beabadoobee drops an anthem for your healing girl summer

Picture by Anton Nius

"the way things go" by British-Filipina rock singer beabadoobee is the anthem for your healing girl summer, perfectly encapsulating the ups and downs of love and exploring the emotions experienced during heartbreak. The sentiment "time heals all" is profoundly expressed in this ballad, leaving a lasting impact on the listener. The bittersweet feelings that follow a heartbreak resonate strongly through the track, featuring themes of self-reflection, the search for a silver lining, and acceptance, all contributing to the overarching theme of growth.

Lyrically, this piece is unbelievably beautiful. I am a big fan of beabadoobee, but reading between the lines, there is a lot of emotions being relayed within the lyrics. One of my favourite lyrics is, "Can't remember how to say your name, let alone count all the freckles on your face, a distant memory I used to know." It eloquently reflects the idea of forgetting the aspects of someone you once knew—a realization that strong memories of a person can become elusive remnants of the past. This addition adds depth and complexity to the emotional journey portrayed in the song. You can hear the emotions spread between the lines of the lyrics as you listen. This quality makes "the way things go" emotionally relatable, as it conveys the universal experience of losing cherished memories with someone—something that everyone inevitably goes through. Love's inevitable ups and downs are highlighted, but the true strength lies in how one manages to recover and grow from such experiences.

The music video is aesthetically pleasing. There is an ethereal-like-elegance within the music video that shows a different side of Bea’s usual alt-rock sound. Set in a Victorian-era-like drawing room, the walls are adorned with beautiful flowers, Renaissance-esque oil paintings, and Victorian-era furniture. While all the other ballerinas are dressed in the usual all-white ballet outfit with the accompanying white ballet shoes, Bea’s wearing an all-black ballet dress. She stands out from everyone else. The simple, yet elegant ballet choreography adds to the feelings of vulnerability in the song.

Listen to the way things go below!