As the sun started settling in at Cloud X Festival, we sat down to speak to musician Bea Anderson, dressed in a denim dream fit, following her MOBO Unsung Showcase.

We sat ourselves down at a table, unsteadied by its grassy foundation. Bea is still radiating a birthday glow, having celebrated just days earlier. Beaming, she says how the number 22 was following her, from exes past to the birthdays of family members, right down to screenshots with time ending in 22. The angel number 22, when appearing frequently, signifies that the observer is on the right path. At the beginning of the year, she had never performed at a festival but came through with three major festivals currently under her belt – Cloud X, T-Live, and The Great Escape.

We spoke about her process of creating the sounds of her new EP, “The Classroom of Silence”, and her path towards self-understanding.

Listen to the EP…

This new project is Bea made anew, building a pathway from her familiar acoustic sound. Her track, “Astronomical” featuring Jords, is forged with funk and a samba bounce. It calls on the riffs to build a picture of 70s romance, painted with stars and constellations. Bea talked about feeling drawn to playing with these sounds and liked “that exploration of my culture”. “I come from the Caribbean and it’s so close to South America”. She’s experimented with bringing herself closer to her culture before in her 2021 track “Shrugs”. The feel of the song is fluid; the engagement of the body that Bea’s music brings is invigorating, grounded, and mindful. Drawing these cultural sides of her into this EP, bringing rhythm to the forefront, is something very near and dear to her heart.

The trials of romance are spoken of in “Pieces”, superimposed upon an intoxicated, stretched-out beat. It’s chest first, and the body follows. The lyricism pulls you in and out, similar to that of an up-and-down relationship dynamic – “Call me crazy, butterflies save me / From myself but from his ego mainly”. Her truth doesn’t lie in this man, but in true love for herself. It’s a powerful realisation.

In her experimentation, prioritising a diverse sonic scope and seeing what aligns with you is key. “Dance music, soulful house, and so on, are massive influences for me and suit my voice well”. She looks forward to exploring these realms more. On dance music, particularly, she shouts out artist/producer MATVEÏ for producing her dance remix of “Mirror Mirror (My Mind)” last year.

The EP’s opener, “Inner Child”, is a love letter to Bea as she is now – “everything I wanted to be when I grow up”, little Bea narrates. The singer tells us how she “talks about being proud of myself and being proud of the growth”. Amidst the setbacks, the hard lessons, the times where she’s felt her lowest, she’s persevered and made it work.

Taking it all the way back, Bea Anderson’s first cover online was “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. Young and bright-burning, she was first exploring music and pushed herself to get out into the world. The Classroom of Silence surrounds viewership and feeling seen, “bearing that vulnerability that I hope helps to heal others”, Bea says. Her sonic journey was transformative for her, filling her cup and allowing it to overflow.

For Bea, love is all around. Cooking is an act of love for her – “The biggest act of love is to serve”, she exclaims. Faith in God is also a big part of the singer’s life. Before her birthday meal, the week before, she gave a prayer. “God, please surround me with people who are so genuine, have no motive, and just genuinely love me for who I am”. She is loved, and she loves. She candidly gushes, “It’s such a beautiful thing to be around people where you don’t have a façade on for, that you don’t have to perform for”. She feels truly accepted by her loved ones, “I can just be”.

What’s the difference between her presentations in the everyday Bea and the on-stage Bea Anderson? “I like to mix both”, she tells us. “When I’m on stage I have to be confident, and at the same time, I like to be personable with my performances”. Bea’s MOBO Unsung performance was just that; self-assured in the different sides she shares with her audience. She reminds herself to let her personality shine through, amongst the nerves, to create an environment of intimacy in sharing her art on stage.

We spoke to Bea on not only the tracks but the visuals too. The bass-guitar-driven, soulful song “Picture Perfect” preaches liberation of self and echoes the honey-laden R&B of H.E.R and gospel sound of Boys II Men; both on bended knee and calling on God in their hour of need. Her lyricism calls for her being to be taken as is. The glittery and scattered piano sprinkles a feel of delicacy and conjures the imagery of a heart pulled open; emotions laid bare.

The music video features her posing for pictures taken by herself. Bea explains this video as signifying “the personification of ownership”. “I’m telling myself do this, do that, and I think in life you can be so accustomed to listening to people’s advice”. Touching on themes of self-understanding, she elaborates, “I’m in a space where I am self-directed. I trust myself so much, I trust my intuition so much. I really value my own perspective on things now.” Ultimately, she knows she got her back. Angel number 22 shows she’s on a path towards what waits for her. It’s all about trust. “Picture Perfect” is a voyage from feelings of isolation into security.

What’s on the horizon for Bea Anderson? “I would really love to delve into US territories”, she told us. “I know I have a lot of listeners over there and it would be great to connect with that fan base.” For an artist who lays herself bare for the purpose of connection, community is paramount. Looking into the mirror and back at her youth, Bea propels herself on and wants to take new experiences with her. She’s dreamt of travelling to the States in her youth, so her fans there will hopefully expect to see her around.

An artist Bea cites as one of her main influences is Jazmine Sullivan. Raw, unapologetic, and passionate expression is where she strives for her sound to take her. As for her listening rotation these days, it has been mostly UK music from Cleo Sol, Etta Bond, and Kadeem Tyrell, with the exception of Ari Lennox as a favourite too. Of Cleo Sol, “I just love her”, Bea beams.

Rounding off on vulnerability, intimacy, and connection, we asked Bea Anderson if she had any advice for upcoming artists who have trouble making themselves vulnerable and getting out there.

“Authenticity is key! In a world that tells you what to be, follow what is innately authentic to yourself. Spend time getting to know yourself. How will you be able to show the true you if you don’t know what that looks like yourself?”

The ending track to her EP, “Goodbye (Pt Two)”, oozes depth, swaying to the silk of her flow. Her lyricism is full of lessons she’s learned along the way, one being “peace can co-exist in chaos”. Bea Anderson knows the chaos of figuring out the true you will serve you. That discomfort will take you far beyond just peace, but liberation.