Benee Makes DIY’s Class of 2021

Riding high off the back of megahit ‘Superlonely’ and her recent celeb-featuring full-length debut LP, Hey u x, Benee’s already done the hard bit – now she’s ready to reap the rewards, Elly Watson writes for DIY magazine’s December 2020/January 2021 issue.

Inspired by a wide array of artists, Benee aka Stella Bennett, 20, marks James Blake, Björk and Groove Armada as some of her early faves, but singles out fellow Auckland-based star Lorde as a direct influence. “Her coming out and doing something different was really inspiring,” Benee tells Watson. “I remember going to the first concert that she did and you had to win tickets to it, and I went and was like, ‘Oh my god, this girl is really cool.’”

Still coming to terms with her rise to stardom, yet surely destined to climb the pop ranks even further in 2021, Benee remains surprised at the sheer volume that she’s achieved this year. “It’s pretty crazy,” she says with a smile. “I don’t think I would’ve believed it if I knew that this was what was going to happen with my year. It’s very weird to think about.”

Original article by Elly Watson, DIY, December 7, 2020.