Authenticity Through Creative Expression
By Kayli Corbin
Photography Kimberlee Miller
A fourth-grade girl longingly thinks of a boy. Wondering what her first kiss will be like, what love feels like, and if these thoughts are shared by this boy. He had caught the attention of Bella Mae, who was only 10 at the time. She mistakenly confided in her younger brother and was devastated when he told Matthew of her curiosities! This ten-year-old girl sat in a tree in her front yard, having just tasted the pain of heartbreak that we all have experienced countless times.
In this moment, a singer/songwriter was born. Bella Mae’s first song, 7 days, came to life, allowing her to express her emotions at a very young age. This creative drive continued through her middle school years and into today. She recalls nights when she would wake from sleep, filled with lyrics or rhythms and knew she needed to get them out. She explained that music drained every anger, fear, or sadness within her and allowed her to put those emotions to work. Something we can all relate to, and a staple of Bella Mae’s creation process.
Being in Bella Mae’s presence highlights her humble nature and dedication to music. Her vibe would lead you to believe she’s had many more than 16 rotations around the sun. She emphasized the most important part of what she does in a simple and concise way, “everything I do is based around love.” Her style spans many genres, including indie, R&B, soul, pop, rap, and singer/songwriter. This diversity lends incredibly well to love songs. She can’t help but to write about it and all the associated emotions it can elicit.
She shares her love with advice for the younger generation saying, “People can say whatever they want… in reality, they cannot tell you your art is not art.” That creative expression and spirited approach to creation has allowed Bella Mae to hit over 150,000 views on Spotify in 30 days. Her music speaks to people. Her raw and authentic emotion allows for connection and understanding.
Bella Mae balances an incredibly busy schedule and works tirelessly to reach her goal of creating music to be received by international audiences. She says, “loose sleep now, so you can sleep easy later,” and truly exemplifies that philosophy. She goes to school full time, is in the process of releasing her debut album, models, and manages to maintain a personal life.
We are eager to see Bella Mae’s progression and to listen to her debut album, which is sure to be as personable, raw, and genuine as she is. She says “My upcoming album can easily be described as a silver platter with all my feelings, love stories, tragedies, and heartbreaks on it. The album is me, my heart, and is as real as it gets. Expect vulnerability and authenticity. That is what you’re going to get.”
Follow her journey on Snapchat (@thebellamae), Twitter (@imbellamae), Instagram (@theofficialbellamae), and be SURE to keep an eye out for her debut album coming soon! We’re confident that we’ll be seeing more of Bella Mae and will continue to be graced with her creative expression.
For bookings, please contact Tina at Tatum Productions at tina@tmtvtalent.com.
