New Zealand’s platinum sensation BENEE reveals her new single, “Plain” feat. Lily Allen & Flo Milli—listen HERE! It stands out as the latest song to be unveiled from her anxiously awaited full-length debut, Hey u x, out November 13th—pre-order it HERE now.
Sending a message to an ex, dreamy guitar fades in and out of the background as BENEE croons, “What a shame your girl’s so plain, she’s got nothing on me. Hope she stays the hell away, I don’t want to see her.” The song features a gorgeously melancholic cameo from Lily Allen, while Flo Milli raps over the bouncy beat with a razor-sharp rhyme of her own. The track unites three dynamic and diverse female voices on one understated, yet undeniable send-off.
Of the collaboration, BENEE says, “I wanted to make it a song someone could listen to when they find out their ex is with someone new. The feeling sucks, so I wanted ‘Plain’ to make ya feel like you have the upper hand. Lily and Flo Milli both have such cool sass, and both their verses really elevated the track!”
Just over a week ago, BENEE first shared the details for Hey u x. Blending, bending and breaking genres like only she can, the much-anticipated record boasts an all-star cast of collaborators, including Grimes, Gus Dapperton, Mallrat, Kenny Beats, Bakar and Muroki. Hey u x includes BENEE’s Platinum-Certified smash hit “Supalonley” feat. Gus Dapperton, which has amassed over 2.1 billion global streams to date, as well as her recently released pop bops, “Night Garden” feat. Kenny Beats and Bakar and “Snail.” See the full album tracklist below. The album artwork was designed by Californian artist Terry Hoff.
Earlier this month, BENEE announced the launch of Olive, her very own record label based in New Zealand. Her first signing is Muroki, a 19-year-old artist from Raglan, New Zealand, who is featured on Hey u x and accompanied her on her sold-out arena tour across New Zealand. Plus, the breakout artist recently reached new heights with nominations at the MTV EMAs(PUSH Best New Artist Category), E! People’s Choice Awards (The New Artist of 2020 Category) and New Zealand’s Aotearoa Music Awards (Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist, Best Pop Artist).
Hey u x TRACKLIST
- “Happen To Me”
- “Same Effect”
- “Sheesh” feat. Grimes
- “Supalonely” feat. Gus Dapperton
- “Snail”
- “Plain” feat. Lily Allen & Flo Milli
- “Kool”
- “Winter” feat. Mallrat
- “A Little While”
- “Night Garden” feat. Kenny Beats & Bakar
- “All The Time” feat. Muroki
- “If I Get To Meet You”
- “C U”
ABOUT BENEE
Stella Rose Bennett, who records as BENEE, grew up in Auckland, New Zealand on a steady diet of downer Soundcloud rap, James Blake breakup hymns, and artists who valued experimentation like Bjork, Groove Armada, and Radiohead, which her parents exposed her to at an early age. One day, on a whim, Bennett put some Gnarls Barkley and Amy Winehouse covers she’d sung directly into GarageBand up on Soundcloud, and soon, she was in the studio with producer Josh Fountain, working on original songs. Last year, Bennett released two EPs—FIRE ON MARZZ and STELLA & STEVE, which went platinum and gold in New Zealand, respectively. Additionally, she was named Apple Up Next Artist July 2020, nominated for MTV VMA “Push Best New Artist” 2020, MTV EMA “Best Push” Artist 2020, E! People’s Choice Awards New Artist of 2020 and nominated for New Zealand’s 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards in the Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist, and Best Pop Artist categories. In 2019, she took home four trophies at the New Zealand Music Awards: Single of the Year (“Soaked”), Best Solo Artist, Best Pop Artist, and Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
All of which set the stage for what would become her debut studio album, Hey u x, which is out November 13th. Hey u x is a fascinating album that exists in two opposing eras of modern society: the (relatively) carefree pre-COVID-19 era, and the post COVID world, where lockdowns and intense isolation are now a regular part of life. Each of the songs on the album offer up a discrete universe of heartbreak, loneliness, and personal growth, shot back to the listener as quiet communiques. “I’m writing music for one human listening to the music,” Bennett says. “I want them to feel as connected as they can to my mind. Like a message that you send to a friend.” On Hey u x, musical genres are to be explored and adopted, songs are constructed from otherworldly concepts, and a sense of playfulness hangs over even the most melancholy moments. Like much of what Bennett has achieved thus far, it all seems so casual that it could be accidental, but there’s a deep purpose behind her music and her worldview.
