Becky Hill's "Believe Me Now" is Mostly Believable

Becky Hill’s second attempt to break away from being known as a singles artist is a refreshing improvement, but its inconsistency dims the spark.

Becky Hill’s staggering growth into a superstar is well deserved. From her swaggered performances on The Voice UK, her monster 2021 hit “Remember” with David Guetta, and her numerous UK Top 40 hits, Hill’s newer fans have grown to expect floor-filling, brandish dance-pop. Believe Me Now largely delivers just that. But fans that have followed the evolution of Hill’s career over the course of the past decade may be left feeling less than satisfied.

Back in 2016, MK remixed Rudimental’s “Powerless” featuring Becky Hill. This single would be declared a “weapon” in our modern era of dance music. While the original version remains a throwback staple in electronica, MK’s production brings focus to the sheer emotion and power of Hill’s perfectly husky voice, then adds a ton of groove.

This essential record set an expectation for vocal performances during the golden era of deep and progressive house. With over 6.5 million plays on Spotify, it’s evident that many fans still crave this sound from Hill. But in this current era of musical consumption, the overwhelming desire for instant gratification can overshadow creativity, steering an artist away from vulnerability and risk taking.

Make no mistake: Hill takes risks and expresses vulnerability on this release — but only in about half of the tracks. It’s through these numbers that Hill’s undeniable talent shines like a diamond in the rough, but it also highlights the less polished ones.

“Lonely Again” and “Swim” are emotional and honest records with contrasting themes of finding comfort and safety in love, then feeling distance from your partner. The songwriting is poetic, passionate and clever, with beautifully arranged production around her vocal performance.

The last track of the album, “Right Here,” is an uplifting love song that is sure to be played at raver weddings around the globe. “That’s your big anthemic togetherness moment that I felt was the perfect, warm, fuzzy ending to the album,” said Hill.

Becky Hill is at her best when she can freely unleash her mighty voice. In the midst of imperfection, she exudes a brash yet delicate confidence in her vocal ability. She possesses a remarkable talent for maintaining flawless control at the the peak of her vocal range, in both pitch and in power. Tracks are best developed around Hill’s vocal, allowing it to guide the energy and direct the musicality of the production, as Sonny Fodera masterfully executes in “Never Be Alone.” Unfortunately, some of the album’s music makers became susceptible to overproducing, leaving a scattered trail of mediocre music.

“True Colors” featuring Self Esteem is an assertive song about experiencing sexual assault and attempting to confide in your friends who don’t believe you until they experience it themselves. With it’s catchy and empowering lyrics, this would be a bold start to the album. But rigidly cutting through the mix is a slightly off-tempo kick drum that creates a distracting “click” on every downbeat.

Similarly, “Keep Holding On” is a dance-worthy track with nods to classic house. A templated arrangement and excessive engineering nonetheless leave Hill’s voice sounding distant and amateur.

Along with music production missteps, at times, Hill’s sophomore album falls victim to lazy songwriting. “Darkest Hour,” “Outside Of Love,” and “Multiply” mention the both the 3am hour and either deafening noise or silence. Even with predictable lyrics, Hill’s soulful delivery coupled with expert sidechaining make “Darkest Hour” and “Outside Of Love” solid, enjoyable tracks. The meaning behind “Multiply” remains ambiguous, though.

Conversely, Hill teams up with longtime collaborator Karen Poole to flaunt her lyrical panache in “Side Effects” featuring Lewis Thompson and “Disconnect” featuring Chase & Status. “Side Effects” is the very definition of dance-pop. With a bouncy lilt, Hill shamelessly admits to lingering emotions after a breakup. Then, there’s “Disconnect,” the drum and bass anthem heard ’round the world since the Summer of 2023. The lyrics discuss the importance of shifting perspectives and encourage mindfulness and self-care. Besides, “I ain’t gonna lie to you, life’s been fuckin’ life-in’” is a definitively proper way to open a drum and bass track.

Despite the album’s imperfections, Becky Hill is rightfully the undisputed Queen of Dance Pop. Believe Me Now paints a nuanced, mostly favorable picture of Hill’s strengths and weaknesses as an artist.

Fans of Hill’s more recent works will appreciate her approach to this record, firmly embracing her crown and pushing forward unapologetically. Those following since her earlier works, like this writer, will find samplings of the headstrong, impassioned Becky Hill in various stops along the tracklist, though we may have expected more. But as Hill continues to rise and carve out her space, well, you’d better keep watching.

Pick up the album from your favorite streaming platform, or listen on Spotify!