Inspired #289 - BEKA
Rising pop star BEKA talks us through the inspirations behind her empowering new single ‘You Got’.
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
Top of the block is the King, Stevie Wonder … let’s be honest,even his freakin name is inspiring. I grew up with him as our family's pop and then as I became older, realised his melodies, his ability to talk about culture and love and our everyday pains and the emotions he captures, are unrivalled and a little otherworldly. Stevie rolls nicely into number two, Quincy Jones.. Again, another King - he created the music that was the backdrop to my childhood, from Michael Jackson to Jazz, to his film scores. I hear now, that my love of an 80ths synth or a romantic jazz flute, all stem from being teleported by his music (thank you Mum and Dad for slaying those childhood musical intros). My third inspiration was a trickier one to pin down, but coming out on top for her sheer ability to inspire with anthemic choruses, cultural commentary and focus on uplifting our eyes and hearts, is our girl Alicia Keys. I was never the ‘I wanna sing fallin’ girl, but as I became a woman, I was so taken by having someone who embodied empowerment, authenticity and integrity to look to and she has continued to evolve whilst maintaining her core as a wildly talented musician and human. GRATEFUL FOR YOU THREE.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
Part of me wants to try and be cool here, but I can’t deny the fact that The Lion King (which is way cool) made me who I am and it was 100% down to Hans Zimmer on the soundtrack and also the incredibly deep ‘we are all specks in the universe and we matter’ vibes that the film give off. I would cry a bunch as a child watching it moved by the music and then as an adult saw Hans Zimmer perform the soundtrack live and it was euphoric. If I’m being a little greedy and you’re still reading this, then I’d also say the series “This is Us” is one I am absolutely taken by. I feel like it’s an education in how having a window into other perspectives and experiences genuinely does create empathy in us and helps us navigate the world in a kinder way.
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
Perhaps not a city, but my Mum is from an island called Saint Vincent & The Grenadines and all through my life, from 6 weeks old I’ve been going to visit my gorgeous family out there. Having those other smells, faces, colours, skies and foods from such a formative age, has really formed how my eyes and mind work I think. The island is so alive to me and carries so many memories, but also tangibly brings out parts of me that seem impossible to hack into here in the UK and is responsible for making me feel like the world is a big and wondrous place. My Grandparents are incredibly inspirational and so whenever I’m there, just listening to their stories and achievements and how selfless they’ve been throughout their lives, feels very centering and beautiful.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
My Grandma, Kathryn Cyrus is my biggest inspiration. She is a White-British Yorkshire lady who met my Grandad, a Black man from Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, in the UK when they were both studying medicine. She married him, moved to the West Indies in the 60’s, had 4 mixed race children under 5, on an Island in the Caribbean with no family (just learning how to do another race's hair alone is a challenge!) whilst simultaneously setting up an NHS equivalent on the island with my Grandad. They provided medical care, performed surgeries and generally provided a safe space to those across the classes and backgrounds. When I think of her resilience and selfless nature in even one of those areas, I feel awe stricken but also hugely empowered. She is the OG empowered woman, The GOAT and my biggest inspiration.
What were your inspirations when writing your new track?
I started writing “You Got” the night that Kamala Harris became the first Female, African-American and Asian-American, Vice President in history. I was in the shower and felt so moved that suddenly a generation of women would count themselves into a possibility they hadn’t realised they were counting themselves out of. I was pretty transfixed by how permission giving and liberating and hope-filling it felt to see this moment actually happen, especially on the backdrop of 2020.
The lyrics came from me imagining the parents going out to protest for a moment like this, sometimes having to leave their kids at home not knowing if they’d be safe and thinking about the last things they’d want to say to their children. I wanted to write something that felt like a reminder that no matter how cliche it can feel, all of us leave a legacy in how we live and how we make others feel and equally we just need that one person to champion us and remind us of that. I wanted to embody that anthemic sound of records that make you feel the – ‘ I might feel dumb, but life is short so let me dance like no ones watching and back myself’ – energy, but also channel that private reminder that your story is power and everyone has that special fire, even if they don’t know it yet.
How would you like to inspire people?
I’m often inspired by seeing someone do something that I hadn’t seen before or someone like me in spaces I haven’t seen them in yet. When I ‘see’, I feel permission, my perspective broadens and I often end up feeling a deeper empathy for people. Having the space to be curious about people's lives and the real stuff they’ve experienced and understanding HOW they got through or overcame is one of my favourite things, mostly because it’s the way I’ve learned to ‘get through’ or feel kinder to situations and people I don’t yet understand. I think if there was any space to grow with other people or inspire I’d love it to be in feeling liberated to be ourselves and to be curious of others and the world and always be seeking to have a deeper empathy.