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."
Doesn't Matter
BENEE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To not have to think about it? It seems nice
Not a care, so quiet
Maybe I'm consumed by my mental
Does it hurt me? Maybe, oh, well
If I medicate, would it help me?
'Cause I'm hurting, I feel unwell
You know how I feel you've told me before
Although my fears are real
The things I fear are not
I know it doesn't matter
I know it doesn't matter
None of this even matters
I know it doesn't matter
I know it doesn't matter
None of this even matters
Check that
Have to check that the oven is off
This happens every night
Sometimes you tell me off
Maybe I'm consumed by my mental
Does it hurt me? Maybe, oh, well
If I medicate, would it help me?
'Cause I'm hurting, I feel unwell
You know how I feel you've told me before
Although my fears are real
The things I fear are not
I know it doesn't matter
I know it doesn't matter
I know it doesn't matter
I know it doesn't matter
None of this even matters
You say
"Why are you thinking these things?"
(These things)
How do I even explain? (Explain)
"You're scared of almost everything"
(Everything)
I know and it's really a drain (A drain)
Hide under a pillow (Pillow)
Something's at the window (Window)
I'm too scared to check though
Now I'm crossing my fingers
Flicking off the switches
Is my house filled with witches?
What is my mind? What is it like
To unwind? What's it like?
In "Doesn't Matter," Benee reflects on the anxieties that consume her mind, wondering what it would be like to not have to think about them. The chorus emphasizes her realization that many of her worries are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, yet they still have a heavy impact on her mental health. She questions whether medication could alleviate her suffering, but also acknowledges that the root of her issues lies in her own mind.
The verses detail some of the specific fears that occupy her thoughts every day, such as checking the oven obsessively and being afraid to look out the window. She acknowledges that these concerns may seem trivial to others, but to her they are consuming and draining. Still, she can't help but wonder what it would be like to be able to unwind and not be weighed down by her own thoughts.
At its core, "Doesn't Matter" is a vulnerable exploration of the impact that mental health issues can have on one's daily life, as well as the difficulty of explaining these issues to others. Despite the paradoxical nature of her worries - being both insignificant and all-consuming - Benee's lyrics showcase a deep empathy for those who struggle with anxiety or other mental health challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Mm, what's it like
What is the experience like?
To not have to think about it?
To not have to worry about something?
It seems nice
It seems pleasant.
Not a care, so quiet
Without any worries, peaceful.
Maybe I'm consumed by my mental
Perhaps I'm overwhelmed by my thoughts.
Does it hurt me? Maybe, oh, well
Does it cause discomfort? Perhaps, but never mind.
If I medicate, would it help me?
Would taking medication improve my condition?
'Cause I'm hurting, I feel unwell
I'm in pain and feeling sick.
You know how I feel
You understand my emotions.
You've told me before
You've informed me previously.
Although my fears are real
Even though my fears are genuine.
The things I fear are not
However, what I fear is irrational.
I know it doesn't matter
I understand that it's not significant.
None of this even matters
None of this is important.
Check that
Verify that.
Have to check that the oven is off
Need to ensure that the stove isn't on.
This happens every night
This occurrence is common every evening.
Sometimes you tell me off
On occasion, you reprimand me.
You say
"Why are you thinking these things?" (These things)
How do I even explain? (Explain)
"You're scared of almost everything" (everything)
I know and it's really a drain (a drain)
Hide under a pillow (pillow)
Something's at the window (window)
I'm too scared to check though
Now I'm crossing my fingers
Flicking off the switches
Is my house filled with witches?
You ask why I worry about everything and how can I describe it. You point out that I'm scared of virtually everything, which I admit is draining. I hide under a pillow when I'm frightened and can hear something outside the window, but I'm too afraid to check. Now I'm crossing my fingers and turning off the lights as if there are witches in my home.
What is my mind?
What kind of thoughts are in my head?
What is it like
To unwind?
What is it like to relax?
What's it like?
What does it feel like?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danhurt5616
LYRICS
Mmm, what's it like
To not have to think about it?
It seems nice
Not a care, so quiet
Maybe I'm consumed by my mental
Does it hurt me? Maybe, oh, well
If I medicate, would it help me?
'Cause I'm hurting, I feel unwell
You know how I feel
You've told me before
Although my fears are real
The things I fear are not
I know it doesn't matter
I know it doesn't matter
None of this even matters
I know it doesn't matter
I know it doesn't matter
None of this even matters
Check that
Have to check that the oven is off
This happens every night
Sometimes you tell me off
Maybe I'm consumed by my mental
Does it hurt me? Maybe, oh, well
If I medicate, would it help me?
'Cause I'm hurting, I feel unwell
You know how I feel
You've told me before
Although my fears are real
The things I fear are not
I know it doesn't matter
I know it doesn't matter
None of this even matters
I know it doesn't matter
I know it doesn't matter
None of this even matters
You say
"Why are you thinking these things?" (These things)
How do I even explain? (Explain)
"You're scared of almost everything" (everything)
I know and it's really a drain (a drain)
Hide under a pillow (pillow)
Something's at the window (window)
I'm too scared to check though
Now I'm crossing my fingers
Flicking off the switches
Is my house filled with witches?
What is my mind?
What is it like
To unwind?
What's it like?
@beef_slop
A stunningly accurate portrayal of what it's like to live with an anxiety/panic disorder/OCD. Right down to mini conversation with the second party towards the end of the song, with them not understanding why they are acting that way and almost coming off as annoyed/frustrated in them is 100% relatable.
"Why are you thinking these things?" (These things)
How do I even explain? (Explain)
"You're scared of almost everything" (everything)
I know and it's really a drain (a drain)
And the response is really accurate as well: it's almost resigned and gives the same energy back to the person asking the questions. Like almost asking back "do you think I wanna live like this?".
Those that live with these disorders know very well how it can feel when interacting with folks who don't experience it the same. Most of us have worked our whole lives trying to get to a point of being "normal" and "carefree" but have felt this way so long that anxiety and panic become "normal" and and the normal response just becomes avoiding everything for comfort (which is it's own way of being carefree but with way more negative consequences.)
So, to the outside perspective, they see a person they love doing nothing to help themselves get out of the hole they are in. But they also haven't seen all the effort they've taken in the past to help themselves and the failures along the way. Plus, the whole process absolutely is a drain! Why do you think it's so hard for them to work on themselves? Your body and brain being on red alert 24/7 takes everything out of you.
BENEE really hits the nail on the head with this one, and the song is beautiful as well. What a gem of young talent.
@Տ91
Fact: BENEE is making everyone's day so much better with her song
@fusionkamehameha
No Dr. no EMT can help you more then Benee! Benee's music is a cure. 😊
@CristianLopez0764
Yeah, that's a true
@uhhmm2132
Fax I've had this song on repeat for weeks now
@adrianelias4791
obviously
@LightningMT_Gaming
Big facts
@_cloudface_
"Although my fears are real
The things I fear are not"
..might be one of the best lines in music in decades..
@ZiloGlow
That too relate to me😔
@Charleh-tk2bw
I love BENEE's music, something about her style just resonates so much with me, I've never heard someone's music that just feels like it meshes with me
@justyouraverageintrovert8487
110%