Since the release of Canadian artist Betta Lemme's debut EP Bambola, Betta has continued to see her stock rise with the releases of "Kick The Door", "I'm Bored", and "Ce Soir" in the lead up to her sophomore EP Ready for the Weekend. To coincide with the release, Betta Lemme sat down with EARMILK to chat about the sophomore EP, a project Betta saw as the right cathartic artform of choice to express herself vocally and textually.
"Writing is truly cathartic," Lemme says to EARMILK at the top of our chat, "However I did have some difficulty finding the words during this chapter of life and I learned that taking a step back is important."
This might sound wild, but Lemme never felt as if there really was a start to the creative process for her sophomore EP, and at this point in her career, is still trying to make sense of it [the EP]. However, the initial thought of a second EP dates back to Lemme's debut EP, which is her baby per se. Lemme's debut EP was written with gusto, sans limitations and that can be heard in the final product, "I was able to put all of me in those songs, thanks to Rick Markowitz and Scott Harris," Lemme continues in our chat. "It’s a body of work that I’m incredibly proud of."
The dust hasn’t settled yet and things are still blurry which is why the album cover is what it is… I’m just trying to make the best of it.
Lemme's early work was filled with vibrant royal colors… gold, silver, crimson… rich and worldly in both sonics, vibrations, intent, and texture. It encapsulated her dreams, aspirations and gave her strength. However, Lemme's sophomore EP feels different, as initially, Lemme wanted to sing about being empowered and be as vocal about her thoughts as she was on her first EP, and in fact, some of those notions are spread throughout a song like "GIRLS".
"I like the story behind GIRLS because it’s about a letter I gave to my mom when I was a kid," Lemme explains on the meaning of the song, "and her reaction was one that I wish every parent would have."
As Lemme's environment changed, so did her songs, "I love the weekend was born out of sarcasm," Lemme reveals. "GIRLS, (which was supposed to be an EP on its own) somehow made it onto this EP as well."
"The creative journey with this EP has kept me on my toes, to say the least! I think the songs that weren’t included will be much better suited for the future."
While there are five songs in total across nearly 14 minutes of runtime, "I’M GOOD", is one of two further songs of interest as it was a song Lemme wrote nearly 10 years ago, and it is a song that goes hand-in-hand with another song titled "Ce Soir", due to the fact both of the songs include French. "[I'm] glad that these bilingual songs were included because that is how I started my project and how I plan on continuing it," Lemme tells EARMILK. "As a Montrealer of Italian origins, I think it’s only natural."
With that said though, "I'M GOOD" additionally has a sense of sarcasm in its lyrics, which has been a useful coping mechanism Lemme leaned on over the last couple of years.
This group of songs was put together amidst a tumultuous time in my life. The dust hadn’t settled and this EP reflects that.
Ready for the Weekend is just the latest phase in Betta Lemme's affluent music career. With this release, you're getting five songs that touch on personal notions, struggles, and triumphs that showcase the best production and writing aspects of her career to date. "I remember being a kid and going to school and looking forward to the weekend," Betta continues. "But as I grew up, I noticed how the workweek would take my mind off of real-life depression or anxiety."
