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."
All The Time
BENEE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My body starts to feel control
I lose a hold
This place it starts to turn so cold
I'm trapped from within
I cannot hear anything
You're sayin' somethin'
I can see that your mouth's movin'
Your eyes are red
I can see your neck tattoo
What is this room?
I can't take my eyes off you
Spaced out all the time
I'm fallin' behind
I'm spaced out all the time
I've had too much
Can feel my body 'bout to give up
What is this stuff?
I think that we stuffed it up
Your eyes are red
I can see your neck tattoo
What is this room?
I can't take my eyes off you
Spaced out all the time
I'm fallin' behind
Spaced out all the time (spaced out all the time)
I'm fallin' behind
Spaced out all the time
The lyrics to "All The Time" by BENEE and Muroki describe a state of disorientation and confusion caused by being under the influence of drugs. The singer's mind "explodes" and their body loses control, causing them to feel trapped and unable to hear anything. They are in a room with someone who has red eyes and a neck tattoo, and they can't take their eyes off them despite feeling spaced out.
The repeated refrain of "spaced out all the time" further emphasizes the feeling of being out of control and disconnected from reality. The singer acknowledges that they have had too much of something, and that their body is about to give up. They are aware that they have "stuffed it up," indicating regret over their decision to take drugs.
The song's lyrics are likely a commentary on the dangers of drug use and the negative effects it can have on one's mental and physical health. The use of vivid imagery and sensory language highlights the disorientation and confusion that can occur when under the influence, and the repeating refrain highlights the addictive nature of drugs and the difficulty in breaking free from the cycle of use.
Line by Line Meaning
My mind explodes
I am overwhelmed and cannot handle the thoughts and feelings in my head.
My body starts to feel control
My body reacts to the overwhelming feelings by taking control, making it difficult for me to function normally.
I lose a hold
The overwhelming feelings and loss of control make it hard for me to keep my grip on reality.
This place it starts to turn so cold
The environment around me begins to feel unwelcoming and uninviting.
I'm trapped from within
I feel stuck and unable to escape my own thoughts and feelings.
I cannot hear anything
The overwhelming thoughts and feelings make it hard for me to focus and pay attention to my surroundings.
You're sayin' somethin'
Someone is trying to communicate with me, but I am having a hard time understanding them.
I can see that your mouth's movin'
Although I cannot understand what is being said, I can see that the person is speaking.
Your eyes are red
The person I am looking at has red eyes, which could indicate that they are also under the influence of something.
I can see your neck tattoo
I notice a tattoo on the person's neck, which adds to the mystery of the situation.
What is this room?
I am not familiar with my surroundings and am questioning what kind of place I am in.
I can't my take my eyes off you
Despite the confusing and overwhelming situation, I am fixated on the person in front of me.
Spaced out all the time
I am constantly in a dazed state and unable to fully function or interact with the world around me.
I'm fallin' behind
The confusion and dazed feeling is causing me to lag behind and not keep up with what is going on around me.
I've had too much
I have consumed too much of something, whether it be drugs or alcohol or something else.
Can feel my body 'bout to give up
The effects of whatever I consumed are causing my body to feel weak and like it might give out.
What is this stuff?
I am unsure of what I have consumed and what the effects are supposed to be.
I think that we stuffed it up
I am beginning to realize that something has gone wrong and we have made a mistake in our consumption or actions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jason Lee P. Schoushkoff, Joshua Marc Fountain, Stella Bennett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@a.k.m7771
Lyrics
My mind explodes, my body starts to feel controlled
I lose a hold, this place it starts to turn so cold
Lungs wrap from within, I cannot hear anything
You're sayin' somethin', I can see that your mouth's movin'
Your eyes are red, I can see you're knocked out too
What is this room? I can't take my eyes off you
Spaced out all the time
I'm fallin' behind
I'm spaced out all the time
I've had too much, can feel my body 'bout to give up
What is this stuff? I think that we stuffed it up
Your eyes are red, I can see you're knocked out too
What is this room? I can't take my eyes off you
Spaced out all the time (Time, yeah)
I'm fallin' behind (Fallin', fallin')
Spaced out all the time (Spaced out all the time)
I'm falling behind
Spaced out all the time
@micaelabottaro6142
Lyrics/Letra (English/Español)
[Verse 1: BENEE]
My mind explodes, my body starts to feel controlled
I lose a hold, this place it starts to turn so cold
Lungs wrap from within, I cannot hear anything
You're sayin' somethin', I can see that your mouth's movin'
[Pre-Chorus: BENEE]
Your eyes are red, I can see you're knocked out too
What is this room? I can't take my eyes off you
[Chorus: BENEE]
Spaced out all the time
I'm fallin' behind
I'm spaced out all the time
[Verse 2: Muroki]
I've had too much, can feel my body 'bout to give up
What is this stuff? I think that we stuffed it up
[Pre-Chorus: BENEE & Muroki]
Your eyes are red, I can see you're knocked out too
What is this room? I can't take my eyes off you
[Chorus: Muroki, BENEE & Both]
Spaced out all the time (Time, yeah)
I'm fallin' behind (Fallin', fallin')
Spaced out all the time (Spaced out all the time)
I'm fallin' behind
Spaced out all the time
[Versículo 1: BENEE]
Mi mente explota, mi cuerpo comienza a sentirse controlado
Pierdo el control, este lugar comienza a volverse tan frío
Los pulmones se envuelven desde adentro, no puedo escuchar nada
Estás diciendo algo, puedo ver que tu boca se mueve
[Pre-estribillo: BENEE]
Tus ojos están rojos, puedo ver que estás inconsciente también
¿Qué es esta habitación? No puedo apartar mis ojos de ti
[Estribillo: BENEE]
Espaciado todo el tiempo
Me estoy quedando atrás
Estoy espaciado todo el tiempo
[Versículo 2: Muroki]
He tenido demasiado, puedo sentir que mi cuerpo está a punto de rendirse
¿Qué es esto? Creo que lo embadurnamos
[Pre-estribillo: BENEE y Muroki]
Tus ojos están rojos, puedo ver que estás inconsciente también
¿Qué es esta habitación? No puedo apartar mis ojos de ti
[Estribillo: Muroki, BENEE y ambos]
Espaciado todo el tiempo (tiempo, sí)
Me estoy quedando atrás (Fallin ', Fallin')
Espaciado todo el tiempo (Espaciado todo el tiempo)
Me estoy quedando atrás
Espaciado todo el tiempo
@Nobody-xh9iy
My mind explodes, my body starts to feel controlled
I lose a hold, this place it starts to turn so cold
Lungs wrap from within, I cannot hear anything
You're sayin' somethin', I can see that your mouth's movin'
Your eyes are red, I can see you're knocked out too
What is this room? I can't take my eyes off you
Spaced out all the time
I'm fallin' behind
I'm spaced out all the time
I've had too much, can feel my body 'bout to give up
What is this stuff? I think that we stuffed it up
Your eyes are red, I can see you're knocked out too
What is this room? I can't take my eyes off you
Spaced out all the time (Time, yeah)
I'm fallin' behind (Fallin', fallin')
Spaced out all the time (Spaced out all the time)
I'm fallin' behind
Spaced out all the time
@starburst7917
This album is just amazing
@ir6588
So true
@jakobwhaleart
The way Muroki comes in on this track is so soothing!
@alexandersantana24
Who da fak is muroki?
@Otiraxo_
@@alexandersantana24 Stella's friend who she signed to her label- olive records
@TheLegendCMC
I love how it says feat. Muroki 2 times
@gurlwelovemusic
Lol was that a mistake or sum?
@maddyvxo
u gotta just let them know 😌
@user-od5jo4te4t
his power ugh !
@marjoben
feat Muroki