Swedish musician Thea Gustafsson – who writes, records, and produces under the moniker Becky and the Birds – has recently turned a new leaf, entering an era of creative freedom and emotional release with her self-produced debut album, Only Music Makes Me Cry Now, out now.
Thea Gustafsson began laying the groundwork for her debut Becky and the Birds album in 2021, during a time largely informed by a wide array of sources, including: insight from past collaborations with Dijon, Seinabo Sey, and Lapsley; obscure Bandcamp deep-dives; visits to live sets across London and her native Stockholm; a variety of media fixations (including Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine, Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun, and Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth); and her emotional processing in the aftermath of a life-altering breakup. Upon returning to the studio, she was motivated to look inward and come to terms everything she was feeling, in addition to returning to her exploratory musical roots with the intention of staying eager, curious, and overall, brave. The resulting innovative, passionate, and vulnerable record — crafted with manipulations of her own voice and sampled audio-bites from her everyday life (including voicemails and natural city noise) — allows listeners to follow her through a time of intense healing and rediscovery, and highlights her distinct style and open-hearted approach more than ever.
+ Only Music Makes Me Cry Now on standard black vinyl +
+ Listen on all streaming services +
Earlier this year, Gustafsson introduced her forthcoming debut record with two previous singles – an ethereal and intimate track entitled ‘When she holds me’, a gorgeous post-breakup lament entitled ‘I made my baby cry’ and a beautifully transportive sound bath of sleek hazy hooks and hypnotic drum tracks entitled ‘Anymore’. Notably, the incomparable Elton John recently played ‘I made my baby cry’ on his Rocket Hour radio show on Apple Music 1, noting that it is the “best record (he’s) heard in a long, long time”. This summer, she additionally began hosting a regular residency on Foundation FM – listen back HERE.
Becky and the Birds – Only Music Makes Me Cry Now
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1. Star
2. anymore
3. to trust you
4. I look at the choices I made
5. I made my baby cry
6. When she holds me
7. London is not the same
8. everything
9. Elsa 4-ever
10. won’t do that
11. celebrity // don’t leave
12. only music makes me cry now
Becky and the Birds Live Dates
Novemeber
14th – Fotografiska, Stockholm, Sweden
20th – The George Tavern, London, UK
December
13th – Debaser, Stockholm, Sweden