When I first heard Beabadoobee’s song “Coffee” in 2017, I was amped. Her voice was warm and nostalgic, and it felt completely singular. Now, whenever I hear it, I am transported back to that time in my life. I was 17, hormonal and in love and confused and, all of a sudden, a forever fan of Bea’s. To hear a person sing who knows themself as well as Bea does is a gift. At the core of everything she makes is a sincerity that is really f-cking cool. This Is How Tomorrow Moves, her 2024 album, sounds like the record of a person who has had lifetimes of experience in articulating love and change. It’s gritty and tough, but it also reveals a sensitivity that is refreshing in a time where so much is overstimulating or plastic or derivative. I had the privilege of watching her play at the Eras Tour this summer, and what instantly set her apart was how effortless it all seemed. All of the magic and the grit and the talent just seemed to flow from her. She also happens to be a really kind and generous human being. I’m grateful I get to go through my 20s with her music as the soundtrack.
Abrams is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter
