Bea Maher's contemplative "Can't Love" comes from the soul

Introspection and intimacy are where Bae Maher’s music thrives. She makes music that is deeply intentional and even more deeply personal. She shares that “with every lyric, I lay bare the highs and lows of love's emotional rollercoaster," and on her latest offering, "Can't Love", she explains that "this track
is my soul poured into music, resonating deeply with the rawness of human emotion.” Cutting straight to the point both in title and narrative, its simple and contemplative lyrics cut a deep wound. "Don’t you betray me that weren’t part of the plan", she sings in the verse, and the repeating, "I can’t love you like you want me to / you’re only gonna get mad" in the chorus is particularly affecting.

It is no wonder that the artists her work is inspired by are the likes of Lianne La Havas and Cleo Sol, alongside the lyrical work of Amy Winehouse. "Can’t Love" is a fitting example of where such emotions like desire and heartbreak find their place. Reflecting on what led to the creation of the track, Maher muses that it “is my heart spilled out in song. Its soulful melody, wrapped in heavenly harmonies, mirrors the complexities of unrequited love, a journey I intimately understand."

Indeed, each vocal and harmony on the track is Maher’s own voice, and every added layer highlights just how personal her music is to her. Adding that the song is completely self-written, it’s the perfect way to introduce herself as a musician who can carry her own weight. Her influence goes into the production of the track; the bass line is the sonic that makes you want to move, and the guitar that floats throughout is reminiscent of understated ‘90s R&B acoustic tracks, staying with you even as the song fades out. Having studied at the acclaimed British Institute of Modern Music you can tell that it has been fruitful and allowed her to find balance in how to use the tools she has at her disposal.

Hailing from South London, her music invites us to visualise the world that surrounds her. She is able to reimagine the soulful work that came before her and add herself into the pack of artists who use R&B and soul to lay out their feelings on a platter, as a way of processing and understanding. When she says it is her heart spilled out in song she means it, and more importantly you can hear it.