- Bryon Harris
BeLL - 'Bang Bang (Remember My Name)
It has been said that the cream rises to the top - a great artist cannot go unnoticed for long and this is the case with alternative pop singer-songwriter, BeLL. After earning major creds and kudos for her songwriting work with Natalie Imbruglia and The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue, she collaborated with renowned producer/songwriters Giorgio Moroder (Daft Punk) and David Hodges (Kelly Clarkson, 5 Seconds of Summer) and landed her songs in a Volkswagen Super Bowl commercial, The Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars. Her latest hot single, “Bang Bang (Remember My Name) is the new trailer for ABC Family’s “Famous In Love” and it’s definitely chart topping material.
The song opens like a lonely street in Paris as an accordion plays a longing melody that sounds reminiscent of a black and white film (or a faded relationship) played in 6/8 time accompanied by short staccato guitar chords plucked on the beat. BeLL enters on the first verse with a clear mellow voice full of natural character, “Do you remember? Used to take your time when we kissed good night ‘Cause I do.” It only takes eight seconds to be sold on BeLL - her artistry is that obvious.
The arrangement of the song continues to build with strings playing long lines and heavy piano chords on beats 1 and 4 as BeLL sings, "You crossed the line qnd then I lost my mind. Broken bottles, slammin doors. Is this love or war? “ The chorus itself drops like a bang with a full string section hammering away on the eights, adding texture, and this musical tension hits the bottom of the heart like a raw wound. BeLL delivers the lyrics with gripping emotion depicting the end of a relationship that once left shivers down her spine and the longing to relive those moments again, even if it’s the last time. In other words, why not go out with a bang? After you are hit with the full wall of emotion, the song enters a really nice groove with a drumbeat that snaps showcasing the superior production of this song. Ending with an alternative outro, the song doesn’t “go down in flames “ - it's on fire and BeLL’s name will certainly be remembered.
Check out the lyric video of "Bang Bang (Remember My Name):
Someday very soon, it is highly likely that BeLL will be a bonafide pop star in her own right and fans who hear her for the first time will be surprised that she ever wrote songs for other artists. March was a major month for BeLL including appearances at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood and a spot on the Official SXSW Grammy Museum showcase. Additionally, BeLL just released her second original single, "Outlaw" which has already been recognized by ADIDAS and used in their ADIDAS TERREX brand film. For more about BeLL, check out her website.