EP Review: Baby Queen – Medicine
Pop sensation Baby Queen, aka South African-raised, London-living Bella Latham, climbs the throne with debut EP ‘Medicine’.
Baby Queen shot to fame in May this year when she released Gen Z anthem ‘Internet Religion’. Very fittingly, it’s this very track that opens her debut EP with hook-heavy alt-pop fantasies and sets us up for a wild ride. The record then transitions into a rundown of her previously released singles, all tackling different aspects of Bella’s relationship with mental health. “I called the EP ‘Medicine’ because of where I was in my life at the time of writing it,” Bella explains. “All of the songs talk about my struggle with mental health; ‘Buzzkill’ being my depression song, and ‘Medicine’ being my anti-depressant song, and I very much feel that the EP encapsulates an era in my journey towards better understanding myself. This is a really big moment for me. The ‘Medicine’ EP is all about honesty. I don’t want to hide anything anymore.”
It’s this honesty that makes Baby Queen one of the most exciting emerging voices of the year, possibly even the new decade – with a unique tone that is as self-deprecating and apathetic as it is poignant and of the moment, her songs speak for an entire generation. Her stream of consciousness take on songwriting that fuses spoken word with hazy guitars and big, infectious rhythms, finds the perfect balance between intoxicating soundscapes and political commentary. It’s the kind of record that transcends the spheres of music by holding a mirror to a society that has long made beauty a commodity. “I get more likes when I don’t look like me” she sings on ‘Pretty Girl Lie’ and unites millions of struggling Instagram users. On a similarly universal note, ‘Medicine’ closes with new song ‘Online Dating’, a track that speaks volumes about Baby Queen’s ability to capture a complex emotional state through sound - In this case, total apathy: “This song is basically just me self-deprecating for 4 minutes. I’m actually a really insecure person and I think all my insecurities surface when I’m romantically involved with somebody or trying to impress them, so I think ‘Online Dating’ is just a mental conversation I was having with myself at the time. The song isn’t about the other person at all, it’s all about me, and I think the same can be said for the internet.”
Baby Queen is a welcome breeze of fresh air. Bold and unapologetic, she adds a much-needed dose of spice to the pop soup. With more material to come in 2021, this anti-pop star is en route towards a bright future.
Words by Laura Freyaldenhoven