Beabadoobee – This Is How Tomorrow Moves

At 24, Beabadobee’s third studio album This Is How Tomorrow Moves maintains her same signature sound but she explores more nuanced topics this time around. While still singing about break-ups and self-introspection of her shortcomings, there’s a larger sense of maturity in how she handles these themes. She is no longer as reckless as in her debut record Fake it Flowers, or as nervous about change as she was in her sophomore album Beatopia. In This Is How Tomorrow Moves, she takes ownership of who she is and the mistakes she has made.

When talking about what this album means to her, the artist said in an interview with Uproxx, “I guess it’s about becoming a woman. I think I’m more aware of my actions in these songs. In my previous records, I would consistently sing about my reaction towards other people’s doings.” There is no better track throughout the entire playlist that fully exemplifies this than the opening song Take a Bite. The lyrics acknowledge her unrealistic expectations and her understanding of the toxic relationships she surrounds herself with. Still, she demonstrates her willingness to “take a bite” – affirming that the fault lies within herself. Following that up is California, with the rough and edgier crash of the guitar contrasting against her signature soft and demure vocals. This juxtaposition amplifies the chaos Beabadoobee feels as a musician; her tiredness against the fast-paced and demanding lifestyle that comes with her job.

One Time and Real Man are about a previous partner who has let her down. The former highlights how their relationship was broken by the lack of effort on both sides. The artist is left with the aftermath, never truly knowing what could’ve been if only they had tried. It circles back to similar lyrics in Take a Bite that asks what point there is in trying when the outcome overtly leads to failure. Sonically, the verses and chorus are underwhelming, but the chaotic descent of the bridge is brilliantly executed repetition, saving the song from becoming too monotone. To top that off, the guitar riffs sound distorted, emphasising the brokenness of it all. Real Man on the other hand questions the expectations she once had for her previous partner and the heavy disappointment she faced when he couldn’t meet those. She resists the urge to blame herself for his lack of trying, and the outro to the track is fantastically assertive of what she deserves.

Girl Song is an extremely vulnerable piece in which Beabadoobee finds herself growing up, mentally and physically. Still, she sees parts of herself that have yet to change or mature. It’s self-deprecating, highlighting personality traits and physical features she doesn’t like. But she also acknowledges that she can do better for herself. This theme parallels with Ever Seen, specifically the lyrics, “Don’t want to risk making all the same mistakes,” which are also present in Girl Song. Here, Beabadoobee reiterates the toxicity within herself and her mistakes that have led to messy break-ups. Downtrodden and broken, she finds solace in the simple words of her current lover, like his appreciation for her eyes. She lets him be a structure that she can hold onto, while also trusting him to understand that some battles are ones she has to fight alone. Ever Seen sees her desperately trying to keep this fragile new romance safe from her past mistakes.

Beabadoobee ends the record with a callback to her sophomore album Beatopia, with the lyrics, “Hanging on / A piece of gum / It’s time to let it loose.” Despite having seemingly moved on from her ex-boyfriend, there are still parts of that relationship that remain stuck to her. This track attempts to close that door, trying to find closure and comfort in the songs that she writes. As a closer, This Is How it Went ties brilliantly to the title of the album; here, she moves forward to tomorrow, letting go of one of the most significant and defining parts of her old life and previous records. As she sheds these parts of herself, she moves onto a new tomorrow, closing that chapter and era of her music indefinitely.

Mae Trumata
Image: Patricia Villirillo

This Is How Tomorrow Moves is released on 9^th August 2024. For further information or to order the album visit Beabadoobee’s website here.

Watch the video for the single here: