Manchester-based indie pop rising star Beth McKenzie recently shared her debut EP Does This Make Me A Bitter Woman? – our #EPofthemonth
McKenzie is a compelling songwriter with a diaristic approach using humour to face difficult situations in her life.
Does This Make Me A Bitter Woman? weaves around trauma, identity, and the overall journey of a young queer woman finding her place in the world and music industry. With hints of early 00’s pop with an unfiltered Gen Z point of view, Does This Make Me A Bitter Woman? is an addictive listen.
The EP’s lead single ‘The Cult’ is the perfect opening track. On ‘The Cult’, McKenzie encourages you to see the bright side and walk away from dark situations.
“‘The Cult’ is commentary on outdated societal views that I feel strongly against. If you relate to this song and what it represents, I want it to be a sign for you to consider walking away.
Beth McKenzie
I really enjoyed writing it and I don’t want people to be super bummed out by it. For me, once I’ve processed something, it’s really important to find the funny side and not be afraid to poke fun at it. I think that can be really helpful when you’re going through something potentially quite dark and sinister, to allow yourself to see the funny side when you’re ready to.”
Unreleased song ‘It Won’t Always Feel So Heavy‘ is a beautiful end to Does This Make Me A Bitter Woman. McKenzie shares her thoughts on this raw and vulnerable track:
“I wanted this track to be the last on the EP and I knew it wouldn’t be a single, which I found so creatively freeing. I wrote it at the piano from start to finish, I wanted it to feel raw and authentic and I’m really happy with the outcome.
The name for it came around in a really sweet / random way. I was having coffee with my producer at Feel Good Club in Manchester, explaining what I wanted to write about. Sometimes I feel l’m not making as much progress as I’d like to, with my health and mental health challenges.
People tell me I’ll get there and it will get easier. I try to believe them, but sometimes I struggle to see a time where it will be easier. When our coffee came over, they had written on the cup ‘It won’t always feel so heavy’, and it was creepy because that is exactly what I wanted to say in the song, worded perfectly.”
Does This Make Me A Bitter Woman? is a standout debut for 2024. Beth McKenzie is an artist to keep on your radar and we can’t wait to hear more from this rising indie-pop star.
Stream Does This Make Me A Bitter Woman? on Spotify
Find Beth McKenzie on Instagram| TikTok | Spotify