Stella Rose Bennett was born and raised in the suburb of Grey Lynn in Auckland. She grew up in a "really musical" family with parents who would expose her to the catalogs of Radiohead, Björk, and Groove Armada. From the age of eight, BENEE began taking guitar lessons in primary school before starting saxophone lessons in high school. Eventually, BENEE dropped all music in order to prioritize water polo. She claims it "was [her] life" and that she at one point hoped to represent New Zealand competitively. BENEE later became interested in writing and recording music at the age of 17, after deciding that she did not want to pursue a career in water polo. BENEE attended an all-girls Catholic school, St. Mary's College, where music was compulsory for four years.
BENEE began her music career by posting covers to SoundCloud and began making her own music in her final year of high school. After dropping out of a communications degree at the Auckland University of Technology after two weeks, during what she called "a quarter-life crisis", she decided to enter the music business professionally. Her music caught the attention of Josh Fountain, a producer and member of the band Leisure, with whom she produced two singles: "Tough Guy", released in 2017, and "Soaked", released in 2018. she earned her first career entry on the Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2018 with "Soaked" at #58.
In both 2019 and 2020, she consecutively won Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist and Best Pop Artist at the New Zealand Music Awards. BENEE initially gained local prominence with her singles "Glitter" and "Soaked", before her 2019 single "Supalonely" saw international popularity following its success on the video-sharing platform TikTok and YouTube. BENEE subsequently released her debut album, Hey U X, in November 2020.
Under the moniker of Bene, she made her solo debut with the 2017 single "Tough Guy", before later gaining prominence with her 2018 single "Soaked", which has been certified double-platinum in New Zealand. She released her debut EP, Fire on Marzz, with help from producer Josh Fountain in June 2019. Her second EP, Stella & Steve, was released in November 2019 and charted in the US, Canada, and France as a result of the international success of the EP's final single, "Supalonely". Since 2018, BENEE has earned five entries on the Triple J Hottest 100, three of which were in the 2019 list. She also released her third EP, Lychee, in March 2022 which charted at number 13 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.
In an interview for The New Zealand Herald, Benee revealed that she has dyslexia. She also described her childhood experiences with songwriting:
"throughout school I struggled with writing....I liked creative writing, that was what I loved, but I was always making mistakes, and I was confined to this way that I should write....Songwriting for me was this place where I don't have to be grammatically correct. Learning the craft with [Josh Fountain], when he was sharing all his knowledge – something clicked, and I was just like, I love this. It's a great emotional outlet for me; I just love splashing what I feel on to a track."
Afterthought
BENEE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you tell me, does it hurt today?
Yeah, there's no way, yeah (no way, no way, no way)
To burn, there's no flames, yeah (there's no flames)
Praying nine to five like a saint for you (like a saint)
Can you tell me how it turned this way? (How?)
Yeah, things have changed, yeah (yeah)
Yeah, filled with rage, yeah (filled with rage)
So lost in these diamonds
So lost in this paradise
Don't speed on that highway
We need you to shine bright
When life gets too complicated
Please stand with me after dark
I'll stay in the limelight
Like a beautiful afterthought
Like a beautiful afterthought
Sometimes, you'd ask me for something different
Hated when you did it, I wish that you didn't
I would do things and you'd get annoyed
I should've never done them, I wish I was different
Why do we have to step away now?
It's been a year, been a couple days now
Since you called me sayin' you're worried
Been hard for me dealin' with this space now
No company, wishin' we could sit down
'Cause I'm sorry, but you don't want me
So lost in these diamonds
So lost in this paradise
Don't speed on that highway
We need you to shine bright
When life gets too complicated
Please stand with me after dark
I'll stay in the limelight
Like a beautiful afterthought
Like a beautiful afterthought
I don't wanna forget about you
I don't wanna forget about you, oh
I don't wanna forget about you
I don't wanna think about it
Think about it
The lyrics to BENEE's song "Afterthought" are about a relationship that's falling apart. The singer acknowledges that they've been slipping away from their partner and wonders if the partner feels the same pain they do. The singer is struggling to understand how things have turned out this way and feels filled with rage. However, despite the complications, the singer still holds onto hope that their partner will shine bright and stand with them after dark, like a beautiful afterthought.
The lyrics express a sense of longing, regret, and frustration. The singer laments that they wish they were different and did things differently in their relationship. They recognize that things have gotten more complicated and explore the possibility of forgetting or not thinking about their partner at all. However, the singer still yearns for them and hopes that they can reconcile.
The song is a deeply personal track for BENEE as it deals with her own experiences of heartbreak and distance. She has stated in interviews that "Afterthought" is about "a relationship that’s being pulled apart by a huge space, the distance between the two people and how they feel like they are losing each other. It’s about trying to keep that person close to you, and asking them not to become a stranger in your life." The song is a powerful example of BENEE's ability to write raw and honest lyrics that resonate with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately, I've been slippin' away from you
I feel like I'm becoming distant from you
Can you tell me, does it hurt today?
Are you feeling any pain today?
Yeah, there's no way, yeah (no way, no way, no way)
I agree, it's impossible (repeated for emphasis)
To burn, there's no flames, yeah (there's no flames)
There's no passion or excitement
Praying nine to five like a saint for you (like a saint)
I'm working hard and being good for you
Can you tell me how it turned this way? (How?)
Can you explain how things changed this much?
Yeah, things have changed, yeah (yeah)
Yes, things are different now (repeated for emphasis)
Yeah, filled with rage, yeah (filled with rage)
I'm angry and upset (repeated for emphasis)
So lost in these diamonds
I'm caught up in material things
So lost in this paradise
I'm caught up in a false sense of happiness
Don't speed on that highway
Don't rush through life
We need you to shine bright
We need your light and positivity
When life gets too complicated
When life gets overwhelming
Please stand with me after dark
Please support me when things get tough
I'll stay in the limelight
I'll keep trying to be successful
Like a beautiful afterthought
Like a pleasant memory
Sometimes, you'd ask me for something different
Sometimes you wanted me to change
Hated when you did it, I wish that you didn't
I didn't like when you asked me to change, I wish you didn't
I would do things and you'd get annoyed
I did things that annoyed you
I should've never done them, I wish I was different
I regret doing those things, I wish I was better
Why do we have to step away now?
Why do we have to drift apart?
It's been a year, been a couple days now
It's been a while since we've talked
Since you called me sayin' you're worried
Since you last contacted me because you were concerned
Been hard for me dealin' with this space now
It's been tough to cope with this distance
No company, wishin' we could sit down
I'm alone and wishing we could talk face-to-face
'Cause I'm sorry, but you don't want me
I'm sorry for my actions, but you don't want to be with me
I don't wanna forget about you
I don't want to lose the memory of you
I don't wanna think about it
I don't want to dwell on it
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Daniel Maurice Wilson, George Miller, Isaac Cords Sleator, Stella Bennett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@angelynmarti9055
Verse 1: Joji]
Lately, I've been slippin' away from you
Can you tell me, does it hurt today?
Yeah, there's no way, yeah (No way, no way, no way)
To burn, there's no flames, yeah (There's no flames)
Praying nine to five like a saint for you (Like a saint)
Can you tell me how it turned this way? (How?)
Yeah, things have changed, yeah (Yeah)
Yeah, filled with rage, yeah (Filled with rage)
[Chorus: Joji]
So lost in these diamonds
So lost in this paradise
Don't speed on that highway
We need you to shine bright
When life gets too complicatеd
Please stand with me aftеr dark
I'll stay in the limelight
Like a beautiful afterthought
Like a beautiful afterthought
[Verse 2: BENEE]
Sometimes, you'd ask me for something different
Hated when you did it, I wish that you didn't
I would do things and you'd get annoyed, I
Should've never done them, I wish I was different
Why do we have to step away now?
It’s been a year, been a couple days now
Since you called me sayin' you're worried
Been hard for me dealin' with this space now
No company, wishin' we could sit down
'Cause I'm sorry, but you don't want me Chorus: Joji]
So lost in these diamonds
So lost in this paradise
Don't speed on that highway
We need you to shine bright
When life gets too complicated
Please stand with me after dark
I'll stay in the limelight
Like a beautiful afterthought
Like a beautiful afterthought
[Outro: BENEE & Joji]
I don't wanna forget about you
I don't wanna forget about you, oh
I don't wanna forget about you
I don't wanna think about it
Think about it
@Andrei_s_thoughts
LYRICS 🥀🖤🥀
Lately, I've been slippin' away from you
Can you tell me, does it hurt today?
Yeah, there's no way, yeah (No way, no way, no way)
To burn, there's no flames, yeah (There's no flames)
Praying nine to five like a saint for you (Like a saint)
Can you tell me how it turned this way? (How?)
Yeah, things have changed, yeah (Yeah)
Yeah, filled with rage, yeah (Filled with rage)
So lost in these diamonds
So lost in this paradise
Don't speed on that highway
We need you to shine bright
When life gets too complicated
Please stand with me after dark
I'll stay in the limelight
Like a beautiful afterthought
Like a beautiful afterthought
Sometimes, you'd ask me for something different
Hated when you did it, I wish that you didn't
I would do things and you'd get annoyed, I
Should've never done them, I wish I was different
Why do we have to step away now?
It's been a year, been a couple days now
Since you called me sayin' you're worried
Been hard for me dealin' with this space now
No company, wishin' we could sit down
'Cause I'm sorry, but you don't want me
So lost in these diamonds
So lost in this paradise
Don't speed on that highway
We need you to shine bright
When life gets too complicated
Please stand with me after dark
I'll stay in the limelight
Like a beautiful afterthought
Like a beautiful afterthought
I don't wanna forget about you
I don't wanna forget about you, oh
I don't wanna forget about you
I don't wanna think about it
Think about it
@AndreeaJoAnn
Lyrics, just because I need them..
Lately, I've been slippin' away from you
Can you tell me, does it hurt today?
Yeah, there's no way, yeah (no way, no way, no way)
To burn, there's no flames, yeah (there's no flames)
Praying nine to five like a saint for you (like a saint)
Can you tell me how it turned this way? (How?)
Yeah, things have changed, yeah (yeah)
Yeah, filled with rage, yeah (filled with rage)
So lost in these diamonds
So lost in this paradise
Don't speed on that highway
We need you to shine bright
When life gets too complicated
Please stay with me after dark
I'll stay in the limelight
Like a beautiful afterthought
Like a beautiful afterthought
Sometimes, you'd ask me for something different
Hated when you did it, I wish that you didn't
I would do things and you'd get annoyed
I should've never done them, I wish I was different
Why do we have to step away now?
It's been a year, been a couple days now
Since you called me sayin' you're worried
Been hard for me dealin' with this space now
No company, wishin' we could sit down
'Cause I'm sorry, but you don't want me
So lost in these diamonds
So lost in this paradise
Don't speed on that highway
We need you to shine bright
When life gets too complicated
Please stay with me after dark
I'll stay in the limelight
Like a beautiful afterthought
Like a beautiful afterthought
I don't wanna forget about you
I don't wanna forget about you, oh
I don't wanna forget about you
I don't wanna think about it
Think about it
@joji
Joji Presents: The Extravaganza
October 23rd. One Night Only Livestream Event
Tickets at: https://jojiextravaganza.com
@surycg5117
No puedo soy pobre 😔
@ilykkxq
everything for the person i love <3
@trinitylol48
Joji i think ily
@beemoriondo3596
Ugh, I would if I have money.
@maishamaliha8011
Yooo okay papa
@attent10npls93
This collab is chef’s kiss Joji.
@angrydoge1466
my name a chef
@lilblinder11
:(
@AntonioM8
Rat cheff' kiss