An escapist French getaway turned forlorn songwriting sesh turned lush neo-soul single – Becky and the Birds’ ‘Paris’ premiered on Arvos with Chris Twite last week.

Ever hopped on a plane to escape your feelings? Producer slash Swedish native Thea Gustafsson (who goes by Becky and the Birds) certainly has, and work it did not. In fact, her evasion attempt failed so poorly that she wrote a whole song about it. A really good one, at that. Of her latest single ‘Paris’, she says:

“I wrote this song in a hotel room in the centre of Paris. I was there to have a good time and to free my thoughts for a minute but couldn’t stop thinking about one special person back home. This song is about those feelings, when you’re trying hard to not think about someone or something, and you think that the distance between you will help that. But then you realise that distance does in fact make the heart grow fonder.”

Gustafsson’s songwriting chops are a direct result of her upbringing. Her father was an accordionist (!), her sister harboured a passion for 90s hip-hop and RnB, and Gustafsson herself is a violinist from way back. On ‘Paris’, minimal but lush neo-soul production perfectly complements her rich multi-layered falsetto, which is reminiscent of a modern Kate Bush. Clocking her clear vision for her artistry and her musical polish, it’s crystal clear that she’s spent a lifetime mastering her craft.

Dive into ‘Paris’ by Becky and the Birds below, and keep your eyes and ears peeled for her debut EP ‘Trasslig’ dropping Friday June 12.