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At the age of 18, Arabella Latham, a singer-songwriter from South Africa, relocated from Durban to London with hopes of becoming a pop/rock sensation. However, she was unable to replicate the success of her idols, Taylor Swift and Courtney Love, right away. Latham struggled for years, as her ambition was hindered by drug use, excessive social media usage, and heartache. Eventually, in 2020, under the alias Baby Queen, she discovered how to channel her frustration into music, which quickly gained her a devoted fan base, known as the Baby Kingdom, and a record contract.
At the age of 26, Latham possesses a talent for language. Baby Queen expresses the struggles of adulthood with a sharp sense of urgency, set to upbeat and vibrant pop music. Despite the fast-paced and sometimes dark nature of her lyrics, it is evident that each thought is a new discovery for her. However, her exceptional writing skills are the result of hard work and constant revisions. The raw and unfiltered honesty in her music is what connects her to her fans and has earned her opportunities to open for artists like Olivia Rodrigo on her 2022 Sour tour.
Latham’s first album opens in the midst of a crisis – a familiar setting for her – with the lines “I was weeping at a gathering/ which is not uncommon for me” and continues through 12 songs in this style. Netflix has taken a liking to her, featuring her queer-influenced music prominently in the teenage romantic comedy Heartstopper, a perfect platform for her relatable self-absorption. “What if my prime years are already behind me?” she questions on the track Quarter Life Crisis. But as her popularity grows, this notion seems less and less plausible.
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Baby Queen is currently touring the UK and Ireland until November 21st, with the release of “Quarter Life Crisis”.
Source: theguardian.com
