A few days ago, a phenomenal debut LP entitled Part Of Me was released.
The 13-track effort was a genre-bridging gem that encompassed everything from indie-folk and 90s’ alt-rock to shoegaze and bossa nova. But what was even more impressive than the wide-ranging songcraft, was the singer’s haunting vocals and confessional lyricism - girding these songs with intimate notions of love and sorrow, as well as growth and hope.
So colour us surprised when we found out that the musician behind these incredible tunes was only 15-years-old! Meet Mila Bea, a prodigious young artist whose tender age belies an old soul. Naturally, we couldn’t resist talking to the inspiring up-and-comer to fill in the blanks about her music, influences, ambitions and creative process.
Hi Mila! We understand that you’re 15-years-old. What are up to when you’re busy with music?
Hi! Because I’m still in school, I definitely spend more time than I’d like studying or completing assignments. But when I’m not writing/playing music or doing schoolwork, I absolutely love sketching and making little art projects. This ranges from clay to crochet. I also really love reading, it’s the best thing to do after a long day - it lets you escape into your own little world. I’ve actually always wanted to find a way to incorporate my love for reading into my music career - like Laufey’s book club! But for now, I have an Instagram highlight with book reviews.
How did you first get into making music?
It’s all a haze, really. Growing up, I was raised on the greatest of greats. Because I was listening to artists like Joni Mitchell, Father John Misty, Fleetwood Mac and Neko Case at such a young age, it’s to no surprise that I fell right into the songwriting rabbit hole.
When Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher came out, I specifically remember my dad sending me a link to it on Spotify and then listening to it hours on end in my room. There was something so unbelievably enigmatic about her lyrics. I think that album gave me a massive push into developing my sense of style when writing.
In terms of my instruments, I started playing the guitar at 7, and I became obsessed with it. It wasn’t just the stunning sound it made, I loved its complexity, and the way each guitar player manipulates its strings differently, making it their own. It really helped that my guitar teacher, who has been teaching me since the start, is one of the sweetest and funniest people I’ve met! In terms of singing, it feels like I started as soon as I could talk! (laughs)
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Who are the artists that have inspired you?
This is honestly the hardest question ever and one of my least favourite. I know I’ll be asked this many times in the future, considering I’m in the music industry, but unless you have 48 hours, popcorn and some coffee, I don’t think you’ll be getting an accurate enough answer. Aside from the typical alternative folk and pop I listen to, I was actually raised quite heavily on hip-hop and jazz!
Artists like Lauryn Hill, Sade, Talib Kweli and Mos Def set my expectations for lyrics and vibe, while Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald taught me the definition of soul and the power of extended chords.
Besides the artists mentioned previously (let me ramble), I love Fiona Apple for her ability to make beauty from pain, Adrianne Lenker and Big Thief for their instrumentality, Clairo and Jensen McRae for their lyrics, Ethel Cain for her storytelling skills, Lizzy McAlpine and her music brain, Searows, who gets me through every hard time, The Velvet Underground and Mazzy Star because.. obviously, Faye Webster- amazing versatility, Kacey Musgraves for raising me, Radiohead and Lou Reed… Lana Del Rey, of course, Chappell Roan, Matt Maltese… Ah! I could go on and on. And yet so much is left unsaid (this will haunt me forever).
Why did you make the leap into becoming a professional musician?
Performing and writing music is my lifeblood. I knew it was something I would never get tired of. Most importantly though, after I began writing, many people told me they felt very seen by my music, and a little less alone. This became my motive. During the writing of the album, I made it a habit to think back to some of my hardest days and reflect on what helped me get through them. Without fail, the answer was always a comforting song. If I could do that for someone, I thought, then that is what I will do - as long as I can!
‘Neat’ was an incredible debut single with a very 90s’ alt-rock vibe. What was the creative process behind that track?
Thank you! When I listened back to the first draft of the song I recorded on voice notes, it seemed crazy how it could have spiralled into such a huge anthem. The song was originally acoustic, and a lot softer than it is now. ‘Neat’ was one of the first songs I wrote - written in Open D tuning, inspired by an unreleased Phoebe (Bridgers) song. It immediately became one of my favourites, and the day I thought of it as a rock song, I couldn’t look back! It reminded me a lot of ‘Feed The Tree’ by Belly, and other songs from Avril Lavigne. Ultimately, there’s no better way to depict teenage girl angst than with an alt- rock song. Am I right?
It also comes with a cute lyric video. How was that made?
I love making little animations. I used procreate’s “Animation Assist” to illustrate little characters and letters that bounce around on screen. Then, I used iMovie to align these clips to the song. It’s actually very time consuming since I don’t have any professional editing tools but nonetheless so much fun. I like music videos because they really express what the artist has in mind for the song. It’s always great to see that insight.
Could you talk about your 2nd single ‘Part Of Me’? It has a very different indie-folk tone to it.
Yeah! I actually tend to write more indie-folk songs. Releasing ‘Neat’ as my first single may have set the wrong impression - most of my songs are quite slow! I really wanted to start the career off with a bang though, despite only having 2 alt-rock/big songs on the album!
Funnily enough, when I first drafted ‘Part Of Me’, I didn’t really like it. I put it far back in my notes app and didn’t bother looking at it again, until one day at the studio when we were brainstorming which song to work on next. I played ‘Part Of Me’ on a whim, and everyone seemed to fall in love with it! I think one of the reasons why I didn’t like ‘Part Of Me’ initially was because it was so raw and open. This was at the beginning of the journey with the album - I think I was 13 here? But I really appreciate ‘Part Of Me’ now because it helped me to embrace vulnerability in my music. It’s also a hell of a song!
There’s also a video accompanying ‘Part Of Me’! How was that conceived and executed?
We actually ended up doing a 360 video… but with multiple Milas. I didn’t even think it could get crazier. Of course - I didn’t come up with the idea, I didn’t even think things like that existed! It was all executed perfectly by the talented Stefan Lim, who specialises in 360/VR videos - his skill and passion for his craft work hand in hand!!
Besides the 360 video, my manager Roo and I decided to impulsively plan and direct an entire music video, which was filmed and edited by Dusk Low, an incredible videographer who worked with so much dedication and love for the project. We worked our butts off making it! The music video was especially exciting because after uploading a call for fans to join me as the cast on TikTok, it got an overwhelming 230 volunteers and 100k plays! It was so nice getting to know new people.
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What can you tell us about the other songs on your debut LP…
I can tell you that it’s an absolute journey. We worked with ideas from multiple genres, covering a plethora of experiences. Full of ups and downs, like the life of a teenage girl. There are songs like ‘Finger Cracks’, ‘Fever Dreams’, ‘Neat’, ‘Tongue’ and ‘Kick the Fence’, which disguise heart wrenching lyrics with a catchy instrumental. Other songs like ‘Bluebush’, ‘Am I Your Worst Case Doctor’, ‘Josephine’, ‘Writing a Letter’, ‘Something else to believe in’, ‘Thick Skin’ and ‘Metamorphosis’ embrace growing pains and the waves of healing.
Finally, is there a certain amount of anxiety about putting your music out there for the first time? How do you feel?
Of course! It’s absolutely terrifying. But I also know that it is my dream and I want to connect to people - making them feel a little less alone in this wild world. I don’t know if people will resonate with the album, but I am also proud of it. Even though it’s a time capsule of some tricky moments in my early teenage years, it helped me to persevere, and let me put words to the pain. I can only wish to help others do the same.
