Words by Matt Chau
On This is How Tomorrow Moves, Beabadoobee blends pop-rock and folk influences to explore young adulthood, relationships, and self-discovery.
Beatrice Laus, who records as beabadoobee, has come a long way since her debut in 2017. Starting out as one of the quintessential artists in the teen bedroom pop scene alongside Clairo and girl in red, Bea has transitioned into charming pop-rock records about the coming-of-age experience on her last two albums. On her third, This is How Tomorrow Moves, Bea continues her journey into young adulthood as she tries to find her footing in her relationships and make sense of her feelings.
Rather than a complete reinvention of her artistry, Bea builds on what she has accomplished in her past music on This is How Tomorrow Moves. Lead single and album opener ‘Take a Bite’ is set in breezy acoustic guitars and soft drums that feel like the classic song that plays in the first scene of your favorite rom-com from the 90s. Bea asks someone to pick her up from the excess of Hollywood on ‘California’, with her yearnings for a simpler life backed by amped up guitar licks and drums: “Know you’re stuck in the past and tired of living so fast / It’s not the plan, you wouldn’t understand”.
Like she implies, there are signs that Bea is trying to take things slow this time around. Bea lends her sweet and delicate vocals to some folk-leaning tracks on the album. The short but tender ‘Coming Home’ sees Bea make up for lost time and cherish every minute spent with her boyfriend, even if it’s just doing the dishes or taking out the trash. The simple acoustic plucking adds to the tenderness and intimacy of appreciating every little moment with your loved ones.
And Bea means it as well, as she tries to break down her own walls to let her boyfriend fully in on ‘Ever Seen’: “‘Cause I spent some time waiting for your face / Don’t want to risk just making all the same mistakes”. The banjo intertwining with fluttering synths and trumpets make for one of Bea’s most experimental and charming tracks.
While Bea’s last two albums are full of grungy songs about teen angst, This is How Tomorrow Moves sees the first glimpses of her stepping into adulthood and trying to understand herself in this new phase of her life. Bea battles insecurities about her body image on ‘Girl Song’: “Oh what a shame, didn’t think she’d look this way / Don’t look no different to how I looked yesterday”. The aptly named ballad captures the universal female experience of doubting your image with absolute honesty, which is what makes this song feel more comforting rather than despairing.
But Bea also learns to see the other side of this as well. On the bossa nova-inspired “A Cruel Affair”, Bea recognizes that while she compares herself to other girls on social media, those girls are on their screens doing the same as well: “She’s a catch, but so am I / No point for my demise / And my problems are so aggravating through their eyes”. As Bea settles into her 20s, it’s comforting to know that no one has it figured out better or earlier than she has. We are all on the same messy journey, and it’s reassuring for Bea to look through the mirror and see that other people are also fighting the same struggles as we are.
But even though Bea might seem a little bit lost and weary at times, she understands the importance of giving herself credit for trying too. The warm and fuzzy ‘Beaches’ is probably the most optimistic take on growing up Bea has written so far. As she tries to find the answers to the way she is, Bea whispers the best advice she could give: “Said I’ll say it to believe it, but who knows the actual truth?” Bea now fathoms that it is pointless to let your worries and doubts get in the way of being present in the moment: “Don’t wait for the tide to dip both your feet in”. This song is here to remind Bea, and us, that no matter how uncertain life gets, it will never always be cloudy.
No one ever steps into their 20s with a clear view of what’s to come. As Bea says herself on “Girl Song”, she’s figuring it out at her own pace. But, on her third album, she is a little bit wiser and self-assured, even though she knows she’s a work in progress. As she crosses the threshold into adulthood, Bea learns to get rid of the stuff that she doesn’t need anymore, and embrace the good that life has to offer. This is How Tomorrow Moves is the sound of a young female observing the nuances of the world around her and trying to find comfort in the chaos. As for how tomorrow moves, Bea is not quite sure. But at least she knows that what she needs is not a crystal ball to look into the future, but rather a mirror to look inwards.
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