic and so unfiltered, I’ve always taken inspiration from this, and I think that definitely shows in all of my new music, especially in this track!
Sonically, it’s unhinged… we landed on a sound that I felt represented the story well. My favourite thing about it is the contrast between the dark, sombre lyrics and the wacky instrumentation. It perfectly captures the sheer insanity of the whole situation.
If you could sum up “She’s Finally Lost It!” in just three words, what would they be?
I’d say, unhinged, honest and… probably facetious!
“She’s Finally Lost It!” is the second track to be released off of your upcoming EP. Can you give us any insight into what we can expect from the 5-track release?
More honesty. Probably a bit too much honesty! It’s been an emotional workout creating this EP. I’ve written about a lot of experiences as I’ve been processing them and that’s really allowed me to create something special, I think. It’s been difficult, but I’m proud of what I’ve created and I cannot wait to share it with everyone!
Can we catch you at any live shows this year?
I’ve spent a lot of time this year curating my live set, I’ve got an amazing all-female band playing with me and I’m so excited to start performing my new music. I can’t give any specifics yet, but stay tuned…
And lastly, what is on Beth McKenzie’s bucket list for the remainder of 2024?
I wish I could give you guys a really cool answer here, but honestly, I’m super excited to continue writing – it’s my absolute favourite thing ever!
If we’re talking about a dream bucket list, I’d love to have the opportunity to write for film/TV soon, it’s been a dream of mine since I was little!
I’m so pumped for my EP to come out, we’ve been working so hard behind the scenes and I can’t wait to finally show everyone what I’ve got under my sleeve!
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Photographer: Gracie Hall
Words: Alexander Williams