Believe Me Now?
Believe Me Now? is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Becky Hill, released on 31 May 2024 through Polydor Records and Eko Records. It features collaborations with Self Esteem, Sonny Fodera, Lewis Thompson, Rileasa, and Chase & Status.
Background
Speaking with Ali Shutler for NME magazine about the process of the album, Hill stated:She also confirmed that artists and producers such as Parisi, Mark Ralph, Toddla T, Maur, Solardo, MJ Cole, Jax Jones, Franky Wah, Lewis Thompson, Sonny Fodera and Chase & Status would be featured on the album.Release and promotion
Believe Me Now? was released through Eko and Polydor Records on 31 May 2024. It will be available on streaming, digital download, CD, and various vinyl LP variants.Singles
The album's lead single "Side Effects", a Lewis Thompson-assisted track was released on 12 May 2023. The track peaked at number 35 on UK chart and 12 on UK Dance chart respectively.The second single "Disconnect", a collaboration with an English electronic music duo Chase & Status was released on 14 July 2023. The song peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Hill's sixth and Chase & Status' fifth top-10 single respectively.
"Never Be Alone" was released as the album's third single on 19 January 2024. The song peaked at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Hill's 19th and Fodera's second top-40 single, respectively.
"Outside of Love" was released as the album's fourth single on 28 March 2024. with an accompanying music video being released at the same day. The track peaked at number 54 on UK Singles Chart.
On 1 May 2024, "Right Here" was released as the fifth single from the album.
On 24 May 2024, Hill released the song "True Colours" with British singer-songwriter Self Esteem as the sixth single from the album.
"Multiply" was released on 31 May 2024 as the album's seventh single. A "rave edit" of the song was released on 5 July 2024, followed by a CamrinWatsin remix the following week.
On 29 November 2024, Hill released a remix version of "Swim" with American DJ and producer MK as the eighth single from the album.
Live performances
Hill performed "Disconnect" alongside Chase & Status at the Brit Awards 2024 ceremony on 2 March. She included "Disconnect", "Never Be Alone", "Outside of Love", "Right Here", and "True Colours" as part of her setlist during BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend at Stockwood Park in Luton on 24 May.Critical reception
Ed Power for iNews called the record a heartfelt and courageous album, stating that with her second studio album Hill is "a force to be reckoned with in her own right", and named the tracks "True Colours" and "Lonely Again" as the album highlights. Mike DeWald for Riff Magazine praised Becky Hill's "immense" growth as an artist and vocalist, declaring that with her second album Believe Me Now? Hill "finds her voice and carves out her own space in the pop landscape", as well calling Hill a "pop vocal powerhouse with plenty on her mind". He went further saying that Hill's provides "a high-flying record that achieves both singalongs and memorable dance floor bangers" and praised the solid songwriting.Joe Muggs for The Arts Desk praised Believe Me Now? for making Hill stand-out from her contemporaries musicians in the dance pop scene, showcasing a "distinct musical identity" which is back-up with "sheer force of personality". Muggs concluded his review saying that this is an album that "powers along on adrenaline and palpable, lived emotion". and named Hill "the real deal".
Track listing
Note- signifies a primary and vocal producer
- signifies an additional producer
- signifies a vocal producer
Personnel
- Becky Hill – lead vocals, background vocals
- Mark Ralph – programming, synthesizer
- Jack Patterson – programming, synthesizer
- Self Esteem – vocals
- Scott Lowe – bass
- The Heritage Orchestra – strings
- Giampaolo Parisi – bass, drums, percussion, sound effects
- Marco Parisi – keyboards, piano, synthesizer
- Sonny Fodera – keyboards
- Neave Applebaum – bass, drums, keyboards
- MJ Cole – piano
- MNEK – background vocals
- John Smith – bass, electric guitar
- Lewis Thompson – keyboards, programming, synthesizer ; drum programming, bass
- Adrian Mcleod – piano, synth bass, synth pads
- Toddla T – drum programming, programming
- Deli OneFourz – additional vocals
- Rileasa – vocals
- Kieran Mcintosh – keyboards
- Matt Colton – mastering
- Kevin Grainger – mastering, mixing
- Chase & Status – mastering, mixing, engineering
- Mark Ralph – mixing
- Josh Green – engineering
- Gemma Chester – engineering assistance
- Chris Wheeler – string arrangement
- Clementine Douglas – vocal arrangement
Charts