Hey Bea, why were did you want to be involved in Girls to the Front?
“Because girls fucking rule! And I think it’s important to celebrate this. Also I love The Japanese House [the night’s headliners].”
You’re supporting your label mate The Japanese House, what have you learnt being part of the Dirty Hit family?
“Dirty Hit has taught me to be myself. I don’t want to be biased, but the label makes me feel comfortable with who I am. I can do whatever I want, I feel like I could kind of fuck around and they could still be like “yeah that’s fine!””
And another label mate of yours Matty Healy spoke out about misogyny in the industry at the Brits, is this something you’ve ever experienced?
“Not yet. Misogyny in the industry is 100% present, but I’m so grateful that I haven’t yet experienced it. But I feel like it will at one point, and it’s kind of shit that I have to build myself up to thinking that it’s going to happen because it’s just become a norm, it’s a bit shit. But hopefully it’ll improve.”
You’ve had a mad couple of months. In December you released your EP ‘Patched Up’, what was that like?
“Releasing ‘Patched Up’ was intense. I didn’t even expect people to like my music in the first place, so releasing ‘Patched Up’ was really overwhelming. The support I got from people was insane!”
Yeah – I saw all the people who stayed up in Australia to listen to it when it dropped at midnight!
“I remember being in my media class and then someone saying “oh ‘Patched Up’ is out in Australia”, and I was like “what? Did it get leaked?!” So I texted my manager and was like “dude what the frick my album has leaked in Australia?” and they said “no no no – it’s supposed to be out in Australia. And I was like “ooooh”. It was pretty stressful when I found out, I can’t lie.”
You supported the 1975 at The Garage a few weeks ago, what was that like?
“It was surreal. When I was 14 I used to listen to ‘fallingforyou’ [from the band’s ‘IV’ EP] 24/7 and just cry, so supporting the guy I looked up to since I was 14, it was insane to me. Everyone was so supportive and everyone was super nice, even though I fucked up a ton, but it was a really good atmosphere. And I feel like it was a good gig to start off, I never really did gigs, and this was my third time! And after that I was like “right I can probably do this now!””
What else have you got coming up?
“I’ve been recording an EP! And I’m doing a music video which is great. Also my new EP…I’m scared people won’t like it, but I like it, so I don’t care!”
And if you could collaborate with anybody in the world, who would it be?
“Tom Hanks. Tom, Hanks! I would love to collaborate with Tom Hanks, I know he could sing, I know it’s in him somewhere. And I want him on my song! And I’ve DM-ed him like five times! But he hasn’t answered me.”
Beabadoobee features in this year’s NME 100: 100 new artists set to have a HUGE year.