Beks’ Queer Pop Icons & Inspirations

Rising Brisbane based queer pop-star Beks has returned with a new ethereal pop single entitled, Make Believe, which captures a raw emotional vulnerability in Beks’ artistry.

Penned in her bedroom alongside collaborator Lucy Neville this single the duo will officially launch the song this Thursday, March 10 at Ginger’s Lounge in Darlinghurst. Ahead of the launch though Beks spoke to City Hub about coming to terms with her own sexuality.

“Since 2020 I have identified as queer and this discovery came through a show I conceptualised and produced alongside Heaps Gay called Loud n Queer TV. Prior to that, I hadn’t identified myself as queer, bi yes, but this was a new world to me and as the producer of the program, it shone a spotlight on sexuality and what queer meant to me.”

During our conversation Beks also spoke about the artists who have influenced her music & in particular the composition of Make Believe.

“I leaned internally into my masculinity, inspired by Dorian Electra whilst simultaneously physically presenting myself as ultra-femme like Charli XCX. Having a clearer understanding of my queerness, I looked for artists in the space and discovered Todrick Hall, Sophie, Papaya, The Pom Poms, Slayyyter, and Kim Petra,” explained Beks. “Make Believe gives me that same feeling that I get when I listen to Cross You Out by Charli XCX feat Skye Ferreira. The song expresses that cutting feeling, like it’s not a revenge song, it’s not a power move, it’s the first phase of a break-up – grief. I get this same feeling when I listen to Delete Forever by Grimes.”

In closing Beks reflected on the writing and collaboration process with with Lucy Neville, “When Lucy and I got together we didn’t have any reference tracks. What we had was over a year of supporting each other through our own breakups, it was all there in our messages before we ever wrote the song. Books and memes we exchanged all became clues written into the song.”