New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Multi-Platinum alt-pop visionary BENEE serves up a brand new single "Animal," out now via Republic Records/Universal Music.
"Animal" illuminates BENEE's penchant for undeniable and unpredictable pop songcraft. A quirky beat sets the track in motion, which is accented by a glimmering loop and glitchy echoes. BENEE transfixes with a hummable hook, singing, "And you can't stay mad at me, I'm just an animal. A micro-celebrity, but I mean nothing at all." Stay tuned for the release of the music video, coming soon.
On the song, BENEE shares, "'Animal' is a song I wrote when I felt extreme existential dread. When flying in a plane on tour, looking down onto what looks like an ant-like world really inspired the lyrics. How huge something feels when you're in it, but zoomed out so SMALL. I love thinking about life like that."
"I thought about this concept long and hard, and I feel we can only be playful with the thought of how insignificant and small we are compared to the universe. There's peace in not knowing what anything is here for. It makes me want to enjoy everything in life even more," she says.
BENEE says about the video, "We shot the 'Animal' video in Sydney when I was there on tour. Directed by Keith Herron and shot mainly on green screen, there was so much we could do creatively in post. We had a lot of fun with the story and creating a crazy visual world to live beside the song!"
"Animal" arrives on the heels of her latest fan favorite single "Sad Boiii." Rolling Stone Australia called the song a "breezy genre-blender," while Stereogum hailed BENEE an "alt-pop darling." Popdust declared, "She has the ability to slam a catchy hook into a fun chorus, and that's exactly what she's done again with 'Sad Boiii.'"
In addition to releasing "Animal," this week marks the 5th anniversary of her Double-Platinum Certified global smash hit "Supalonely." To celebrate, BENEE is launching a signed 7" vinyl of the breakthrough single, set for release on December 6th, alongside new and exclusive anniversary merch.
Today, it was also announced that BENEE will support Tate McRae on the UK and European leg of her 2025 global "Miss Possessive Tour" next summer, hitting legendary arenas including across the region. Tickets will be available via pre-sale starting next week and general on-sale on November 22nd. See the full list of tour dates below.
This year, BENEE has continued to captivate audiences with her live performances on tour. She has recently shared the stage with Olivia Rodrigo on her GUTS Tour in Australia, in addition to hitting the road with Wallows across their North American run earlier this fall, with more soon-to-be-announced tour dates coming up in 2025.
"Animal" and "Sad Boiii" mark the New Zealand-born, Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter's return since a busy 2023, which included the release of her critically acclaimed single "Green Honda" and collaborations with Mallrat on "Do It Again" (the Official Song for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™) and Phoenix, Chad Hugo, and Pusha T on their song "All Eyes On Me." Not to mention, she joined forces with New Zealand mental health charity Youthline and leading neuroscientists on the song "Bagels," which is scientifically designed to help reduce anxious feelings. Stepping into another realm as an actress for the very first time, she also notably shines on screen in the New Zealand independent film, Head South. In addition, she co-wrote "How Sweet" for K-Pop sensation NewJeans.
2025 UK & European Tour Dates (Supporting Tate McRae):
5/7 - Lisbon, Portugal - MEO Arena
5/9 - Madrid, Spain - Palacio Vistalegre
513 - Stuttgart, Germany - Schleyer-Halle
514, - Antwerp, Belgium - Sportpaleis
5/16 - Dublin, Ireland - 3Arena
5/19 - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
5/20 - London, UK - The O2
5/23 - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
5/24 - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
5/27 - Paris, France - Accor Arena
5/28 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
5/30 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Royal Arena
6/1 - Stockholm, Sweden - Avicii Arena
6/3 - Hamburg, Germany - Barclays Arena
6/4 - Berlin, Germany - Uber Arena
6/6 - Lodz, Poland - Atlas Arena
6/8 - Vienna, Austria - Wiener Stadthalle - Halle D
6/10 - Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Arena
6/11 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
6/13 - Bologna, Italy - Unipol Arena
6/16 - Cologne, Germany - Lanxess Arena
6/18 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
BENEE strikes a fragile chord between extremes. On one hand, she writes songs with open-hearted emotionality tailormade for lonely listening sessions on headphones at 3AM. On another hand, she serves up festival-ready anthems, teeming with childlike curiosity and otherworldly energy. The multi-platinum New Zealand-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and producer collages together glassy melodies, inventive instrumentation, enigmatic production, enticing storytelling, and larger-than-life visuals to build a living and breathing world of her own. Her music has revolved around this balance since she emerged in 2017. She arrived as a global phenomenon in the wake of her Double-Platinum smash "Supalonely" feat. Gus Dapperton. It set the stage for her 2020 full-length debut, Hey u x. The latter saw her collaborate with the likes of Grimes, Lily Allen, Flo Milli, Kenny Beats, Bakar, and Muroki. Earning critical acclaim, Interview Magazine christened her "one of Gen Z's leading rockstars," and DAZED dubbed her "a voice of the pandemic generation." She sold out headline shows on multiple continents and delivered stunning television performances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Late Night with Seth Meyers. Beyond tallying streams in the billions, she garnered over a dozen Platinum and Gold Certifications around the globe. She notably teamed up with Mallrat for "Do It Again," which FIFA chose as the Official Song for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. On top of touring with the likes of Wallows and Olivia Rodrigo, she notably recently made her big screen debut in the indie film Head South. Now, BENEE welcomes everyone into the embrace of her world on a series of 2024 singles and more to come.
