Becca Means Laces Romance with Remorse in New Single “My Darling”
☆ BY Rachel R. Carroll ☆
Photo by Le3ay
WHETHER SHE’S PAUSING TO FIND THE PERFECT WORD to express herself while answering questions, steadily working to accrue a massive social media following, or shelving a project for nearly a year before revisiting it with newfound maturity, Becca Means doesn’t mind waiting. Through her patience, the pop singer-songwriter demonstrates the understanding that some things are better with time. Recently, the payoff has proved to be worth the wait: After years of posting covers on TikTok, Means’ debut single, “My Darling,” is out now.
When I spoke to Means, she was still settling into her new, sparsely furnished Los Angeles apartment. After several of her TikToks — some musical clips, some comedy — helped her build a fanbase and garner the attention of executives who would eventually become her team, she was able to relocate to LA to pursue her dream of making music. In a video posted back in June announcing her debut single, Means reminisced on how, during the time she began posting those videos, she had been working at a coffee shop, simply trying to save up enough money for a car of her own. Three million followers later, the singer-songwriter is now backed by Full Stop, the same management company behind stars such as Harry Styles and Meghan Trainor.
“I’ve always been super inspired by the ’50s and ’60s kind of bubblegum pop,” Means says of her own sound. This comes across readily in the doo-wop–inspired harmonies of “My Darling,” a song written and co-produced by Means herself.
Originally, the track was called “My Darling, My Angel” or “MDMA,” and it was meant to be a love song. “It was just a verse and a chorus that we left for, like, a year,” Means recalls.
But, as chance would have it, by the time she and her co-producer, Slush Puppy, returned to the song, Means was going through a breakup.
“I was updating him on what had happened in my life and then I was like, ‘You know what? I think we should make this into a breakup anthem,’” Means grins. “It was a really fun way to evolve the song, because so much time had passed.”
The time lapse in the song’s creation also imbues the track with a sense of just how much has changed in the relationship at hand. “You hold the key to my heart,” Means sings on the chorus, but a sentiment that should be romantic is laced with irony and regret. “Oh, my darling,” Means concludes, “you’re not an angel after all.”
Recently, Means released a music video accompanying the song, directed and edited by Aerin Moreno. It showcases a series of fast cuts and quick costume changes, heightening the back-and-forth sensation of the song’s “love-hate relationship.” Even though making videos for social media is a big part of Means’ day-to-day life, this was her first time starring in a project in front of a bigger camera.
“But it was a lot easier than I would have thought,” she admits. “When the song came on and I had to sing it, it just felt very natural. I wasn’t acting; I didn’t have to memorize any lines.”
Means confesses that she put a lot of pressure on herself throughout the release, so it was a relief to be involved in the creative process and watch her vision finally come to life. “I can do hard things!” she exclaims, reflecting on everything she’s learned during this experience. “I literally loved it, and I cannot wait to film more music videos because, honestly, that was one of my favorite days ever.”
Means is well aware that people who only know her from her comedy TikToks might be skeptical of her embarking on a musician project. “In reality, I’ve done music my whole life,” she explains. “This is just the tip of the iceberg for what I want to do… I have so many songs and so many feelings and emotions.”
Being able to finally share the music that’s come as a result of her years of hard work is a relief. Plenty of people would be terrified at the idea of their art being visible to millions, but throughout the conversation with Means, she exudes nothing but joy.
“It feels like the biggest weight is off my shoulders,” she says.
