Betsy is one of those artist who if she was born in a different era she would be a global superstar, her sound is just timeless and she proved that with her self titled debut album back in 2017. Now she’s opened up her 2020 account with her latest offering Behind Her Smile, a powerfully poignant single where Betsy honestly portrays her own battle with depression and anxiety with unapologetic raw emotion that makes this her most vulnerable piece yet.
“I wrote Behind Her Smile during a particularly difficult time for me,” Betsy explains. “It confronts battling with depression and anxiety and the inner demons that taunt you on a daily basis, with the knowledge that, though some days will be better than others, you can never beat the daemon, but to the outside world “with perfect nails, she never fails to be the life, the soul, the party”. I know that this is a reality many share with me.”
These are some of the rawest portrayals of mental health lyrically that I’ve ever heard with the lyric, “She turns on the taps and wonders how to drown herself today / Wonders if she’ll make it out okay,” being absolutely heartbreaking to hear. The whole piece is fundamentally human, discussing issues many people suffer with visceral emotion reflected through the somber piano melody and evocative vocals to match. This track sends shivers down my spine and has me reaching for the tissues, utterly beautiful.