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."
BAGELS
BENEE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are not alone, you are not alone
You are not alone, you are not alone
You are not alone, you are not alone
You are not alone, you are not alone
You are not alone, you are not alone
You are not alone, you are not aloneYou are not alone, you are not alone
You are not alone, you are not alone
You are not alone, you are not alone
You are not alone, you are not alone
You are not alone, you are not alone
I went to the beach, um, went to the beach
And I went for a swim and it was really nice
And I just like, I got up and had a really good hot shower
And I ate, I ate a bagel, do you like bagels?
I love bagels, why do you like bagels?
Bagels just make me feel so good
I love bagels
Do you like bagels?
I love bagels
The lyrics to "BAGELS" by Benee appear to be very simple and repetitive, consisting of the phrase "you are not alone" repeated over and over again. However, the repetition of this phrase actually serves a purpose in the song, which is to reassure the listener that they are not alone in their struggles. The song suggests that even though life can be tough and lonely at times, there are always people who care and who are there to support you.
The second half of the song shifts to a more upbeat and positive tone as the singer talks about their day at the beach, including taking a swim and enjoying a bagel. The mention of bagels becomes a sort of running theme throughout the song, with the singer expressing their love for the food item multiple times. The repetition of this phrase adds to the lighthearted and playful feel of the song, contrasting with the more serious message conveyed in the first half.
Overall, "BAGELS" is a song that combines a comforting message with a fun, carefree tone, making it an uplifting and empowering anthem for those who may be struggling.
Line by Line Meaning
You are not alone, you are not alone
Repeating this line emphasizes the message and reassures the listener that they are not alone.
I went to the beach, um, went to the beach
The singer is recalling a recent experience where they went to the beach.
And I went for a swim and it was really nice
The singer enjoyed their swim at the beach.
And I just like, I got up and had a really good hot shower
The artist had a good shower after their swim. The use of 'just like' indicates that this is a normal or routine occurrence for them.
And I ate, I ate a bagel, do you like bagels?
The artist had a bagel after their shower and is asking the listener if they also enjoy bagels.
I love bagels, why do you like bagels?
The singer expresses their love for bagels and wants to know why the listener also enjoys them.
Bagels just make me feel so good
The singer feels good when they eat bagels, indicating that there is a positive association or emotional connection with the food.
I love bagels
The artist reiterates their love for bagels, emphasizing the emotional attachment they have with the food.
Do you like bagels?
The artist is engaging the listener in a casual conversation about their shared enjoyment of bagels.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Joshua Marc Fountain, Stella Bennett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AltheaDoris
Im 46 and I used to dream of music like this. I waited decades to hear someone match my inner reality. Benee is the closest thing to that inner world I heard as a teen. My authentic Self. Thanks girl. You’re hitting my souls music sweet spot like nobody else and I’m grateful.
@kingcaliber4113
This is psytrance
@koukimonster6957
You should learn to play an instrument and channel that. Would be awesome
@AltheaDoris
@@koukimonster6957 thank you… you know what? I wondered why I never did that before… I’m cleaning out my ancestral baggage and internal blocks. I’m putting that on my bucket list. Sooooooo many ideas I had manifested as big successes for others. It’s my turn too 😄. Thank you
@lightning__bug
I want a whole album of this type of music!! I want to cry every time I hear this song. I feel so at peace. I don't get peace a lot.
@Beverice
There are albums of music just like this
@Speghettica
@@Bevericewhat are they so we can check them out?
@Beverice
@@Speghettica I'm going to reccomend artists instead of albums because that's easier.
Stumbleine - Amazing artist, i'd say entire style is similar to this.
Nuages - Also very similar to this song.
GoodWeatherForAnAirstrike - depends on the track, some are similar, some less vocal.
SOULAR ORDER - Not completely this style, more edm elements but still ambient based.
Aural Method - Also not completely this style. More instrumental.
@kemzdon8245
@@Bevericethanks beverice
@Pedro_Yu
Understanding the creation of this song made me appreciate Benee even more than i thought was possible. ❤