- Words Notion Staff
We catch up with rising pop artist Vanessa Béjine, who’s making waves with her bold new single, 'Renegade.'
‘Renegade’, by Vanessa Béjine, is a fierce declaration of independence and empowerment and was born out of the artist’s personal battles in the music industry. She opens up about navigating a world filled with manipulative producers and shady deals, and how refusing to compromise her values inspired the creation of this defiant anthem.
In this interview, she talks about collaborating with producer Eleni Thompson to shape the cinematic, dramatic sound of ‘Renegade,’ and how they push each other creatively. She also shares insights on how she balances personal storytelling with creating music that resonates on a universal level. The single is also taken from Vanessa’s upcoming album, Baal-Perazim, which she calls her “breakthrough” project. Rooted in themes of faith, resilience, and overcoming adversity, the record is a deeply personal reflection of her life experiences. With tracks like ‘Wicked Women’ and ‘Victory,’ she explores everything from workplace struggles to ultimate triumph, promising a powerful emotional journey for listeners.
As she gears up for the release of Baal-Perazim this November, Vanessa gives fans a taste of what’s to come, teasing dynamic visuals and an album full of raw emotion, fresh sounds, and plenty of surprises. She’s ready to shake up the pop scene and is doing so on her terms.
‘Renegade’ feels like such a bold statement of empowerment. What personal experiences inspired you to write this anthem of defiance and individuality?
‘Renegade’ came about due to my experiences in the music industry. It is like the devil’s playground: very toxic, shady and manipulating. It tends to be a more male-dominated industry (though I do feel like that is changing) and the producers I came across really tried to control, and manipulate me, as if I would never make it in the industry without them. They would tell me who I could associate with and who I couldn’t if I worked with them, try and date me, keep the rights to my masters, and bribe me to do more records with them in exchange for my masters. Of course, I never did any of these things. I may have been new to the game, but I definitely wasn’t stupid. I went through so many producers because of situations like this, before I finally found one I was comfortable with and latched onto. A lot of producers I never even recorded one song with because I recognised them by their “fruit,” as I state in my song. “Fruit” refers to a person’s actions, behaviours and the results of their life. The Bible teaches us that a bad tree cannot bear good fruit, implying that a person’s true nature will be revealed over time through their actions. If someone has a corrupt or immoral heart (the bad tree), it will eventually show in their behaviour (the bad fruit). Similarly, a person with good character will naturally produce good results or actions. As a result, I took what I learned from this experience and decided to play their game like a “renegade” instead of giving up hope.
Can you tell us about the meaning of your upcoming album titled Baal-Perazim and how it ties into the themes of overcoming adversity?
Baal-Perazim means “Lord of Breakthroughs”. This album is all based on my life experiences of hardships and how I’ve overcome them with God. Hence, this is my breakthrough album. With songs like ‘Perseverance’ stemming from all odds being against me and nothing going right in my life for numerous years, but not giving up and persevering through it all. Or ‘Wicked Women’ which is a song about being continuously harassed, threatened and stalked by women in a workplace. They gathered together to try and get me out, when they felt I was a threat and taking away their power, but I chose the path of righteousness. The sweetest revenge is success. The album ends with the song ‘Victory’, which is a great song about strength, triumph and overcoming adversity. These are just a few examples of what the album holds.
You worked with the incredible Eleni Thompson on ‘Renegade’. How did your collaboration with her shape the song’s cinematic pop song vibe?
‘Renegade’ is a cinematic pop song, with deep dramatic vibes that hit with every beat of the drum and soft angelic vocals that are almost haunting. Eleni and I feed off of each other. I will come to her with an idea for a song and we build off one another. We lay down the basic foundation and melody we want and during the recording process, we always hear something that we think will sound good and try it out. We love it the majority of the time , but there have been very few times when we laughed and were like, ‘Omg, what were we thinking?’. It always helps to have a second ear, and over the years Eleni has really learnt and developed my sound and what I like, so we create extremely well together.
The lyrics in ‘Renegade’ speak to breaking free from societal constraints. As an artist, how do you balance creating music that’s both personal and universally relatable?
I think writing from a place of personal experience really helps. I’m not writing about riches and fame, which everyone can’t relate to, but I tend to write more about the normal challenges of life, such as doubt, loneliness, financial struggle, wanting to give up etc. The music is for the people, the lyrics are for myself. Having both resonate with listeners is the ultimate goal, but sometimes you need the music and sometimes you need the lyrics.
With the explosive energy of ‘Renegade’ and the visuals planned for the music video, what can fans expect in terms of the aesthetic and mood of this new era in your career?
All I can say is, stay close and find out, but I don’t like to do anything mediocre.
As you prepare for the release of Baal-Perazim in November, how does ‘Renegade’ set the tone for the rest of the album? Will we see more of that rebellious spirit throughout the project?
I think ‘Renegade’ might be the most rebellious of them all, when it comes to this album. ‘Renegade’ is only a tiny taste of what this album has to offer. I hope you are hungry because Baal-Perazim is here to fill you up and fuel your soul! It’s a thrilling, emotional roller-coaster full of highs and lows, vulnerability, inspiration and triumph. From retro-synth waves, to pop, and even dance tracks to get you going. There is something for everyone on this album.
Your music fuses storytelling with fresh, edgy sounds. How do you approach the balance between delivering an emotional narrative and maintaining a modern, upbeat sound?
Working with the right producer really helps. I also know what I like and I try to stay on top of what music is trending. At the same time, I want to stay authentic to my sound and continue to create music that I love while sounding unlike anyone else.
What do you think it means to be a “renegade” in today’s pop culture and music scene, where so many voices are competing for space?
To me being a renegade means defying the norm. You abandon your cause of beliefs that you perceive as “the right thing” to beat all odds. The term can be used in both negative and positive ways depending on whether the act of rebellion or defection is seen as treacherous or bold and courageous.
You’ve got some exciting performances and events planned to celebrate the release of ‘Renegade’. How are you preparing for this next chapter, and what are you most excited for your fans to experience?
A lot of prayer and rehearsing is how I am preparing. I am definitely most excited for everyone to hear this album! I’ve been holding onto it for so long, I can’t wait to finally release it into the world!