Album Review: Delilah Bon - 'Evil Hate Filled Female'
Forever inspired with fierce pro-feminist beliefs and anti-sexist spite, Delilah Bon has made a name for herself as a solo artist in the rock world. Following from her highly acclaimed self-titled debut record, Bon has yet to lay down her gauntlet and cave in to her enemies. Titled after some nasty name-calling she faces every day on social media is her sophomore album, Bon brings more strength and anguish in the form of ‘Evil Hate Filled Female’.
Opening with the appropriately introductory ‘Hey World’, repeating the line, “Hey world, it’s me” becomes the song’s hook in-between autobiographical verses. Speaking of comparing her life to others’, being underestimated during her school years, and the extra effort and work she needs to put into her craft as a woman in the alternative music scene, it’s a great re-introduction to the artist and human being that is Delilah Bon and what she faces and had faced to get to the point she is now.
Bon has released a selection of singles leading up to the record, and they each tell a story that is worth telling and is equally worth listening to. For example, ‘Finally See Me’ is about Bon’s overall criticism of the school system and her experiences as a student suffering from mental health struggles in that environment. Mentioning wanting to not have her name mistaken, wanting to be homeschooled, and how it just drove her to try harder to achieve her dreams. It’s too accurate that many young people in Bon’s generation and younger have lost faith in the educational system in the UK and around the world, as there is more of a focus on grades and marks and less focus on life skills and working towards making dreams and ambitions come true. Setting this to a catchy tune with some high-speed talented rapping makes this message both easier to digest and easier to communicate to those who may disagree or not understand the ‘revolt’ of the youth in school.
Delilah Bon’s trademark of putting her anger, fear and bravery in her lyrics has only grown stronger within Evil Hate Filled Female, and it’s just what the scene needs. No holding back, brazen and overt storytelling from under-represented perspectives.
‘The Internet’ kicks off with a spoken-word example of the hate and vitriol that Bon among millions of others see, read and hear every day and night. Calling out the push of “the agenda of the straight white guy”, Bon brings up transphobia, homophobia, sexism and all other online discrimination which is too often dismissed as “this is just the internet”. The tides are turning in alternative and punk spaces; abuse, hatred and discrimination is being called out more and more, and artists are facing less ‘cancellation’ and more direct consequences to their outrageous actions. With female artists such as Delilah Bon, and also notably Bon’s previous tour-mate Scene Queen, these voices are being amplified and these stories are being screamed into the airwaves too loud to be ignored or silenced now. The more these minorities vocalise and put these hard truths on blast, the safer and more welcoming the scene will become, and there is no real punk on this planet that can see the bad side of this. More power to women in music, queer people in music, and people of colour in music - no ifs, ands or buts about it.
As the album winds to its end, after a range of punk-laced rock-fuelled emotionally charged anthems, ‘Committed A Crime’ is a multi-characterised story in a song, with Bon playing a range of different people reacting to her music, actions, and her personality as a musical artist. From concerned parents, to ‘triggered’ men leaving comments online, to creepy fans who are planning to cross the line between respectful and dangerous, Bon takes the album title dramatically literally when she is ‘arrested’ for her ‘crimes’ near the end of the track.
As far as storytelling, catchy instrumentals, and memorable lyrics go in this genre, Delilah Bon has managed to win gold in all categories with what is featured on Evil Hate Filled Female. Showing the world that being strong may mean being a bitch, and being a feminist may mean hurting some men’s feelings, the overall message is that one must do what they must to make in this crazy world. Even if that means being an evil, hate filled female.
Words by Jo Cosgrove
