With a versatile catalogue that draws on the glittery pulse of EDM and gritty rock that asserts confidence, it’s hard to pin down an adjective to describe BEKS, but in my opinion, she’s best described as being a diamond in the rough. Heralding from Queensland, the stars were always her destiny when she first put pen to paper at a young age when she composed a jingle for a local radio station, from there her career has blossomed as she’s gone from DJing at gay clubs to touring with iconic acts like Sophie Ellis-Bextor to Amyl & The Sniffers, headlining Mighty Hoopla, working with a bevy of talent that includes DJ Sammy & Brandi Glanville (of Real Housewives fame), has had her music featured in Home and Away and just recently appeared as a guest judge on Stan’s Drag Race Down Under Vs The World!
Her star is not only shining but shooting it’s way through the cosmos, so luckily I got the chance to sit down with her prior to her stint behind the judges desk to plum through her career from ‘All The Good Boys Are Gay’ to ‘Melodrama’, kiki about her experience and attempt to get some clarification on whether or not Emmy winning makeup artist Raven is really competing or just there as a publicity stunt (can’t blame a guy for trying!)
Futuremag: Starting from the beginning, what inspired you to get into music? Where did it all start for you?
BEKS: Oh God, girl, we’re going back to Bundaberg. I got my first songwriting gig when I was nine years old. I wrote a jingle for a local hairdresser and it ran for four years. Then I became a little country music master queen before drifting away from music. I didn’t come back until I was in my twenties, selling handbags out of the back of my car up and down the east coast of Australia.
I was listening to Bertie Blackman on the radio one day and thought, “God damn it, if I could write a jingle, I’m going to go back and see what I can do.” I was also studying acting at the time, but it didn’t feel like the right creative medium for me. I’d stop at roadside motels, pull out the fan and sing into it. That’s really where it all started.
Futuremag: Were there any artists you looked up to or wanted to emulate growing up?
BEKS: There have been so many icons along the way. My biggest fandom was definitely the Spice Girls. Before I even had a job, I was running the official Bundaberg Spice Girls Fan Club out of my spare room in primary school. I made my own merch, recreated the music videos and trained all the girls. I was Posh Spice, of course — the poorest girl in town wanting to be the richest girl. I was basically cosplaying my future self.
Since then I’ve been heavily influenced by Peaches, Le Tigre, Karen O, Kylie Minogue, Kesha and Lady Gaga. I definitely have a rebellious side, so I’m really drawn to dirty pop stars. If it’s too clean, I don’t want it.
Futuremag: What does your creative process look like? Do songs come from real life experiences?
BEKS: I pray for trauma, darling. When life is smooth sailing, I’m learning how to stay creative through that, but for my last EP Hard Gloss, I literally prayed. On the day I went into the studio with Palmer in the UK, I got dumped and honestly, it was magnificent. That’s where ‘Melodrama’ and ‘Who You Kidding?’ came from.
I’ve spent the last five years touring the world and writing toplines for thousands of artists across K-pop, hardstyle and EDM. But over the last year I’ve really refined my process. I don’t need lots of voices in the room anymore. Now I mostly work with one producer because I’ve finally overcome a lot of my insecurities as a songwriter.
Futuremag: If someone is listening to your music for the first time, what do you hope they’ll take away from it?
BEKS: Well, they’re obviously going to hear ‘All the Good Boys Are Gay’, so the girlies are getting a lesson in dating. Then they’ll hear ‘A Love Like This’ and hopefully appreciate their mum, dad or sister a little more. Then they’ll hit ‘Melodrama’ and realise they’re the prize.
I’ve got quite an eclectic catalogue at the moment. Then they’ll get to ‘Nice Try’, which makes my political views pretty clear and they’re definitely not aligned with Pauline Hanson.
Futuremag: ‘Melodrama’ and ‘A Love Like This’ have both taken off recently, with ‘A Love Like This’ even appearing on Home and Away. How did that feel?
BEKS: I was completely shocked because that song was actually written and recorded eleven years ago. I had signed away my masters, and it was produced by John Castle, who also worked on ‘Riptide’. The song was written using my dad’s words.
He raised me with music but never got to pursue it professionally because he wanted to provide for me and my brothers and sisters. After years of him asking me to get the song back, he sadly passed away from terminal cancer last year. I used my inheritance to buy back the masters and released it thinking it would just mean something to our family and his friends.
Then it went super viral. It now has millions of streams, Kesha reshared it, Diplo reshared it, and I’m just letting the fans guide me. Maybe I’m a whimsical Fleetwood Mac queen after all.
Futuremag: Those songs are quite different from some of your more recent releases. Are we seeing a bit of a genre shift?
BEKS: I’m definitely being informed by what’s happening, but my heart has always been in pop. I’m making EDM pop and that’s still where I want to go. At the same time, I can’t ignore that people are connecting with my other work.
Someone can dance in a club all night and still be grieving the loss of their dad. I think my music can offer both those experiences.
Futuremag: You recently appeared as a guest judge on Drag Race Down Under. How did it feel getting that call?
BEKS: Honestly, I was like, “Are you sure? Isn’t Jessica Mauboy available?”
I was genuinely shocked because there are so many incredible queer artists. But once I got there, the producers told me they’d surveyed a huge group of artists and my name consistently came up as their favourite choice. That was really special.
Australian pop artists often have a hard road, so hearing that meant a lot. It reminded me of that saying: go where you’re celebrated, not tolerated.
Futuremag: What was it actually like behind the scenes on set?
BEKS: It was wild. There was no contact between me and the queens until filming. I had my own glam room and glam team, and even going to the bathroom required someone on a walkie-talkie saying, “Toilets clear.”
It gave me so much respect for drag artists. It’s an endurance sport. I challenge any man to stand in six-inch heels with a wig on for twelve hours. I was only wearing the wig and I was already popping Panadol because my brain felt like it was going to explode.
Futuremag: “Melodrama” became the lip-sync song on the show. What was it like seeing your music become part of such an iconic moment?
BEKS: First of all, I was shocked they didn’t pick ‘All the Good Boys Are Gay’. I thought that was the obvious choice.
But then I realised, “Okay girls, you’ve got taste.”
Watching the queens lip-sync to ‘Melodrama’ honestly made me cry. I felt like a proud auntie. It’s such a wordy song, so they all had to learn every lyric. Now I’ve got queens from all over the world walking around with my song stuck in their heads. Very clever, Drag Race.
Futuremag: Drag Race has introduced so many artists to international audiences. Have you thought about what that exposure could mean for your music?
BEKS: Absolutely. That’s why I sat in that wig for seven hours with my brain about to explode.
I want people in the Philippines, Ireland, Germany, everywhere, to discover my music. I really hope it reaches people around the world.
Futuremag: Were there any queens you were especially excited to see?
BEKS: Art Simone will always be my girl. I’ve worked with Art before and produced her first single with ‘Etcetera Etcetera’.
I’m also obsessed with Ms. Jade So. She’s hilarious, stunning, and I know for a fact she knows every single word to Melodrama because they all had to learn it.
Futuremag: You’ve had Home and Away, Mighty Hoopla, Drag Race and plenty of viral success already this year. What’s next?
BEKS: We’ve got a full Melodrama remix pack coming throughout the Drag Race season. Vanessa from New York has done one of the remixes. She’s the DJ behind the iconic Lady Gaga x Doechii runway remix, and there are a few more producers I can’t announce just yet.
I’m also performing at Amsterdam Pride, then the Victorian Pride Awards, and honestly I’m just following where the fans take me. I’d love to do more touring. I’m looking for a booking agent if anyone knows one!
More than anything, I just want to keep showing up in live spaces with my fans. That’s the goal.