Beks – Make Believe (Feat. Lucy Neville)
“The impressive appearance of "Beks" and "Lucy Nevile" in this Electro Pop ballad left us speechless. The single starts quite smoothly and gradually builds up its sound into something more dynamic. Close attention has been given in the concept too, which is clearly visible on its clip.”
-Nagamag.com
Rising queer pop-star Beks has returned following her #3 iTunes charting single ‘Devoted’, with multi-million streamed artist and influencer Lucy Neville for the dreamy electronic pop ballad ‘Make Believe’. Co-writing their experiences with losing who they thought to be the ‘love of their lives’, the ethereally penned track produced by Jim Elliot captures a raw emotional vulnerability in Beks’ artistry.
Introduced at an APRA event in 2018 where Beks was a guest speaker and Lucy had just amassed 10 million streams of her Crowded House cover ‘Fall At Your Feet’ the songwriters became instant friends. For the following years they supported each as they simultaneously endured traumatic break-ups, sharing books and tips on recovery. Finally, in 2020, the pair sat down in Beks’ bedroom studio in Sydney with a bottle of wine, opened up Abelton and poured out ‘Make Believe’.
Having been a huge fan of UK producer Jim Eliot’s work on Ellie Goulding and E^ST tracks, Beks sent Jim the song for which he produced an ethereal pop landscape to support their heart-wrenching lyrics. The song was then mixed by Lee House and the UK, with further engineering by Magnus Murphy in Aus. The final mix feels reminiscent of Charli XCX ‘Cross You Out’ and Grimes ‘Delete Forever', with its vulnerable, ball-your-eyes out lyrics and crescendoing electronic production.
For the music video, Beks and her cinematographer, Beau Bressington with whom she has collaborated with on all her past visuals, traveled to Newcastle to shoot a pastel fantasy piece to translate the emotion of the single on film. Styled entirely by Beks using pieces she hand sewed and drew from upcycled designer, Kimbra Lou’s eclectic wardrobe, the final film showcases a stunning Australian landscape interpreted as the planet Venus.
www.facebook.com/Beksmakesmusic
“The concept of the film was a story of two heartbroken romantics (myself and Lucy), who find themselves on Venus and are reincarnated into goddesses of love and healing. A story of grief and hope” - Beks
Beks announces global signing to the Wise Music Publishing Group, joining the likes of local artists Donny Benet, Harts, Ngaiire and Josh Pyke, and international artists like Ólafur Arnalds, The Zombies and Fallulah. The full term deal has been in the works for the artist since signing her first single ‘The Thing About Us’ in 2021 when she was first scouted by Wise’s A&R Manager Larry Heath.
Larry Heath said of the signing, “We’re thrilled to have such a talented writer and performer join the Wise Music family. With the music she’s already released as a prime example, and an impressive array of collaborations, Beks will be a name on everyone’s lips in the coming years, releasing music sure to stick with you long after you’ve heard it.”
Beks previous work has seen her become a consistently iTunes charting artist with her song ‘Devoted’ peaking at #3 on the global iTunes Dance Charts and receiving online coverage from NME Australia, Pilerats, Purple Sneakers, Tone Deaf, and Thomas Bleach. Beks has also achieved two consecutive Australian ad campaigns for Channel 7 ‘ Home and Away’ and her music is played in over 8k retail stores Aus wide. Her appearances on IKEA Concert Roulette, Mardi Gras and Pride Festival have prepared her for her upcoming role & performance in Young Rock Season 2.
Dubbed by Teen Vogue USA as the latest breakout artist for her debut EP Lady, Lucy Neville is a 26-year-old singer-songwriter from Sydney, Australia who has made her mark with her self-penned indie-pop sound. To date, Lucy has amassed over 14 million streams. She has been selected as a finalist in the prestigious Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition twice over, including her debut single 'On My Own', which peaked at #13 on the iTunes Electronic chart. In 2017, Lucy’s streaming presence blossomed as she reached 600,000 monthly listeners and featured on playlists and radio stations all over the world with her viral cover of Crowded House’s "Fall At Your Feet". With a sold-out debut headline show and a national tour under her belt, Lucy now mentors other young independent artists in the early stages of their careers and has established a career in media, releasing music on a passion project basis.
Reviewed by Nagamag on March 28, 2022