I first came across Leadley, FKA Bethan Leadley, is someone you may know from 4Music as she hosts the chart show but she’s also an extremely talented musician who’s been releasing tracks for over six years now. She’s released multiple tracks and EPS in multiple genres, so watching musical evolution has been a fascinating experience and it’s been a pleasure to see it all lead up to her self titled EP that feels like a defining moment in the young pop stars career.
The EP opens with the lead single Like I Did, it was the first glimpse we got of her new music and when we first heard the track it felt like a real game changer for her. It’s the definition of a bop with Leadley’s vocal radiating with confidence combined with an array of 90’s pop inspired synths that come alive during the drop. The lyrics tell the story of falling so madly in love with someone that they plan their whole with them before having it all come crashing down and on top of all that there is a music video that is very aesthetically pleasing.
We’ve seen how she can handle a big pop anthem, now we see how she can handle a tender ballad that will have you reaching for the tissues. Never Knew Love shows a gentle side to her vocal with an alluring soundscape that has an intimate vibe that helps enhance the emotive power behind those heart wrenching lyrics. It’s the type of track you can belt out in your room after a bad breakup to help heal your pain.
We’re back to another pop anthem here with Kids going for a more laidback approach. When it comes to love we often yearn for that time when we were younger when love felt so fresh, new and spontaneous but often we forget about the stupidity that pain that come along with it and as we get older we sometimes learn that childhood romances aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Leadley captures this message effortlessly with an tender soundscape mixed with her poignant vocal.
The EP ends with a track that focuses on a subject a lot of people in her audience will have experienced, caring too much about what people think of them. Life Of The Party turns life into a party where at the start everyone is scared about what others will think if they begin to dance but as the night goes on and people get looser you begin to become more confident and live in the moment and dance to the beat of your own drum. It’s the perfect note to end this EP on.
This EP is a defining moment in Leadley’s pop career and demonstrates how far she has come since her early days. A new pop star has been born.