Photo Credit: Joe Westley
At 2000trees, we sat down with the incredibly stylish BEX in the glorious sunshine to talk about the BEX army, new music and why she should definitely be on your radar in 2023.
Hey BEX, you played the Neu stage yesterday. How was it for you?
It was great. It was really good. It was such a big stage. I’m just like running around the entire time. I love running around. We played a gig like a week ago and they literally gave us a box to stand on so going from that to this I was like ‘I’m in heaven!’. It was so good.
Can you give us a five word summary of your sound for people who don’t know your music?
Five words. Angry, cute, bassy, meaningful and legendary.
Love that. Legendary. What a word, more people should use that.
I think they should, I always say it to people and I never say it in person. So, I’m going to start saying it in person. I like it… legendary.
You’ve kind of touched on it already with meaningful. Your music, especially your lyrics have quite important topics. Sometimes sensitive, sometimes heavy. Where does the inspiration come from?
It is mainly to do with experiences I have. It’s actually all to do with it. It’s all personal experiences, or my friends’ personal experiences. I really want to start this year, writing about things that I read, writing about people I don’t know. But I find that hard because I can’t see from their perspective because I’m not them so it’s kind of really limiting. But I think it’s a good challenge to try and get the right message through not knowing much about it.
Are there any particular songs you find quite heavy to sing about? Obviously, it’s all lived experience are there any particular stand outs?
So, the songs I perform live and songs already out all about, are about things I’m already angry about because I have a lot of them so I don’t find it like overly emotional. I get really like worked up on stage and I just jump around so much as that’s how I’m feeling. I do write songs that are like really sad but even if I try and sing them at home, I just start crying.
Maybe no sad songs in the set for a while.
Yeah, maybe one day, I’ll get used to it. But right now. It’s just like anger. All anger. There are so many artists that do sad songs so well, I feel that’s not my niche.
I like that, you’re staying in your world.
Yeah, we’ll stay our separate ways. The sad songs as well, I don’t want to share them. They’re so personal to me and it’s so brave to share them. I couldn’t do that. I can’t even admit it to my friends and family.
What message do you want to spread with your music? I mean, thinking about Tiptoe which was the ultimate introduction to you.
It’s okay to be angry all the time and it’s okay to hate the world and this is us doing something about it. I’m really passionate about gender minorities and being safe at good gigs, and still having a good time. You can still mosh and push each other over but pick each other up.
Be nice to each other.
I just feel like whether you’re queer, you’re a woman, you’re non binary, shouldn’t make any difference to your experience of the day, of the night and of your journey. Even just when we go to gigs, I’m all dressed up. The amount of things I get said to me on the train, I just want to change that just because you dress a certain way, you date a certain type of person, you identify a certain way shouldn’t affect the way you’re treated by society.
If you want to dress up, dress up, keep your comments to yourself.
You can look at us, good look at us, it’s great. We know that we look different. We’re not like oblivious to that and when people look you it’s nice unless they’re glaring you down. Instead, they’ve probably just never seen it before and I think most of us alternative people are aware of that. They’re probably not judging us; they’re just looking but when you’re barking at us because we’re wearing a choker. Do you not understand anything. That’s what I want to change. Everyone be able to be safe. If you want to, walk down the street with your girlfriend just because you’re a girl as well doesn’t mean you should be shouted.
That may be my favourite answer from any interview this weekend. So we have to talk about debut EP plans. What are we saying?
October, October. Of course, it’s Halloween. I love the scary stuff and you know I actually hate horror films. I get scared so easily. Halloween EP, followed by a Halloween tour with decapitated bodies and ball gowns.
And you’ll be styling yourself, we assume? Given the incredible outfit you have on today!
Yes and my band. We’re going to have gowns all over the ceiling and clothes to buy for everyone. It’s gonna be so fun.
I love that. It’s like a full experience not just a gig.
It’s not even a music tour, it’s just a BEX tour. Creative. There’s gonna be things for people to do whilst they’re there, DIY they can do whilst they’re waiting for the band. It’s the full experience.
You’ve sold that tour to everyone listening already. What do you feel you need to tiptoe around?
What do I need to tiptoe around? You know, there’s a lot of things but I never do it, I’m really cut throat because if someone says something I don’t like, it I’m gonna say excuse me. There’s nothing I feel I should tiptoe around but I feel there are a lot of people tiptoeing around subjects. There’s a lot of people ignoring things that need to be spoken about but that’s my whole thing I will not do that. If I believe in something, I’m just gonna be like this is me take it leave it
You’ll still have an army of fans!
The BEXarmony. Army and harmony.
They all get along and they’re happy! We’re at 2000 trees in the sunshine. What would be your dream festival lineup with you as headliner?
Oh, I’ll get excited as I want to do it! I want me, The Pretty Reckless, Rage Against the Machine, System Of A Down, Cody Frost, ZAND, Scene Queen. I don’t know how many I’m allowed to say. Wargasm, Lambrini Girls. After seeing SOFT PLAY, SNAYX, Bob Vylan, Mallavora. I could go on for days.
You just need to make it happen now.
Yes, it will give me like five years and we’ll be there.
So last but not least, what are your plans for 2023 and beyond?
So, we have the EP, we have the tour. I’ve already written another EP, so we just gotta get it out. I write every day and I just have so many songs and I’ve already selected the next EP. I love it so much. I really want it to come out, why don’t you know any of these songs!
You can read our review of 2000trees 2023 here – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
You can stream or purchase BEX‘s latest single Don’t Date The Devil HERE.
