[FEATURE] VIPER PRESENTS: BEX

Rapidly rising British rapper-singer-songwriter Bex is one of gen-Z’s most promising new talents. Having already supported the likes of M Huncho and Russ Millions in the live space, Bex’s music draws from an early life lived globally across London, Botswana, Brunei and Belgium, resulting in a unique and compelling signature sound. Get familiar…

What five words define your sound?

Melodic, timeless, experimental, vulnerable, warm.

Tell me something unique about your creative process?

Lyrics come last during the creative process. I begin a project with solely the melody in mind, and allow the lyrical content and narrative to reveal itself naturally. This happens via freestyling random flows over a chord sequence or instrumental, and then recognising words in the freestyle based on the cadence or percussive sound.

Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?

‘Uptown’.

What inspired you to make that song?

Entering a new relationship with blind love, and then realising that nothing is ever perfect, regardless of how it may seem in the moment.

What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?

In the process of writing ‘Lie Low’, I touched on themes which were more ‘close to home’. That was a rare case of properly refining the lyrics as the way to portray my emotion, rather than that being from the melodies and flows.

What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?

In 2023 I performed to 10,000 at the Brussels festival Couleur Café alongside other Belgium-based artists and it was easily the best night of my life.

What is your favourite song to perform?

In the past it would have been ‘Seventeen’, but I’m currently refining an acoustic live set including ‘Miss Me’, ‘Uptown’ and other guitar based tracks off ‘The Acoustic’ EP, and the rehearsals have convinced me that these upcoming acoustic performances will be the most significant to date.

Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?

My brother teaching me how to produce and write music via GarageBand in 2013 was the root of my passion to become a successful recording artist.

What’s the meaning behind your name?

The word ‘Bex’ if separated phonetically reads ‘Be X’. A representation and reminder that it’s our responsibility to be or take action towards becoming whatever your ‘X’ is. 

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?

I would be an entrepreneur following my other passion that is fashion design, perhaps launching a fashion brand.

What’s success to you?

The fulfilment or satisfaction in completing something, as well as the idea of total freedom.

What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?

After arriving back from a holiday to Tenerife, I was confronted by the reality of my status and life situation, which led me to see how unsatisfied and ready for change I actually was. This fresh perspective allowed for me to discover a new creative process which in turn led me to creating songs I’m to this day the most proud of.

Where can people keep in touch with you?

‘Bex.cd’ or ‘Bex’ on all socials. Instagram | TikTok | Spotify