Bel Kil

Off the back of her debut single ‘Escaping’, Bel Kil releases ‘Backup Plan’, an anthemic track exploring the emotions of being disappointed by a friend or loved one who constantly stands you up when you’ve made plans… we’ve all been there.

“I was walking home from the studio on a balmy Friday afternoon, excited to have a beer with a friend, only to receive a text saying he couldn’t make it. I can remember feeling the letdown, and then when I walked past the pub we were meant to meet at, I started singing voice memos into my phone.”

By the time Bel got home, she had the lyrics and the melody and was ready to write the music. While Bel’s previous single ‘Escaping’ gave her the freedom to turn an original acoustic song electronic, ‘Backup Plan’ gave her the room to hone her production skills and explore more outside of the electronic world.

“I was a lot more focused on guitar and bass tones with this track than in the past. It was nice to take a step away from producing more electronic songs in Ableton and go back to how I used to write with a guitar before I knew how to produce. I wanted to capture a slower, contemplative, dreamy and slightly psychedelic feel. I started with the guitar chords and built the production around there, using midi drums originally and my guitar as the bass. I added virtual strings, synths and layers of vocals. I played around with panning and effects. I worked backwards producing the whole track in the box and then overdubbed my friends Tristan Courtney on bass guitar and John Vassallo on drums to achieve more of a ‘live feeling’.”

Bel’s summery guitar sounds and propulsive bass lines build into a cinematic climax.

“In a way, the outro feels climatic and chaotic but it’s intentionally ordered chaos, the way my head was feeling as I reasoned with myself and didn’t let the disappointment get me down. I wanted it to feel like a journey. The song starts out reflective but by the time we reach the peak, there’s this epic hopefulness.”

‘Backup Plan’ follows the success of Bel’s debut single ‘Escaping’, a track born out of a thirst for dreaming up a new life, one devoid of the trivialities and pettiness of youth. Bel launched the single at The LeadBeater to a packed-out crowd. ‘Escaping’ also saw Bel receive her first Spotify editorial playlist spot, as well as support from Triple J’s Max Quinn, MILKY, Sounds of Oz and more.

“It's been a minute since we've had a good whistle song! I am hearing Milky Chance, Julia Stone, Tones in this.” – Max Quinn, Triple J

“…the singers debut introduces us to summer-drenched sonics, built upon dynamic guitar lines and driving organic percussion.” – MILKY

“It’s the perfect summery jam to help you escape from the winter weather, even if it’s for just a little while.” – Sounds of Oz

Both ‘Escaping’ and ‘Backup Plan’ provide listeners with a glimpse at the diversity in Bel’s debut EP ‘My Year’ which is set to be released in early November.