Becks in an interview about her music, mental health and queer experiences
A loyal fan base is the absolute jackpot for artists - and one knows exactly how it works:Becksis an emerging artist and voice of the. If you know them, you'll be drawn right into the loving and deeply committed fan base - and it feels like you know them immediately.
Young voices need support. Nex Stage by glo is one of these grants that provides young artists with tools and connections. We spoke to Becks about her career, her fan base and her experiences as a queer person. You can find out here what we can learn from her and what her authentic but unusual mental health tip is.
You don't know Becks yet? She is a queer artist who is primarily active on social media and shows intimate sides of herself. Her music is a mix of pop and electronic, with personal lyrics about her LGBTQIA+ experiences and identity.
GLAMOR: What inspires you to write your music and lyrics?
Becks: I am particularly inspired by life. This can be my own life, my experiences, or the lives of others, stories from followers that I find exciting, or stories fromfrom the Internet.
Sometimes there are completely different songs that I've somehow picked up again and that I think I'd like to play again.
Your texts are often profound and occasionally very personal. How were Nex Stage and the Moonbootica duo able to support you there? Were they able to respond to you and your texts?
Totally.
I have morewithworked with them to get a bit familiar with the production. Then I basically finished writing songs that I had already started anyway. These were “a woman” and “cliff of feelings”, both of which were songs I had already worked on.
I talked to them about instruments and different vibes and wanted to learn how to start producing and what kind of rituals there are.
Did the whole thing take place more on an equal footing or what was the communication like?
Yes, it was definitely on par.
I'm not a person who puts myself above others - I don't allow that either. I think everyone is special and important in their own way. That's why I probably would have walked away from the conversation if I had noticed that there was a discrepancy. Everything was really, really chilled out and we spent a lot of time together - I did with everyone there.
You also worked with the star producer Mousse T. Were you nervous?
No, actually not.
So I'm rarely nervous when I meet people because I know that they're just human. I can talk to them.
So I wasn't nervous, I was happy.
What could you learn from him?
Above all: just try it out and do a lot! Even if you throw things away afterwards. Try it out a lot and see how it sounds, and then you can sort it out.
Didn't you do it that way before? Were you more of a perfectionist in your lyrics?
Yes, I am very much a perfectionist. But now it's not like that anymore or I'm trying to put it down. I try out more and don't throw away my idea straight away if I don't like it at first glance.
Who do you write your music for? So who do you think of when you write?
That depends on what I'm writing about! When I write about love, of course I always have my girlfriend in mind. It doesn't matter whether it's their appearance or a character trait. Even if I have oneIf I were to write a love song, she is still my inspiration.
Otherwise, I write about myself and for me, of course.
I want to share my experiences and make music about them. I can package my feelings better if I write it as a song. But I also write for the whole thing. I'm a woman who writes songs for a woman. My songs are gay. This means that I also write for all the gay people out there. I didn't have anyone writing about my experiences back then, so I hope the community can relate to it a little bit.
In this context, do you also see yourself as an activist or as a role model for others?
I found it really crazy when I realized that people sayIbe their role model.
I was kind of afraid that I was conveying the wrong things or that people would copy something from me that might not be so cool. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt completely honored that people see and want me as a role model, and then I just accepted it.
I really enjoy using my reach in an activist way. This is a very warm feeling.
Like you just said, you write and sing about yourself and your experiences as a queer person. But as you've probably noticed, in the last two years, homophobia and...increased all over the world. Does this affect you in your personal and/or professional everyday life?
So I would say it affects me one way or another because I'm queer. Just if I go out on the street, something could happen because I'm queer.
The only thing that really affects me at work is that I worry about where I'm going. When I work with new people, I have to make sure that this is also a safe space for me that is being created or that I have to create for myself.
I was often afraid that homophobia might affect me when I worked with new people, for example. I can never know, which means I have to be prepared if anything happens. I have to be able to quickly get out of the situation or say that I no longer want to work with people. But nothing bad has actually happened so far.
That's why always approach a situation neutrally. But of course you still have to see whether it can be a safe space. Especially when I'm in a writing camp - for example with three women and 30 men working there.
Everything has actually gone well so far, but I'm taking it with a grain of salt.
Homophobia or discrimination mainly takes place on social media, but I try to ignore that as much as possible.
So just don't bother with it at all?
Yes. Unless the person writes something so stupid that I just have to say something. But then I explain rather than insult back.
I can well imagine that you found your community and your people online and in real life. How do you find your Chosen Family or community?
I think I found the people because I let them get very close to me since I started doing social media.
From the beginning, I talked openly about how I was feeling, what I was doing, what my dreams were, how I slept every day, what I was eating. So I actually took people with me a lot in my personal life and also documented my entire journey.
I posted three videos on Twitter (now X) every day, that was my escape from reality.
I have developed a personal connection with my community. A lot of the people from three years, four years ago are still there and going to concerts now. I also enjoy connecting with people there a lot, replying to comments, going live and doing stories. I'm also very open to hugs, and my biggest focus is making sure my community knows there's someone there who can listen to you, someone you can vent to - but who's still far away.
What tips do you have for young queer people? Especially young people who want to get started with art or music, but perhaps don't yet have the courage to be so vulnerable and open?
I never say you have to be open and vulnerable right away.
Do it at your own pace. I even wrote to someone in the queer community yesterday. The person also makes music, but only uploads covers - and I asked when his own music would come out.
But she said that it was really difficult for her because she somehow couldn't finish a song, etc. I then answered her that of course I know that and that the feeling is strange when you show your own art for the first time. But for me at the time, I just posted a song that I had recorded on my iPhone, and two weeks later I got help from the community and a lot of support.
But nobody says you have to release a song right now. Nobody says you have to post so much. In the end, only you decide. And if you feel like putting something out there, then do it. If you need help, then use social media! You can also just say: “Hey, I have a song and I really like singing, is there anyone interested in making music with me?”
Actually it isKey,just to trust yourself.
You're also a singer, but also a content creator, because you also do a lot on social media. Where do you see advantages or disadvantages for you in your career, but perhaps also personally?
So from a career perspective, it's clear what the advantage is, because you can build up your audience in a more diversified way.
If your content comes to other people's “For You” pages and they have never heard of you before, then a lot of other people will follow you because they think a new song is great.
Another advantage is connecting with other people. When I started back then, I didn't really have any friends, just people on TikTok who said they liked me. The fan base is amazing, and I always see people from the Internet at concerts and can exchange ideas with them.
For me personally and also for themIt's great that you can quickly connect with people - but also simply put your cell phone away.
Your texts are often about your personal struggles with mental health problems. Were you able to cope with this through writing or what was your strategy for coming to terms with yourself?
Yes, exactly.
I write a lot when I'm not feeling well, but also when I'm feeling well! They're not always songs. It's often that I take notes on how I'm feeling, and sometimes I sit in the studio and go through myand I’m like: “Ah, that’s right, I could write more about that, right?”
Sometimes I keep it to myself because it's just mineis and what concerns me. Nowadays I do a lot more with myself than just sharing it straight away or putting it into songs. This makes you emotionally naked.
What motivates you when you're not feeling well at all?
When I'm feeling really, really bad, if I'm honest, nothing motivates me. Then I just stay there.
As stupid as it sounds. Many always come with self-help tips, but no. My body can't, I don't want to do anything right now. I just want to lie in bed and watch a series.
If I don't have the capacity, why should I use any method or motivation to force myself to do something, even though I actually just want to lie down, watch a series and just think about nothing or do nothing?
By the way, sometimes it helps me to take a shower. But sometimes that doesn't work either.
I have one very important, final question: Are you ready for the really big fame?
Can you be ready or prepare for this? Because I think it just happens. But I'm very satisfied and happy where I am.
I'm not looking to somehow get a lot more fame or earn or do a lot more. This is what happens when people celebrate you. And I just want to make music because it's my passion, not because I want to somehow write a hit and make money.
But of course: I'm up for it. I'm ready to show more of myself and next year it's really, really going to happen!
