INTERVIEW: Folk Pop from Mila Bea

Newcomer Mila Bea may be early in her musical journey, but she’s already making a significant impact with her thoughtful lyricism and original sound. Splitting her time between the UK and Singapore, Mila’s music draws from a wide array of influences including artists like Fiona Apple, Phoebe Bridgers, Radiohead and Adrianne Lenker.

Growing up in a family steeped in musical knowledge, she was exposed to everything from 90s rap to jazz and this diverse taste is reflected in her own unique approach to songwriting. Her background in poetry and art further adds to her work, infusing it with emotional and metaphorical complexity.

Following the release of her debut single “Neat” in July, a candid exploration of mental health’s impact on relationships, her brand new debut full-length record, Part of Me, explores her perspective of coming of age and her life experiences across thirteen songs. Lifted from the album she brings us the titled track and her second single “Part of Me,” revealing the more mellow and reflective side of her sonic vision.

Pouring in elements of folk, Americana and indie into a delicate pop-focused sound, “Part of Me” delivers a charming singer-songwriter sound full of heartfelt lyricism and elegant vocal performance. Opened by Mila’s soft and emotive vocals, gentle acoustic guitar tones provide an intimate setting for her graceful voice to hover above.

With warm string tones and piano notes adding to the arrangement, the lilting shuffle of drums adds a smooth rhythm accented by the sway of strings while Mila’s stunning vocals spin delightful melodies throughout. Deftly balancing emotive writing with an alluring sound, the song builds with subtle energy to deliver a beautiful finale of overlapping vocal layers and stellar acoustic instrumentation.

It’s a truly dazzling showcase of Mila Bea’s meaningful songwriting talent and performance flair, delivered in a sound that’s impossible not to love. Her pop style appeal echoes through this intricate and tender song, demonstrating the versatility of her creative output and knack for crafting enchanting musical moments that speak straight to your heart.

We caught up with Mila Beat to find out more about her musical journey so far, her new single “Part of Me” and what she’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Mila Bea below.

Hey Mila Bea, how’s things?

Hi! Everything’s great. Having my first album out is surreal. Trying to cope with both school and music, but I think it’s going well.

What’s your earliest memory of making music?

I’m always reminded by my parents that I sang non-stop, growing up. I don’t recall all those times, but I do remember when I first decided that I would pursue song writing as my main hobby. I was sitting in my room, bored, and with no idea where to start. I was so young, it was hard to find a topic. In the end, I got my closest friends to share something they found interesting, and I wrote a song for each.

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

This is such a hard question; I am never able to give a proper answer. I grew up hearing artists like Neko Case, Joni Mitchell, Kacey Musgraves and Father John Misty. I grew to be incredibly inspired by their lyricism, and artist identities. I also learnt from icons like Nina Simone and Sade. Nowadays, I listen to Big Thief, Phoebe Bridgers, Searows, Lizzy McAlpine, Laufey, Clairo and Ethel Cain. It’s always so hard to list artists; even if I had ages I would still wind up leaving someone out.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

I read a lot of books, and poetry. I think that reading really expands not only my ability to add metaphorical depth into my songs, but also really helps me to find the right words. Besides that, I find that art also provokes a lot of song-material-thought in me. There’s nothing better than finding yourself in a museum. Most importantly though, it’s my daily experiences that I write about.

What’s been your highlight of the year so far?

Definitely seeing the album out, finally. It’s crazy to have it out in the world. I wrote most of these songs from 12 to 14, so it really captures my early teenage years. It’s also been a work in progress for 2 and a half years, so it’s an amazing feeling to finish it.

What do you love about the UK and Singapore music scenes?

I love how much pride Singaporeans have in local musicians. It’s so inspiring and motivating, as a small artist who grew up here—I love how much culture plays into our music. I also love the music scenes in the UK. My family on my dad’s side are really musical. They focus so much on instrumentality, and the communal aspect of playing music in a band. I really appreciate that.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

As much as I want to say “live”… I think it’s in the kitchen or in the car just jamming and getting those feelings out.

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

I used to be fixated on rhyme schemes, and making thoughts fit into pretty prose and perfect words. Nowadays, I think it’s so important to write the emotions as raw as they come, ugly and all. In terms of style, I think I used to focus merely on acoustic folk-pop, but now I’ve branched into some electronic, some alternative, and even bossa nova.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

Wow, hard question. I’d love to collaborate with Phoebe Bridgers because she has been such a massive influence. Or Father John Misty or Kacey Musgraves, since I grew up on them. Faye Webster and MUNA would be really fun ones, too.

How did you find making your new single “Part of Me”?

In the beginning I really disliked the song, to be honest. But my producers, Rich and Roo, fell in love with it and I decided to give it a chance. Looking back, I’m so happy we chose to. It was one of the first vulnerable songs I wrote, and it helped me to embrace the instability of that time. Working on it turned out to be so therapeutic. It’s funny—now I love it so much that it’s the title track.

What message did you want to get across with this release?

I want people to understand that the kind of thoughts and emotions that I’m putting across in my music are completely valid. A lot of people share these, and I want my audience to realise they aren’t alone. I’m not just writing songs about things I’ve experienced, I’m experiencing them alongside my listeners.

What artist have you been listening to most recently?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Faye Wong. I really love her whimsicality and lyrics. I hope to release a few mandarin songs in the future. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Searows. His music gets me through every single hard moment.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

I really hope that, by listening to it, people can embrace vulnerability and uncertainty. I want people to feel seen, and to feel that they can interpret the work how they want. My goal is to write songs people listen to in their loneliest moments, to feel understood. I also hope my music can help move those who feel like they’ve been standing still for too long.

What’s been your favourite live performance so far?

I played an unreleased song called “Mary Jane” at my album release party. It was my second time performing it in front of an audience, and I’ve created a tradition of forcing the audience to clap along at the end. It’s always fun to get them involved. Also, I played “Am i your worst case, doctor?,” at the same gig, and the emotional response was so overwhelming—there were many teary eyes in the audience. I couldn’t help but tear up too.

Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival? And where would it be?

Also not an easy one. I’d have to go with Ethel Cain, Big Thief, and Lizzy McCalpine. Alternatively I’d choose Fleetwood Mac, Father John Misty and Fiona Apple.

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

Even though I practiced song writing for years before the album, I still feel uncertainty in my style, sometimes. I think it’s important to understand that you’ll evolve with the music as time passes. The first step is to practice writing songs until you find a method that works for you and that’s therapeutic. For example, I love writing poetry and then converting it into lyrics. Also: ask for advice. I’m still a new artist, but I love it when people message me on my socials and ask for advice on their songs. I absolutely love listening to fan’s work.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of 2024?

I’m going to be balancing school with gigs and events. My goals for the rest of 2024 are to host a song writing event, open for an artist and record another music video. We have many other shows in the works, and a LOT more song writing (look out for collabs, and maybe even other releases). I can’t say much right now, but I’m so excited to see where the universe takes me and the album for the rest of 2024.

Listen to Part of Me below