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."
Somebody That I Used to Know
BENEE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
I told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember
You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the endSo when we found that we could not make sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
But I'll admit that I was glad it was over
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
You treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No, you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
But I don't wanna live that way
Read into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
You treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
(Somebody) I used to know
(Somebody) now you're just somebody that I used to know
(Somebody) I used to know
(Somebody) now you're just somebody that I used to know
(Somebody)
(Somebody)
(Somebody)
(Somebody)
The lyrics of "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Benee explore the emotions and aftermath of a failed relationship. The singer reflects on the past when they were together and remembers feeling lonely and unhappy despite believing that their partner was right for them. This love left a lasting ache in their memory.
The song delves into the concept of becoming addicted to a specific kind of sadness, where one becomes resigned to the idea that every relationship will eventually end. The singer and their partner couldn't make sense of their problems, and although they decided to remain friends, the singer admits feeling relieved that it was over.
The chorus highlights the pain of being abruptly cut off by their former partner. The partner ignored their shared history and treated the singer like a stranger, making them feel rough and disconnected. The partner went to the extent of having their friends collect their belongings and changing their contact details. Despite this heartbreak, the singer realizes they don't need that kind of treatment and now views their former partner as someone they used to know.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on the times their former partner manipulated and deceived them, making them believe they were always at fault. They express their desire to not continue living in that toxic way, constantly overanalyzing their partner's words. The partner claimed they could let go of their past, but the singer doubts this, feeling that their ex will remain hung up on someone from their past.
Overall, the lyrics convey the sadness, loneliness, and detachment experienced after a breakup, as well as the complexity of emotions that arise when trying to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Now and then I think of when we were together
Occasionally, I reminisce about the time we spent as a couple
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
I recall the moment you expressed extreme happiness
I told myself that you were right for me
I convinced myself that you were the perfect match for me
But felt so lonely in your company
However, I experienced profound loneliness in your presence
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember
Nevertheless, that was love, and the pain it caused still lingers in my memory
You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
It is possible to develop an addiction to a specific type of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the end
Similar to accepting the inevitability of an ending, knowing it is always the conclusion
So when we found that we could not make sense
Hence, when we discovered that our relationship no longer made sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
You assured me that we could still maintain a friendship
But I'll admit that I was glad it was over
However, I must confess that I felt relieved when it was all done
But you didn't have to cut me off
Although, there was no need for you to entirely sever ties with me
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
Pretend as if our past together never occurred and that we were insignificant
And I don't even need your love
Furthermore, I don't even require your affection anymore
You treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
You act towards me as if I am a complete stranger, and it is emotionally challenging
No, you didn't have to stoop so low
No, you didn't need to sink to such a low level
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
You had your friends gather your possessions and proceeded to alter your contact information
I guess that I don't need that though
I suppose I don't require those actions
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now, you have merely become someone from my past
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
Occasionally, I reflect on all the moments in which you deceived and betrayed me
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
Yet, you managed to convince me that I was always to blame for the issues
But I don't wanna live that way
However, I no longer wish to live in such a manner
Read into every word you say
Analyzing and assigning meaning to each and every word you utter
You said that you could let it go
You claimed that you could release the past and move on
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know
I believed I wouldn't witness you dwelling on someone from your past
(Somebody) I used to know
(Someone) who was once familiar to me
(Somebody) now you're just somebody that I used to know
(Someone) who has now become a stranger from my past
(Somebody) I used to know
(Someone) who was previously a significant part of my life
(Somebody) now you're just somebody that I used to know
(Someone) who has now become nothing more than a distant memory
(Somebody)
(Someone)
(Somebody)
(Someone)
(Somebody)
(Someone)
(Somebody)
(Someone)
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Luiz Bonfa, Walter Andre De Backer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jas
on Supalonely
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