British singer-songwriter Becky Hill released her sophomore album “Believe Me Now?” on May 31, 2024 via Polydor Records and Eko Records.
It is her first album in three years since the 2021 debut album “Only Honest on the Weekend”.
The debut album took nine years to make, but this time, she made the album in just nine month.
The album comprises a 15-track, featuring collaborations with Self Esteem, Sonny Fodera, Lewis Thompson, Rileasa, and Chase & Status.
On the album, she goes back to her dance music roots and tells her stories.
Becky Hill said of the album, “When I thought about what had come before now, I realized I was missing a couple of things: specifically, the element of euphoria but also, I wanted to create a much more mature, sophisticated level of dance music in this album. It was an incredibly direct and quick album to write because for the first time I knew exactly what I wanted to say. I'm really proud of this album and of what it says and what it stands for.”
The album title “Believe Me Now?” is named after its opening track “True Colours”, and her rebuttal to naysayers and general naysayers.
“True Colours” was written about her experience of sexual assault nine years ago, but at the time, nobody believed her accusations.
Becky Hill told Apple Music, “I think there was a lot of disbelief in terms of whether or not I'd make it. That's from myself and from people in the industry.”
Becky Hill shared on social media, “What a beautiful process this has been making you, I had a rough idea of how I wanted BMN? to sound but you've come out so much more confident, collected & concise than I ever thought id be able to make you. On era of my life I've put to bed, stemmed from dance music with tales of my joys & sadness laced throughout.”
Becky Hill explained about some tracks for the album via Apple Music.
“True Colours” featuring Self Esteem “This whole song is about sexual assault. When I was going through that at 21, Uzo [Emenike, aka MNEK] was the person that I would go to. I remember crying in his studio about it—he was there by my side throughout the whole thing. He knew I wanted to write a song about it, but I had no idea what I wanted it to be. [Singer-songwriter] Lauren Aquilina has also had her own [negative] experiences in the music industry and been very vocal about it. So when we were writing this song, I had two people: one that knew me very well and one that knew the situation very well. I said, 'Guys, I don't want it to be sad. I don't want it to be a ballad. I want it to be uplifting and to feel powerful.' And they got the brief instantly. It was the label's decision to put Self Esteem on [the track] and I loved the idea straight away. She's actually been helping me quite a lot through talking about sexual assault. I've never done it before, and I've wanted to do it [now] because I guess I'm the most healed I've ever been. I think when you're able to talk about something on this public level, any shame or guilt, it's just completely taken away, and you can show people the freedom in that. The first week of it all, when we were talking about 'True Colours,' I said to Self Esteem, 'God, is it normal to feel like a shame hangover?' She was like, 'Oh, yeah—it's draining and exhausting.' It's been really powerful having somebody like her on the record—somebody who talks about sexual harassment and sexual assault a lot in her music—and [for her] to be able to guide me through it. I adore Self Esteem and I'm so proud that she's on this record.”
“Darkest Hour” “I wrote this song with [DJ/producer] Franky Wah, MNEK, and [producer] Mark Ralph. I'd been such a massive fan of Franky for ages, but there's always a sense of careful steps when you approach underground DJs and producers because you're always worried how they [might] feel about working with somebody like me. But Franky was the biggest gentleman and was like, 'I absolutely want to work on your album.' I'd been working with Pete Tong at the time, doing his Ibiza Classics [live] show. I really wanted to merge the orchestral side of things with dance music like Pete had been doing. So we all started writing 'Darkest Hour' and [out came] these classic MNEK melodies. When we came to the end of that session, I was like, 'This is where I want to go [with the album].'”
“Outside of Love” “I was at a writing camp where I'd start each morning off by telling [my collaborators], 'I want you to write songs in this vein. I'm going to come around to every room and help you write sections of the record.' [At first] I was like, 'I'm not sure what the concepts are, but I'm really in love and everything is settled and great.' But by Wednesday, everything had gone to shit. For some reason, my partner wasn't speaking to me and completely blocked me out. He was really stressed with work—he's a festival booker [and] this was after COVID when all the festivals had gone downhill. I felt like I was totally on the outside of it all with no explanation. I went in with [Italian dance duo] PARISI. Mike Kintish, who I wrote 'I Could Get Used to This' with, and Charlotte Haining, who I wrote 'My Heart Goes (La Di Da)' with, were also in the room. I couldn't understand what I was going through and I was nearly in tears. I was like, 'I've got this idea. It's called “Outside of Love” and that's all I've got. Guys, this is too painful for me.' I left the room, came back in [and] they'd written the verse, the pre-chorus and a bit of the chorus. It just told the whole story from start to finish. I sat with them [and] wrote the rest of the chorus and the second verse. It was a lovely session and I felt very held by those people.”
“Multiply” “We wrote this in Ibiza-it was midweek, but we did all go to Pikes [nightclub] at the end of [the session], and that was quite messy! It was me, Neave Applebaum-an amazing producer who is behind so many records-plus [songwriters] Charlotte Haining, Emily Makis, and Kieron McIntosh. Charlotte came up with the chorus and I was like, ‘I’m so here for this,’ and then we wrote the whole thing together. Neave gave it that driving bassline as well.”
“Swim” “I had the title and the lyric 'You used to answer straight away/Now you just let it ring.' Then, I went in [the studio] with Rob Harvey, who you'll definitely know from co-writing hits like 'Head and Heart' by Joel Corry and MNEK. When we started working together, I thought he was going to be this big-shot writer who was a bit arrogant. But he was just the absolute complete opposite and we fell in love with each other a bit—musically, it makes so much sense with me and him. I also wrote this song with [UK duo] Maur, who are incredible producers.”
“Linger” “Again, this is a song from a writing camp in Ibiza. I had 'let love linger' written down and I said to Charlotte Haining and Mark Ralph, 'I want it to feel choppy [and] cut up.' Charlotte came up with the melody and when I walked back in, I was like, 'Yeah, this is sick, but it needs more.' But we never actually got around to doing more to this record. My A&R guy Richard O'Donovan was like, 'I love it as an instrumental. Let's get Mark to make it into a full trance record and leave it as that.' So if you like this one, send all your thanks to Richard!”
“One Track Mind” with RILEASA “I met RILEASA at a launch party for a new ice cream. There were all these drag queens performing on podiums and, as I finished my ice cream, out came this beautiful, Rihanna-look-alike queen called RILEASA. She was just fabulous and I was taken with her. My partner manages an artist called Charlie Boon and said, 'I need some spoken word stuff for Charlie's record.' So I was like, 'This might be a stab in the dark, but I just met a drag queen with a really beautiful island accent.' We sent her the track and what came back was a record called 'We Back' by Charlie Boon and RILEASA [as Rileasa Slaves]. Now, me and my partner are developing RILEASA. I thought 'One Track Mind' was perfect for her, so watch out for her spoken-word part in the middle of the song. She absolutely killed it!”
“Never Be Alone” featuring Sonny Fodera “'Never Be Alone' was born out of a post lockdown world where isolation & distance were forced upon the world. With my partner & I both being in music, we really felt the full force of an imposed lockdown on the events industry. Our entire careers were in jeopardy and I really felt the downward spiral of someone I loved, who'd worked his entire adult life curating line ups for festivals and clubs. I wrote this song with my long time collaborator Karen Poole ('Remember', 'History' and 'Disconnect') drawing on inspiration from the time we lived apart, feeling helpless with his despair. What I love about this single is that it has transcended lockdown and feels so relevant still in a time when we need to be there for each other now more than ever.”
“Disconnect” with Chase & Status “A decade on from 'Afterglow' and I honestly didn't think that I'd be able to do it again, but I have never been more excited about a drum 'n' bass tune like I am about 'Disconnect'. It's a true dance floor record that tows the line between the rave and the radio, and to be working with the likes of Chase & Status, who I have dreamed of working with since I was a teenager, is a real moment for me.”
“Side Effects” with Lewis Thompson “I haven't released a solo record in over a year, so coming out the door after a second BRIT win feels very exciting! I'm playing the UK's best festivals this year and I can't wait for people to have a new song to sing along with me. 'Side Effects' has been made with my favourite people in the industry and this one really feels like the beginning of my new chapter in my artistry.”
