In an era where bedroom pop and indie rock have blossomed into powerful forces of modern music, few artists have managed to capture both the nostalgia of the ’90s and the pulse of Gen Z with the same finesse as Beabadoobee. With her distinctive blend of dreamy melodies, grunge-inspired guitar riffs, and deeply personal lyrics, Beabadoobee has carved out a niche that feels both timeless and fresh. Whether she’s channeling the raw emotion of her early lo-fi tracks or embracing a fuller, more polished sound on her latest records, there’s an undeniable sincerity in her music that connects with listeners on a visceral level.

Her ability to shift between genres—often seamlessly blending alt-rock, shoegaze, and acoustic folk—while maintaining her signature style sets her apart in an oversaturated indie scene. At just 24, the Filipino-British artist has quickly evolved from a DIY SoundCloud sensation to a festival headliner, all while staying grounded in her core influences of ’90s icons like Pavement and The Smashing Pumpkins. Beabadoobee’s music isn’t just a throwback—it’s a fresh, genre-blurring exploration of emotion, identity, and nostalgia that resonates deeply with her growing fanbase.

Background

Early Life

Born as Beatrice Kristi Laus in Iloilo City, Philippines, Beabadoobee spent the first three years of her life in her birthplace before moving with her family to London. Growing up in West London, her Filipino heritage and multicultural upbringing subtly shaped her worldview and artistry, though she admits feeling somewhat disconnected from her roots at times. Music became her emotional outlet early on, helping her navigate the challenges of immigrant life, cultural identity, and feeling like an outsider. Despite having no formal musical training, Beabadoobee found solace in the tunes her parents played, from classic Filipino ballads to the Britpop and indie rock of the ’90s.

Musical Beginnings

Beabadoobee’s musical journey began almost by accident. Initially, she envisioned a career in the visual arts, attending school with a focus on drawing and painting. However, after receiving a secondhand guitar at 17, she found herself gravitating towards songwriting. She taught herself to play by watching YouTube tutorials and quickly discovered her knack for writing raw, introspective lyrics. Her first song, “Coffee,” which she recorded in her bedroom, marked the start of her career.

With its soft vocals and intimate acoustic strumming, the track captured the lo-fi aesthetic that would define her early sound and was uploaded to SoundCloud in 2017. Little did she know, “Coffee” would go viral, becoming a sleeper hit and introducing her to a wider audience. The success of that song earned her attention from independent labels, leading to her signing with Dirty Hit, the same label as indie darlings The 1975 and Wolf Alice.

Artistic Influences

From the start, Beabadoobee’s sound has been shaped by a wide array of influences, but she’s consistently drawn inspiration from the alternative rock and grunge scenes of the 1990s. Bands like Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and The Smashing Pumpkins left an indelible mark on her musical identity, with their fuzzy guitars, melancholic undertones, and slacker ethos making a clear imprint on her work. She also cites Pavement’s nonchalant, lo-fi aesthetic and Elliott Smith’s heart-wrenching acoustic ballads as pivotal influences, particularly when she began experimenting with her own stripped-down, bedroom-pop sound.

Alongside these grunge and alt-rock giants, Beabadoobee has embraced elements of shoegaze and dream pop, pulling from the hazy, reverb-laden atmospheres of bands like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. She’s also taken cues from more contemporary indie acts like Clairo and Soccer Mommy, whose bedroom-pop roots echo her own DIY beginnings. Yet, what sets her apart is how she channels these diverse influences into something distinctly her own—a nostalgic, yet forward-thinking fusion of raw emotion and dreamy sonic landscapes.

Album Overview

1. Fake It Flowers (2020)

Beabadoobee’s debut full-length album, Fake It Flowers, marked a bold leap from her earlier bedroom-pop EPs into a more expansive, polished sound. Released in 2020, the album is a love letter to the grunge and alt-rock heroes of the ’90s, with influences from bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, and Veruca Salt woven throughout its 12 tracks. Distorted guitars, fuzzy feedback, and dynamic shifts in volume create a nostalgic atmosphere, but beneath the surface, Fake It Flowers is deeply personal. Beabadoobee’s lyrics delve into the complexity of adolescence, mental health, and identity, all delivered with a disarming honesty that resonates with her listeners.

The album’s standout tracks include “Care,” with its infectious, guitar-driven hook, and “Sorry,” a more melancholic offering that showcases Beabadoobee’s ability to balance vulnerability with catharsis. Fake It Flowers is both a nostalgic callback to a beloved era in rock and an authentic expression of Beabadoobee’s inner world, proving she is not just rehashing the past, but reinventing it through her own lens.

2. Our Extended Play (2021, EP)

After the success of Fake It Flowers, Beabadoobee followed up with the Our Extended Play EP in 2021. Co-written and co-produced with Matty Healy and George Daniel of The 1975, the EP shows a slight shift in style, embracing a more indie-pop sensibility while retaining her grunge roots. This four-track release captures a moment of experimentation and collaboration, leaning into brighter, more polished production while still touching on themes of youth, friendship, and disillusionment.

The EP’s lead single, “Last Day on Earth,” is a sunny, almost euphoric track that contrasts with some of the darker material in her discography. However, songs like “Cologne” and “He Gets Me So High” still carry that raw emotional edge, mixing vulnerability with infectious pop hooks. Our Extended Play feels like a natural progression for Beabadoobee, showcasing her willingness to evolve and explore new sonic territories without losing the core of what makes her music relatable.

3. Beatopia (2022)

Beatopia is Beabadoobee’s second full-length album, released in 2022, and it represents her most ambitious project to date. The title refers to an imaginary world that Beabadoobee created as a child, and the album follows suit with its dreamy, expansive quality. Here, Beabadoobee dives even deeper into genre-blurring experimentation, combining elements of alt-rock, shoegaze, folk, and even bossa nova. This eclectic mix of sounds makes Beatopia an album that feels more exploratory and cohesive than her previous releases, while still carrying the emotional weight that defines her songwriting.

Tracks like “Talk” and “10:36” bring back the grunge-inspired energy of Fake It Flowers, while songs like “See You Soon” and “Lovesong” lean more into delicate, introspective folk. Beatopia is less about recreating the ’90s alt-rock sound and more about crafting a world entirely her own—one where she can freely experiment with different textures, moods, and melodies. The album received widespread critical acclaim for its adventurous production and marked a clear step in Beabadoobee’s artistic evolution, as she continued to refine and expand her sonic palette.

Industry Perspective

Challenges and Triumphs

Like many young artists who have found rapid success, Beabadoobee’s rise in the music industry hasn’t been without its hurdles. Early in her career, she navigated the complexities of transitioning from a DIY, bedroom-pop artist on SoundCloud to signing with a major indie label, Dirty Hit. This shift brought new pressures—meeting the expectations of a growing fanbase, touring, and balancing creative autonomy with commercial demands. Moreover, as a young woman of Filipino descent in a predominantly white, male-dominated alternative music scene, Beabadoobee has faced her share of challenges in carving out space for herself. The pressure to fit into specific industry molds often conflicted with her desire to experiment and evolve musically on her own terms.

Despite these challenges, Beabadoobee has remained resolute in maintaining control over her artistic vision, consistently staying true to her influences while also pushing her sound forward. Her ability to stay grounded and authentic through her rapid ascent is one of her greatest triumphs. She’s spoken openly about struggles with mental health, finding her voice, and the pressures of fame, which has endeared her to fans who appreciate her vulnerability both on and offstage. Each album release has showcased her growth—not just as a musician but as an individual learning to navigate the limelight while staying true to herself.

Collaborations and Connections

Beabadoobee’s association with Dirty Hit has been pivotal in shaping her career, connecting her to a network of artists who share a similar DIY ethos and alternative sensibility. Perhaps her most notable collaboration is with Matty Healy and George Daniel of The 1975. Their influence is felt strongly on Our Extended Play (2021), which they co-wrote and produced. The EP’s brighter, more indie-pop vibe showcases a slight departure from her grunge-laden sound and highlights how collaboration can bring new dimensions to her work. Working with Healy and Daniel also expanded her audience, as fans of The 1975 were introduced to her music.

Beyond The 1975, Beabadoobee has also toured with fellow indie rock acts like Clairo and Slowthai, which has further solidified her position in the alternative music scene. These relationships have allowed her to cultivate a sense of community within the indie landscape, sharing stages and ideas with other boundary-pushing artists. In addition to these connections, Beabadoobee’s fanbase has grown exponentially through social media and streaming platforms, where she’s built a dedicated following that resonates with her raw, authentic approach to music.

Recognition and Achievements

Though still in the early stages of her career, Beabadoobee has already achieved significant milestones that have cemented her place in the industry. Her debut album, Fake It Flowers, received widespread critical acclaim, with publications like NME and Pitchfork praising her for reviving the ’90s alt-rock sound with a fresh, modern twist. The album landed on several “Best of 2020” lists, elevating her status as one of the most exciting new voices in indie rock.

Beabadoobee has also earned nominations and awards that reflect her growing influence. In 2020, she was shortlisted for the BBC Sound of 2020 award, an honor recognizing emerging artists poised for major success. She has since performed at major festivals, including Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds, and her music has reached even wider audiences through its use in viral TikTok trends—most notably with “Coffee,” which gained massive popularity after it was sampled in Powfu’s hit “death bed (coffee for your head).”

Impact and Legacy

Cultural Significance

Beabadoobee has made a profound impact on the indie rock and alternative music scene, breathing new life into the ’90s nostalgia that has gripped modern music. Her ability to channel the angst, vulnerability, and raw emotion of that era while remaining firmly rooted in contemporary youth culture has made her a generational voice. By blending grunge’s gritty textures with the introspective, confessional nature of bedroom pop, Beabadoobee has crafted a sound that speaks directly to a younger audience, offering them a bridge between the music of the past and the emotions of the present. Her work sits at the intersection of revival and reinvention, offering a distinctly female perspective on a genre once dominated by male voices.

Her cultural significance also lies in her role as an influential voice for young women, especially those navigating identity and mental health issues. Beabadoobee’s willingness to be vulnerable, both lyrically and personally, has resonated deeply with fans who see themselves in her stories of struggle and self-discovery. She’s become emblematic of a new wave of artists who prioritize emotional authenticity over industry polish, and her success has helped pave the way for others within the alternative scene.

Fanbase and Community

Beabadoobee’s relationship with her fanbase is built on a foundation of openness and relatability. Her music has fostered a community of listeners who connect not only with her sound but with the emotional honesty she brings to each song. From her early SoundCloud days to performing at major festivals, she has remained grounded and approachable, often interacting with fans on social media and sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses into her creative process and personal life.

Her fans—predominantly Gen Z—have embraced her as a figurehead of indie rock’s resurgence, and the community that has formed around her music reflects the diverse, inclusive nature of her artistry. Young women, in particular, look to her as a voice that validates their experiences of vulnerability, frustration, and empowerment. Beabadoobee’s impact is felt not just in the music she creates, but in the conversations and connections she fosters among her listeners, who find solace and strength in the emotions she lays bare in her work.

The intimacy of her early lo-fi recordings has carried over into her live performances, where fans describe an almost communal atmosphere. Whether she’s playing to a festival crowd or a smaller venue, Beabadoobee brings an emotional rawness to her shows that deepens the connection between artist and audience, further solidifying the strong community around her music.

Looking Forward

As Beabadoobee continues to evolve artistically, the trajectory of her career appears poised for even greater heights. Her ability to seamlessly shift between genres, experiment with new sounds, and push the boundaries of indie rock suggests that she’s only just beginning to tap into her full creative potential. With each release, she’s shown a willingness to grow and take risks, ensuring her sound stays fresh while maintaining the emotional core that first endeared her to fans.

Her future likely holds more genre-blurring experimentation, collaborations with other boundary-pushing artists, and deeper dives into the emotional complexities that define her songwriting. Given her already significant impact on the modern indie scene, it’s possible that Beabadoobee will play a key role in shaping the next wave of alternative music, inspiring future artists in the same way that her ’90s heroes inspired her.

Closing Thoughts

Beabadoobee is a rare artist who balances nostalgia with innovation, capturing the essence of ’90s alternative rock while speaking directly to the experiences and emotions of today’s youth. Her music feels both deeply personal and universally relatable, inviting listeners to lose themselves in dreamy soundscapes and cathartic confessions. From her humble beginnings as a bedroom-pop artist to her rise as a key figure in the modern indie rock revival, Beabadoobee’s journey is one of growth, resilience, and unrelenting creativity.

Her ability to remain authentic, all while navigating the pressures of an evolving music industry, is what makes her such a compelling artist deserving of attention. As she continues to push boundaries, she offers listeners not only a window into her world but a reflection of their own emotional landscapes.