Review: "Chill Girl" - Bea Stewart
- Madison Spies
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Blending a complex, well-thought-out tale with multiple layers of genre, Bea Stewart comes in full force with “Chill Girl”. The first track off her recent EP, Wish It Was You, “Chill Girl” sets the tone for the project and hooks you from the start. Backed by hard-hitting drums and a guitar that sounds as if it’s carrying you down a stream, Stewart’s vocals emphasize the personality behind this work and the confusing nature of a now-fragmented relationship. Stewart puts every detail of her pain into “Chill Girl”, refusing to shy away from showing how this change impacts her. Instead, she channels this into a power that fuels the track and sets it apart from other pop projects. Stewart allows “Chill Girl” to ebb & flow naturally, allowing it to be an authentic telling of her story. With a laid-back, warm, and inviting sound alongside lyrics that seem to reach out and grab hold of your heartstrings, it’s clear that Stewart knows how to show dynamic and multifaceted musical talent in unique ways.
Upon first listen, I felt as if “Chill Girl” was a song I had somehow heard previously, evoking a deep sense of nostalgia. Stewart showcases vulnerability in a way that seemingly speaks directly to the audience, putting this experience fully on display for herself and others to connect over. While heartbreak and the ending of a relationship are not new territories of discussion within music, Stewart tells a story of heartbreak in a way that delicately and brilliantly shows that this situation cannot be labelled as entirely happy or sad. “Chill Girl”, much like its overall sound, cannot be pinpointed and invokes a cathartic listening experience. “Chill Girl” at times reminds me of a classic, 90’s country track, and at other times brings me to the thought of an indie, guitar-led song played specifically near the presence of an outdoor fire. While Stewart describes looking forward to the day that she cries “bout someone new”, “driving off into the sun”, and “skipping stones and giving roses”, until then, it’s reassuring to hear an artist pledge to be authentically themselves and give themselves grace within an emotionally difficult situation. Rather than attempting to be something she’s not, Stewart channels her unique qualities to create art that is undeniably hers and stems solely from her life.
Born and raised just outside Belfast, Northern Ireland, singer-songwriter Bea Stewart brings influences of Irish folk music that she was raised on to her own music. With strong values of honesty and sentimentality in her work, Stewart bases the core of her music on truthful storytelling and vulnerability. In being authentic and vulnerable, she hopes to help people process their lives as she processes her own. Upon releasing her debut EP in 2023, Things We Never Say Out Loud, Stewart sold out shows while touring across the UK and Ireland, garnering the attention and support of notable music & radio platforms. Across platforms such as BBC Introducing, Radio 1, Spotify, Apple Music, etc., Stewart gathered over a million streams before the introduction of her 2024 EP, Sorry I’m Sensitive. With the support of music platforms such as BBC Radio 1, RTE, and more, she is on a path of success in poeticness, honesty, and pure talent. Now on a sold-out UK tour following the release of her latest EP, Wish It Was You, Stewart is building upon her reputation as one of the most exciting new singer-songwriters in the UK.
Written By Madison Spies
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