Inside Out and Unfiltered: A Conversation with Beth McKenzie on Music, Healing, & Honesty

Beth McKenzie’s music is a bold and unflinching dive into the rawest corners of her own life and experiences. In her songs, she explores the deepest struggles—betrayal, trauma, and self-doubt—with an honesty that resonates and a voice that captivates.

From her breakout single “Inside Out” to the anthemic “She’s Finally Lost It!” Beth proves her artistry knows no boundaries when it comes to self-expression. I sat down with Beth to discuss the stories and the healing power behind her lyrics, her commitment to representation, and her journey from classical roots to the indie-pop stage.

Nicolle: Beth, your track ‘Inside Out’ reflects on a deeply personal experience with betrayal and toxicity. Can you share more about the emotional process behind writing such a raw and honest song?

Beth: Writing Inside Out was one of the most emotionally draining things I’ve ever done, it really messed with my head if I’m honest. However, I think in the long run it’s done me a lot of good. The most important thing for me while writing was protecting my mental health due to the subject matter.  Inside Out was written about the aftermath of a sexual assault, the song explores how I was continually hurt and mistreated by a person I trusted through the investigation in the weeks following the assault.

I had a lot going on at the time, and I was at my most vulnerable, so I kind of just let this person hurt me - it felt like the worst betrayal, both from that person and to myself. I never really processed this until I started writing Inside Out.

It was the first time I had sat down with myself and explored my emotions surrounding the events that unfolded. I just wrote and wrote and wrote, creating the longest, messiest and most honest diary entry that’s ever existed! After this, I broke down passages from what I’d written and put them back together in the form of a song. 

Nicolle: You mentioned that ‘Inside Out’ was difficult to write, and you had to step away from it multiple times. What was the turning point that allowed you to finally finish it?

Beth: This song took almost 6 months to write - which is insane! We must’ve done a dozen sessions writing Inside Out. It was so emotionally intense that I couldn’t think about it objectively - I hated everything we wrote and felt as though I would never be happy with what we created. I was trying to walk the line between staying authentic in the creation of the track and making sure it was finished soon enough to go on my EP. In the end, I said I didn’t want to put it on the EP because I didn’t feel it was good enough, so naturally, the second that time pressure was removed, everything fell into place and I was able to include it in my debut project!

Nicolle: You grew up listening to defiant female artists like Lily Allen and Paloma Faith. How have those influences shaped your own songwriting and sound?

Beth: I adore these two artists and I admire them endlessly. Their early work landed in the music industry at a time when a lot of artists, specifically female artists, didn’t have a lot of power. They pushed the boundaries in terms of sonics, lyrics, and image, and both of them ended up creating something so unique and iconic. It’s incredibly empowering for young girls, such as myself, to see when they’re growing up.

They taught me that it’s okay to be outspoken and live outside of the box. Now, as an adult and a songwriter, I still find it as inspiring as I did a decade ago. I’m not afraid to tackle sensitive subjects in my songwriting or say exactly what I think and I’m able to explore different sonics and genres within the same song!

Nicolle: ‘She’s Finally Lost It!’ tackles the abuse of power in the music industry. What inspired you to turn such a dark topic into an upbeat indie-pop anthem?

Beth: Well initially, She’s Finally Lost It! was going to be a ballad, which I now really struggle to imagine it as! When we started on the track, I’d written a chorus but it wasn’t working. I got quite frustrated because I knew there was a song in there somewhere but couldn’t get to it.

Andy (my producer) and I went for a walk mid-session to clear our heads and I started telling Andy about the bad experiences I’ve had in the music industry and how I felt like I was losing my mind all over again by talking about it. At that point, Andy suggested that we lean into that unhinged feeling of insanity and experiment with some more edgy production, which ended up perfectly capturing the complete insanity of my whole experience. After we decided to go in this different direction, the rest of the song practically wrote itself!

Nicolle: ‘Don’t Tell My Boyfriend’ addresses internalised homophobia, and it resonated on TikTok. How did it feel to have that song gain so much traction and spark conversations online?

Beth: I am so grateful for Don’t Tell My Boyfriend, it has opened so many doors for me and allowed me to continue writing honest songs that resonate with people. This was the first song I’d written after I took a step back from the music industry due to a particularly bad experience so I wasn’t expecting it to be received so well by people! 

I’m really glad that this was the song that gained traction for me as I feel it's the perfect introduction to me as an artist. It’s started many conversations about the presence of internalised homophobia within queer relationships and how it affects everyone involved. I hope that the song has helped queer people feel seen, and helped them realise that their struggles are 100% valid. It’s a privilege to be in the position I am, I’ve been allowed to connect with people on such a personal level and that is something I truly treasure and keep in mind in everything I do.

Nicolle: As a queer artist with an all-female band, you're part of a shift in the industry. How important is representation to you, and how does it influence your music and your artistic identity?

Beth: It’s so incredibly important. In all walks of life, representation plays a huge part in helping people feel understood. My mission, both as an artist and as a person, is to talk about the things that other people don’t want to talk about in the hope of creating a community where everyone is heard.

There are very few feelings that are worse than the feeling of being completely alone, no one deserves to feel like that. I do everything I can, both in and outside of music, to create opportunities and spaces for people to feel understood.  Since a lot of my music is inspired by such personal experiences, I like to surround myself with people who can relate to what I’m feeling. For example, my all-female band - they’re all too aware of the challenges facing women in the music industry. It works two ways as this makes me feel understood as well - which is something that helps me personally!

Nicolle: You’ve evolved from a classical music background to a more indie-pop and alternative sound. How did that transition happen, and what made you gravitate toward this style?

Beth: I grew up playing classical music and loved it. My instrument of choice was the flute and I can still remember how ecstatic I was the day I got it! I think my classical background has influenced my sound today - it helps me with writing and composition and has been a solid foundation for me to build on as a musician. The thing I found with traditional classical music was that I felt it wasn’t quite personal enough for me, hence my transition to pop music! I faced some pretty difficult challenges when I was in my teens and needed an outlet because I wasn’t great at telling people how I felt.

My therapist suggested that I try songwriting to help process my feelings and I found it super effective.  I taught myself how to play the piano to accompany myself when I was writing and I instantly fell in love. Since then, I’ve been experimenting with different sonics and genres and continue to incorporate classical elements into my music! A couple of the tracks on the EP have quite a bit of flute on them.

Nicolle: Your debut EP is set to release this autumn. What themes or stories can fans expect to hear throughout the five tracks?

Beth: I’m so proud of this EP and I’m really proud of myself for creating it but I am anxious about releasing such an intimate body of work into the world. The project deals with a lot of sensitive issues, so it’s not exactly pretty, but I do think there’s something special in its imperfection. The lead track on the EP, ‘The Cult’ is a tongue-in-cheek reflection on the religious/outdated views and practices I grew up around. The lyrics are pretty out there - I reference sexuality, abortion and religious mistreatment.

However, when you listen to it, it’s quite an uplifting song! The last track on the EP, ‘It Won’t Always Feel So Heavy’ is essentially just word vomit. I’ve been battling anorexia and other chronic conditions for almost a decade and I often feel like I’m not making as much progress as people say I will. There are times when I’m terrified that I’m never going to get better and the only thing I can do is hang onto the promise that one day ‘it won’t always feel so heavy’. This track is me laying out my thoughts and feelings exactly as they are.

Nicolle: Songwriting became an outlet for you during a difficult period in your late teens. How has this form of expression helped you cope with personal challenges and shape your career?

Beth: Songwriting was a form of therapy for me long before it was my career. I can’t tell you just how much writing has done for me in my healing journey, no amount of money could do for me what creating music has. This in itself has shaped who I am as an artist, I want my songs to feel as honest and raw as they were when I first started writing for myself. 

Nicolle: With the momentum building around your music and live performances, what excites you most about the future of your career, and what do you hope listeners take away from your music?

Beth: I’m so excited to start performing live! I can’t wait to meet the people who have been following me and my journey for the last couple of years, they’re so important to me.  I hope to continue to start conversations with my music. I'm a huge believer in talking about difficult topics - I don’t think there’s enough space for people to have these conversations.  When people listen to my music, I want them to feel seen and empowered. People tend to forget how much they’re worth, I want to remind people that they’re loved, and important and they deserve to be heard.

Beth McKenzie’s artistry is as much about courage as it is about music. Through her songs, she breaks down walls and extends a hand to those who feel alone in their struggles, turning her personal journey into a shared space of empowerment and understanding. As she prepares to release her debut EP, Beth is only getting started, and her passion for creating music that heals and connects is unmistakable. We can’t wait to see where her path leads and the conversations her music will continue to inspire.

One thing is for sure, keep all eyes on Beth McKenzie! Follow her on Instagram, TikTok / Spotify

Plus, listen to “Inside Out”  HERE on Spotify & everywhere else HERE

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Nicolle Knapova is a little bit of everything. She is a freelance translator, content creator and social media executive for The C Word Mag. She loves indie music and is always browsing through Spotify to find the next amazing artist to obsess over. Her love for storytelling means she’s always writing something and she’s not afraid of any genre. Her biggest dream is to be a published author. If she’s not writing her fan fiction, she’s writing her poetry and sharing it on her Instagram @elisecaverly.