Q&A: Bee Blackwell Discusses Her New EP ‘Nine Lives’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SHEIRDAN AGUILAR ☆
INTRODUCING BEE BLACKWELL: AUSTIN’S RISING ALT-ROCK VOICE — Bee is an Austin, TX-based artist crafting '90s-inspired alternative rock infused with raw emotion, introspective lyrics, and soaring, majestic vocals. Their music channels the heart of coming-of-age moments—both past and present—resonating deeply with listeners navigating their own personal journeys. A longtime musician, Bee grew up playing in rock bands throughout high school and college before turning to the internet in 2023, where her covers of emo and grunge favorites quickly went viral. Those early posts sparked a wave of attention that she’s since channeled into a series of cathartic, original releases that have captivated a rapidly growing fanbase.
Over the past year, Bee has stayed busy, making their SXSW debut in March and playing a string of high-energy shows across Texas. In a rare moment of pause, she returned to her roots, self-producing her upcoming EP, Nine Lives, which drops June 20. The EP serves as both a personal diary and a fearless creative leap.
Sonically, the project blends atmospheric guitar lines, steady percussive grooves, and a touch of early-2000s emo nostalgia. Lyrically, Nine Lives explores emotional wounds, transformation, and resilience—offering Bee’s most introspective work to date. Vulnerable yet bold, it captures an artist who is unafraid to evolve, take risks, and lay her heart bare.
Read below to see more about the creative process behind their new EP.
LUNA: So, your EP Nine Lives is coming out June 20, right?
BLACKWELL: Yes—June 20!
LUNA: Exciting! How are you feeling about it?
BLACKWELL: I’m excited…and a little scared.
LUNA: Scared?
BLACKWELL: I don’t know—probably more excited than anything. We did this whole trip out to Sonic Ranch in El Paso. It was such a magical experience. There’s no signal out there, so it was literally just all about the music.
LUNA: Wow. Did you record out there? Write?
BLACKWELL: We actually finished writing the songs like a week before going. Then we recorded everything over three days. There wasn’t much writing happening there—it was more like, “Let’s go!”
LUNA: Got it! So, who’s “we” in that process?
BLACKWELL: Well, all my earlier stuff I did completely on my own—no band, no co-writers. But this time, I found my backing band. I gave them the basic song structures, and we built everything out from there.
LUNA: That’s awesome. How did you find your band?
BLACKWELL: Two of them I went to college with. And my bassist, Maria—we played a show without a bassist, and she came up afterward and said, “I’ll literally learn bass for you.” I was like, “You are the sweetest angel ever.” She’s amazing.
LUNA: I love that. So they’ve been with you ever since?
BLACKWELL: Yeah, though we’ll probably have a new drummer and guitarist soon—they're focusing on other projects. But I’m excited for new people and new energy.
LUNA: Would love to hear more about the EP. What are the main themes or inspirations for this project?
BLACKWELL: Like many albums, it started with a breakup. I basically used it like a diary—really fresh emotions. That’s what it’s all about, just working through those feelings.
LUNA: Was that process healing for you?
BLACKWELL: Yeah, I think it definitely helped me process everything. It was both healing and kind of intense.
LUNA: I really like the EP title Nine Lives. How does that tie into everything?
BLACKWELL: It’s kind of that idea that cats have nine lives—so if one ends, there are more to go. If life knocks you down, you get back up again. That’s the message behind it. Totally. A bit of a Chumbawamba vibe—"I get knocked down, but I get up again."
LUNA: Amazing! Can you describe the sound and influences for the EP?
BLACKWELL: I always say it’s ‘90s alternative meets 2000s emo. That’s the sweet spot I aim for. Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Kim Deal’s projects—The Amps, The Breeders—and a band called Helium. All these 90s bands with just one or two amazing records. And, of course, Paramore. I bow at the altar of Hayley Williams.
LUNA: Love those bands! Tell me a little bit about how you got started in music.
BLACKWELL: I’ve been singing forever—basically since I could talk. I started playing guitar when I was 12. In high school, I was in a ska band—I really wanted us to be No Doubt, but we were definitely not No Doubt. Then I started posting covers on TikTok. I didn’t expect anything to happen, but a few videos went viral, and it all kind of started from there.
LUNA: I saw you had some live performance clips on Spotify—were you touring recently?
BLACKWELL: Yeah! I was opening for Julia Wolf, who’s really blowing up now. I’d love to go back on tour. Next year, I want to play ACL. Putting that out into the universe—manifesting it!
LUNA: You’ve already played SXSW, right? How was that?
BLACKWELL: It was really cool. Kind of felt like a swan song, though—I’ve heard they’re downsizing the music portion. But I was grateful. We played at Valhalla, Zilker Brewing, and even a house show—my first one ever! That was super fun. A bunch of great up-and-coming bands were there.
LUNA: What are you hoping to achieve with your music? I know you mentioned ACL, but any big dreams or long-term goals?
BLACKWELL: I mean…might as well be ambitious, right? I want a Grammy. I want to do big arena tours—Billie Eilish-level stuff. Another huge influence is Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins—their whole stage setup is something I totally want to borrow from.
LUNA: That’s awesome. Big goals, but it’s good to think that way. Speaking of ACL, are you originally from Austin?
BLACKWELL: I’m a military kid, so I moved around a lot. But I’ve been in Central Texas for about ten years now.
LUNA: Do you think living in different places influenced your sound?
BLACKWELL: Definitely. I lived in San Diego, so surf punk was big. Blink-182 is from Poway, right near where I lived. Lots of pop punk. I also lived in Hawaii—lots of reggae and chill music there. And now I’m in Austin, which is indie rock heaven.
LUNA: Lots of influences to pull from. I like to ask artists what they do outside of music too. It can be a lot to juggle—what does your life outside of music look like?
BLACKWELL: Funny enough, my day job is also music-related—I work at local music store. So in my free time, I try to stay away from music. I hang out with my cats, play video games—I’ve been playing the remastered Oblivion. I also draw. Just try to give my brain a break.
LUNA: Totally fair. Burnout is real.
BLACKWELL: Yeah, and I think about music constantly—like, what I need to do next. Keeping the creative hamster wheel spinning, checking things off my spreadsheet. It’s a lot.
LUNA: Sounds like a hustle—but clearly it’s paying off! Last question: is there anything you’d want listeners to know about you? Something we didn’t cover?
BLACKWELL: I’d say—come out to my shows! Buy some merch, say hi. I really believe in community and making friends through music. That’s the whole reason I have any kind of platform. So, yeah—please be my friend!
