Album Review: Hey U x by BENEE

Already a superstar back home, BENEE's one of the few artists this issue who've been able to fully show off their new release with a live show: she recently headlined Auckland's Spark Arena - at capacity. Another New Zealander with her shit together then, 'Hey U X' follows singles 'Supalonely' with NYC gem Gus Dapperton and 'Night Garden' with Kenny Beats and Bakar - and ups the ante. 'Snail' and 'Kool' are bouncy bops; opener 'Happen To Me' has echoes of The Japanese House's introspection, and the acoustic nature of 'Same Effect' and 'A Little While' bear more than a passing similarity to Billie Eilish's quieter moments.

Full Review >>

It was on breakout smash "Supalonely" that the global scale beckoned, with the song contributing heavily to BENEE 's combined 2 billion streams to date, and the heightened anticipation for her debut album, hey u x. For the occasion Bennett's amassed an all-star cast of collaborators, the result of which is a record which sweeps across a diverse and adventurous range of sounds. Explaining the drive behind this, she says: "I love the idea that you can pull an indie guitar and a trap beat and there is a way to make them work together.

Full Review >>

If you are aged between 16-28 and currently have an internet connection, you've probably heard BENEE. No really, you have. 'Supalonely' has been one of TikTok's Summer 2020 success stories, amassing billions of streams and sparking off a (deceptively difficult, FYI) dance craze.

Full Review >>