story by editor-in-chief: Ashly Nicole

Benee is the pure personification of chaotic good. We caught up with our fave dream–alt-pop princess at her album-release party for ‘Ur an Angel, I’m Just Particles’, and the whole night felt like one big “last night was a movie” moment. Her sophomore album stretches her universe in every direction; some tracks swelling with softness, others dipping into glitchy hyper-pop edges, but all of them still so unmistakably her. Upon first listens, “Heaven” leans into that hazy, bittersweet melancholy she absolutely nails, while “Off the Rails” buzzes with restless, spiraling energy. “Cinnamon” warms everything up with this dreamy, atmospheric glow, and “Animal” taps into her playful, free-spirited side that we all adore. Hearing these songs in such an intimate space made every shift in mood feel even more intentional
and alive.
The historic Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery made the entire night feel like a super exclusive show just for her people; hot, humid, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with only about 150 fans.
The air was thick, but the energy was even thicker. The second Benee stepped onstage in a glittery, wonderfully chaotic outfit, the whole room snapped right into her orbit. I’ve been photographing and going to Benee’s shows since before her TikTok blow-up, and she’s always had that kinetic, unstoppable stage presence. But with every new release, and especially with this album, you can really feel her evolution, her confidence, and how fully she’s stepped into her own wonderfully chaotic energy. Friday night felt like getting invited directly into that world, up close and unfiltered.
One of the absolute sweetest moments came during “Animal,” when she pulled all the kids in the audience up onstage to dance with her. It instantly turned the room into this soft, whimsical little bubble of pure, innocent joy, the kind of feeling adults forget about until someone hands it back to them for a minute. It was one of those perfectly unplanned moments you know everyone will remember, and definitely something those kids will never forget.
She wrapped the set with a run of fan favorites, “Glitter,” “Beach Boy,” “Green Honda,” and of course the TikTok-classic “Supalonely.” The room shifted into this sparkly, full-circle moment where everyone sang every word, jumped in on the call-and-responses, and just let themselves exist in that shared nostalgia from the little bridge between the FIRE ON MARZZ and the STELLA&STEVE days of Benee’s music.
It felt less like a finale and more like one big collective core memory for everyone in the room. It was the kind of moment that brings you right back to why you fell in love with her music in the first place, while also getting you excited about everything new she’s putting out. Hearing her newest album in a room full of people who love Benee just as much as the person standing next to them was a whole new level of experience, truly the definition of collective effervescence.

And on her way out, instead of doing the classic wave-and-leave, Benee stretched the goodbye in the most her way possible. She stayed at the edge of the stage signing literally anything fans handed her posters, vinyl, phone cases, and even a Cinnamoroll plushie, all while singing along to “Crazy Frog” blasting over the speakers. It was messy, adorable, and so perfectly Benee-coded.
When she finally headed off, she danced her way out, tossing heart-hands to the whole room like she was sprinkling tiny glittery thank-yous across the crowd. The perfect ending to the most Benee-fied night.

Photos by Ashly Nicole

Okay, now we’re at the point in our program where you’ll need to buckle up for just some of the reasons you should be listening to this absolute angel, who most certainly isn’t only just particles:

Benee has described a lot of the lyrics on this album as, ‘sad and depressing’, she also told us that much of the writing on this piece came from a place of remembering and longing for childlike whimsy.
The bulk of this album is very vibey, dancey, while also being something you could certainly throw on and work to or honestly even meditate to; it’s genuinely a combination of everything you could want in a body of work, and there’s a song for every mood and situation. The initial sound of this album is only scratching the surface of everything underneath the ‘vibes’ of each song. Some of the lyrics on this album feel more like an intimate conversation with your brain, having talks with buried feelings, or those deep back of the brain thoughts we get in social situations. I think to its core, and maybe I’m wrong, but it truly feels like how we perceive others versus how we see ourselves, and really just the energy we put out in different situations we’re thrown into, and even just the world.

Digging a bit deeper into the album, the lyrics, and the feelings Benee has put behind each track, it’s so easy to relate to the individual stories and experiences told in each song.
Diving right into the first song, “Demons”, the title alone suggests internal battles. As the opening track, it feels like an admission: we all carry “demons,” and this record is partly about facing them. From a listener’s perspective, the song tells a story of insecurity, worry, and maybe a touch of paranoia, overthinking or struggling to trust someone you initially believed you could. There’s a gloomier, self-reflective energy here that almost reminds me of an earlier Benee track, “Night Garden”, but with a more intense, introspective edge.

Stepping over to one of my favorite tracks on the album, ‘Cinnamon’, Benee recently told "The Line of Best Fit”, "I wrote it about moving to LA and feeling a little bit lost in the chaos, like everything was falling apart. It felt like nothing was working. The chorus is quite ethereal and a nice let go for me. I thought, ‘Well even if everything around me has turned to shit, I’m going to stay sweet, still be kind, and attract the right kind of people.’ That sentiment hits hard for anyone who’s moved somewhere new, especially a city as big and overwhelming as LA.; can I get some “felt!” in the chat for all the transplants? Finding your footing, your space, your people, and your peace of mind can feel nearly impossible, and yet, Benee’s goal is clear: stay grounded, stay kind, and focus on authenticity. It’s such a big reminder to resist the superficial pull of social pressures and plasticity, and to create your own little island of genuine connection. It also makes you feel like your not as alone amidst all the chaos a big city like this throws at you.

While ‘Vegas’ may sound more up‑tempo, maybe a bit neon‑lit, this song really embodies overthinking, being overwhelmed with feelings, and the internal monologue I’m sure a lot of us have on a daily basis. Listening to it, I could totally empathize with that internal monologue: “Hey brain, what’s on the mind? Why did you blow up?” The song captures the experience of wrestling with your own thoughts , replaying every word, every action, and letting them create walls around your heart and mind. It’s the tension between wanting to be vulnerable with someone and feeling guarded because your brain keeps running the tape on everything that could go wrong or thinking awful things might be going on behind the scenes that you’re oblivious to. So much of this track resonated with me as a snapshot of that daily mental struggle a lot of us can relate to all too well.

I’m going to bop over to track seven, “Doomsday”, because if you’re a little grey cloud like I am most days, you know exactly where this one’s headed just from the title. For any self-deprecating human, starting a relationship, romantic, platonic, or even a casual friendship, can feel like stepping into a minefield. This song reads like every warning sign you’d hand someone before they get too close.
“Doomsday” hones in on that dual feeling of never being quite good enough, but at the same time feeling like you might be too much. It’s the push-and-pull of wanting connection but also wanting to protect others from your own baggage. Every line feels like a longing to tell the other person, “take your exit if you need to,” while warning them that Benee is, in her words, “complicated.” I honestly relate to this as a constant theme in my own life; that tension between wanting someone close and fearing you’ll overwhelm them. That lyric, “by the ocean, it’s a doomsday,” really hits as this perfect image of vulnerability and beauty intertwined, capturing the emotional weight of starting something new while carrying everything you’ve been through.

Now let’s talk about one of the first singles from this album, “Animal.” Honestly, this might be one of the most upbeat, dance-around kind of tracks on Ur an Angel I’m Just Particles, but don’t let that funky ahh! beat trick you, there’s still some depth hiding in those lyrics. While it may be one of the most fun tracks, Benee really lets us peek into her world, navigating influence and rising fame while still being herself. On the theme of overthinking and being in your own head, “Animal” captures what it feels like to live under a microscope, not to the extreme of someone like Sabrina Carpenter or Taylor Swift, but enough that it shapes your daily experience. The song also perfectly explores the tension of splitting your home self and your public/work self, and trying not to lose yourself in the process while building your career and being scrutinized for every little thing. It’s fun, it’s energetic, but it also quietly reminds you of the complexities behind the sparkle.

I don’t think there are enough good things I could say about Benee and just how sincerely unique her music and writing style are. She’s an artist I was immediately drawn to from the first song I ever heard back in 2017, and I’m constantly impressed, not only by her adaptability in an ever-changing music industry, but by how she manages to stay completely true to herself and her vision. The relatability in her lyrics, especially on this most recent album, is what draws people in and makes longtime listeners feel like they’ve grown up alongside her, experiencing some of the same feelings, doubts, and fears she’s shared with them. While we haven’t dissected every single track here, I can promise you this: every song is worth listening to…probably a few million times, honestly. I don’t want to overanalyze every minute of the album from my perspective, because part of the magic is how these songs will resonate differently for everyone.
What Ur an Angel, I’m Just Particles really captures is the feeling of being; existing inside your own head, navigating the internal dissonance we all face, and trying to reconcile how we perceive ourselves versus how we perceive the world. The title itself says it all. It’s a reflection on being both small and vast, flawed yet luminous, human yet entirely singular. Benee somehow manages to wrap all of that into something sparkling, fun, and truly herself. And in the end, that’s exactly what makes her music so special, and something I will always follow and come back to. It’s as chaotic, it can be silly, and so so brilliant. Listening to Benee’s music always feels like being invited into her world, if only for a short little trip.

Go listen to “Ur an Angel I’m Just Particles”, out now on all music streaming platforms, and be on the look out for some tour dates popping up in the near future for 2026!