Live Review: BENEE brings sass to her new single 'Plain' with Lily Allen and Flo Milli

Unstoppable and undeniably infectious, New Zealand pop sensation BENEE is continuing to raise the already extremely high bar she's set for herself with her introspective and groovy anthems that venture through life's ebbs and flows in the most relatable of ways. From homegrown to now global sensation, this star has been striding through the current pandemic with the release of her two singles 'Night Garden' and 'Snail' earlier this year. Climbing to towering heights following well-deserved international acclaim, it's now time for the alt pop queen to release her long-awaited full-length debut album Hey u x. With the release date set for November 13, BENEE is celebrating her forthcoming album with a fresh new single titled 'Plain' featuring none other than Lily Allen and Flo Milli.

Beginning with that classic indie-pop feel, BENEE's breezy vocals shimmer across dancing electronic notes that give the song the NZ star's signature quirk. With earworm melodies, rhythmic beats, heavy bass, and pop sensibilities, this track is a smooth venture through love, ex-lovers, and self-empowerment. As the second verse arrives we're graced with vocals from electro-pop icon Lily Allen, whose soft doting additions bring an airy and graceful touch to the entire song. Coming in with fire and ferocity, Flo Milli bounces into the track with swift razor-sharp rap verses, injecting an edge of feminine confidence. With lyricism that will have you calling your ex's new partner a "Plain Jane", this track is empowering to say the least. And, despite the strong element of sass, a certain element of melancholy still remains, emanating through BENEE's gentle vocal delivery — while they might be with someone "plain" now, they've still moved on, and sometimes that still hurts regardless of how empowered you might feel. With sleek and silken edges, this new song is definitely a bold step up for this fully-realised artist.

Of the collaboration, BENEE said, “I wanted to make it a song someone could listen to when they find out their ex is with someone new. The feeling sucks, so I wanted ‘Plain’ to make ya feel like you have the upper hand. Lily and Flo Milli both have such cool sass, and both their verses really elevated the track!”

With 'Plain' on the tracklist for her upcoming debut album Hey u x, this long awaited debut looks set to see BENEE let her authentic self shine through her inward-looking lyricism and alt-pop sounds. If the last few years have been anything at all to go by, what's to come will be a blending and breaking of different genres as her music shows the daring depths and impressive talent she's got plenty of. With her hit single 'Supalonely' on the tracklist, that sent her skyrocketing to the top of charts across the globe and trending on TikTok, plus collaborations with the likes of Grimes, Kenny Beats, Bakar and our very own Mallrat, this record can't come soon enough. From her very first release in 2017, to phenomenal growth in 2019, and now solidifying her career with a full debut album on the way, BENEE is on the climb as her music continues to take her to new and daring heights.

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