The Meaning Behind “Beaches” by Beabadoobee

“Beaches” by Beabadoobee appears on the singer’s third studio album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves. Though the summery track sounds effortless and breezy, the person behind the moniker Beabadoobee, Bea Kristi, had to overcome a deep insecurity about working outside her comfort zone. And she wondered if she could rise to the challenge of working with one of the world’s most revered music producers. Everything inside her screamed “No,” but she persisted through the self-doubt.

So it’s fitting that one of her best-known songs details this nerve-racking experience.

Behind the Lyrics

Kristi worked with Rick Rubin on This Is How Tomorrow Moves. But she was reluctant at first to work with the star producer.

“It just talks about how I was scared to take this opportunity, because I find comfort in being in my house and working with Jacob [Bugden] in a little f**ked-up studio in West London,” she told Elle.

Spinning out on what to say or what to do,
Finding reasons for my constant change in mood.
Said I’ll see it to believe it, but who knows the actual truth?
’Cause I’m sure now, I’m sure.

Technology has allowed young artists to make records in the comfort of their homes. You don’t have the pressure of an expensive recording studio or high-profile producers and musicians. And working with Rubin seemed a long way from her days crafting lo-fi bedroom pop.

A Pep Talk and Working With Rick Rubin at Shangri-La

’Cause days blend to one when I’m on the right beaches,
And the walls painted white, they tell me all the secrets.
Don’t wait for the tide just to dip both your feet in,
’Cause I’m sure now, I’m sure.

When she sings, “Don’t wait for the tide, just to dip both your feet in,” it feels like a real-time pep talk. Here, she uses her anxiety as fuel to propel her forward. The result: a record that feels as zen as one might imagine Rubin’s Malibu studio to be.

Find it hard to say, I know that I’m all right,
Took a while for me to finally realize.
That when I see it, I’ll believe it,
Giving me a peace of mind,
I’m sure now, I’m surе.

Photo by Dave Simpson/WireImage