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."
Soft Side
BENEE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But only when the time's right
And it's a shame you're in the limelight
Makes it hard to catch your eyesight
I wanna see your soft side
But only when the time's right
I wanna knowEverything there is about you
I wanna try
To understand your mind and how you
Weave through the words you hide behind, I wanna try
Baby, I wanna get inside, I wanna
Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that I have the power to
Open up that spot, it's not that hard to see
I'm keen, you see through me
Don't care 'bout what my friends think
My friends think that I've gone mad
Say I should find someone a little less detached
But I want something that I cannot have
I wanna see your soft side
But only when the time's right
And it's shame you're in the limelight
Makes it hard to catch your eye sight
I wanna see your soft side
But only when the time's right
And it's shame you're in the limelight
Makes it hard to catch your eye sight
I wanna know
I wanna try
To understand your mind and how you
Weave through the words you hide behind, I wanna try
Baby, I wanna get inside, I wanna
I wanna know
Everything there is about you
I wanna try
To understand your mind and how you
Weave through the words you hide behind, I wanna try
Baby, I wanna get inside, I wanna
The lyrics to BENEE's song "Soft Side" express the singer's desire to see a vulnerable and intimate side of someone they are interested in. The singer wants to witness this softer side, but only when the timing is right. The mention of the person being in the limelight suggests that they may be a public figure or someone constantly under scrutiny, which makes it difficult for the singer to catch their attention.
The song reflects the singer's curiosity and longing to truly understand the person they are attracted to. They want to know everything about them, to delve into their mind and unravel the layers of their hidden emotions. The singer acknowledges that it might not be an easy task, as the person they are pursuing hides behind words and may be guarded. However, their determination to connect and explore their potential connection persists.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna see your soft side
I desire to witness your vulnerable and gentle nature
But only when the time's right
However, I wish to see it only when the circumstances are suitable
And it's a shame you're in the limelight
It is regrettable that you constantly receive attention and public scrutiny
Makes it hard to catch your eyesight
This situation makes it challenging to capture your attention
I wanna know
I yearn to gain knowledge
Everything there is about you
Every detail and aspect of your being
I wanna try
I am eager to attempt
To understand your mind and how you
To comprehend the workings of your thoughts and how you
Weave through the words you hide behind, I wanna try
Navigate through the language you employ to conceal your true emotions, I long to make an effort
Baby, I wanna get inside, I wanna
Darling, I aspire to delve deep into your innermost self, I yearn for it
Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that I have the power to
Perhaps I am mistaken, but I believe I possess the capability to
Open up that spot, it's not that hard to see
Reveal that vulnerable place within you, it is not overly difficult to perceive
I'm keen, you see through me
I am enthusiastic and eager, and you are perceptive of my true intentions
Don't care 'bout what my friends think
I do not concern myself with the opinions of my friends
My friends think that I've gone mad
My friends believe I have become insane
Say I should find someone a little less detached
They suggest I should pursue a person who is less emotionally distant
But I want something that I cannot have
However, I crave something that is unattainable to me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kevin Blume, Stella Bennett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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on Supalonely
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