A rising star: Baby Queen

At the age of 18, Arabella Latham, a singer-songwriter from South Africa, relocated from Durban to London with aspirations of becoming a pop/rock sensation. However, she struggled to replicate the success of her idols Taylor Swift and Courtney Love. Due to drug use, excessive time on social media, and heartbreak, Latham was unable to release any music for many years. However, in 2020, under the name Baby Queen, she discovered how to channel her emotions into her music. This caught the attention of a devoted fanbase, known as the Baby Kingdom, and led to a record deal.

At the age of 26, Latham has a talent for expressing herself through words. Baby Queen’s music captures the struggles of transitioning into adulthood with striking clarity, set to upbeat and catchy pop beats. Despite the fast-paced delivery and occasional darker themes in her songs, it’s evident that each idea is a new revelation to her. Achieving such high-quality writing requires a clear vision and constant refinement. The raw honesty in her music is what connects Baby Queen to her fanbase and has earned her opportunities to open for artists like Olivia Rodrigo on her 2022 Sour tour.

Latham’s first album opens during a crisis, which is also her preferred setting. The first two lines, “I was crying at a party/ which is not unusual of me,” set the tone for the 12 songs that follow. Netflix has become enamored with her music, particularly her queer-themed songs, and has featured them prominently in the teen romantic comedy Heartstopper. This has provided the perfect platform for her relatable self-absorption. In the title track “Quarter Life Crisis,” Latham expresses her fear that her best years may be behind her, but this seems less and less probable as her career continues to flourish.