Bedroom pop princess beabadoobee followed up the success of her 2023 viral hit “Glue Song” with a new single titled “the way things go,” released July 19th. The track arrives along with a music video portraying the singer in a fancy, old fashion hall, complete with ballet dancers, a messy spread of decor, and lots of flowers. Sonically and visually, she seems to be taking her music in a more formal, dainty direction recently.
Beginning in 2017, the Filipino-English Beatrice Laus began releasing her lo-fi acoustic songs under the label Dirty Hit, home to The 1975, Wolf Alice, Rina Sawayama, and more. Over the years, she has evolved her sound to encompass ethereal alt-pop (2019’s Loveworm), ‘90s pop-rock (her 2020 debut album Fake It Flowers), and bright, fuzzy bedroom pop (2022’s Beatopia). However, her musical output so far this year has pivoted to a more soft, lush sound with both “Glue Song” and “the way things go” staying away from the distorted guitars and splashing drums and opting for strings, brushes and beauty.
“the way things go” was produced by Jacob Bugden, Bea’s touring guitarist and collaborator. Along with producer Iain Berryman, Bugden co-produced Beatopia, as well as Clairo-assisted “Glue Song.” The new single’s arrangement is constructed around metallic acoustic guitar, layered with a springy, Jack Antonoff-esque electric lead. The atmosphere is enhanced as the song progresses with fluttering flues, backing vocals, and a rush of strings. Bea struggles (and fails) to hold back a smile throughout the Jake Erland-directed music video, as she brushes off her past relationships fairly nonchalantly.
According to Genius, Bea spoke about the song during her Beatopia Tour, stating she “loves love songs,” and that “the way things go” is “the only breakup song you’ll get” on the next album. As of now, no plans for a new album have been announced by Bea or Dirty Hit. Her previous single “Glue Song” was first previewed via Instagram post on March 3rd, 2022, predating her entire rollout for Beatopia. These two singles could be released simply to please her fans, who have been teased with snippets or live performances of them.
To stay updated with Beabadoobee’s music, follow her on social media or check her website. Her new single “the way things go” is now available to stream on all platforms, and you can watch the video below.