Stella & Steve
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Stella & Steve
| type = ep
| artist = Benee
| cover = Steve & Stella by Benee.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2019|11|15|df=yes}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Electronic|R&B{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/benee-interview-stella-steve-ep-8543343/ |title=Benee Finds Her 'Island' in the Sun With Shimmering New EP. Rising New Zealand pop singer Benee on her new EP Stella & Steve, a tight handful of R&B and electronic-tinged pop tracks that showcase where she is here and now. |magazine=Billboard |date=13 November 2019 |accessdate=28 January 2022}}|pop}}
| length = 17:24
| label = Republic
| producer = {{hlist|Joshua Fountain{{efn|All tracks}}|Gus Dapperton{{efn|Track 2}}|Djeisan Suskov}}
| prev_title = Fire on Marzz
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Hey U X
| next_year = 2020
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Stella & Steve
| type = EP
| single1 = Find an Island
| single1date = 11 October 2019
| single2 = Monsta
| single2date = 1 November 2019
| single3 = Supalonely
| single3date = 6 December 2019
}}
}}
Stella & Steve is the second extended play by New Zealand singer Benee, released on 15 November 2019 by Republic Records.
It was supported by three singles; "Find an Island", "Monsta", and "Supalonely", featuring Gus Dapperton, which the latter went viral on social networking service TikTok in 2020. Commercially, Stella & Steve peaked at number 19 on the New Zealand Albums Chart and the ARIA Albums Chart, number 91 on the Canadian Albums Chart, number 138 on the US Billboard 200, and number 150 on the French Albums Chart.
Background
Detailing the inspiration behind the EP title, Bennett said: "I am Stella and my car is called Steve".{{cite web |url=https://www.nzmusic.org.nz/news/artist/benee-unveils-new-ep-stella-steve/ |title=Benee unveils new ep Stella & Steve! |work=NZ Music |date=15 November 2019 |accessdate=26 December 2019}} Her car Steve, featured on the cover, is a Honda Integra DC2, which also serves as the namesake for the upcoming track Green Honda.{{Cite news |last=Henderson |first=Taylor |date=1 November 2022 |title=BENEE teases new music at ACL, reflects on "one-hit wonder" fears |work=Alternative Press |url=https://www.altpress.com/benee-interview/ |access-date=18 January 2023}}
Promotion
The lead single, "Find an Island", was released on 11 October 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.coupdemainmagazine.com/nz-air/16062 |title=Listen: Benee's new single, 'Find an Island' |work=Coup De Main Magazine |date=11 October 2019 |accessdate=11 October 2019 |author=Riddell, Rose}}
The second single, "Monsta", was released on 1 November 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.onestowatch.com/blog/benee-doesnt-want-you-to-be-afraid-of |title=Benee doesn't want you to be afraid of the "Monsta" that goes bump in the night |work=Ones to Watch |date=1 November 2019 |accessdate=1 November 2019 |author=Brown, Bianca}}
The EP's third and final single, "Supalonely", featuring Gus Dapperton, was released on 6 December 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/benee-supalonely-gus-dapperton/ |title=Benee releases an upbeat alternative-pop tune, entitled, "Supalonely", featuring Gus Dapperton |work=Bong Mines Entertainment |date=3 December 2019 |accessdate= 24 January 2020 |author=Thomson, Zangba}}{{cite web |url=http://pilerats.com/written/light-easy/must-listen-singles-benee-spacey-jane-young-franco-more/ |title=This Week's Must-Listen Singles: Benee, Spacey Jane, Young Franco + more |work=Pilerats |date=December 2019 |accessdate=24 January 2020 |author=Davies, Hayden}}
Critical reception
Gab Ginsberg from Billboard described the EP as "a tight handful of R&B and electronic-tinged pop tracks that showcase where she is here and now" and "serving as a more chill companion to the bubbly Fire on Marzz EP."{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8543343/benee-interview-stella-steve-ep/ |title=Benee finds her 'Island' in the sun with shimmering new EP |magazine=Billboard |date=13 November 2019 |accessdate=26 December 2019 |author=Ginsberg, Gab}}
Nathan Gunn of Tone Deaf called the EP "Benee's most emotional and well-constructed work, which becomes especially apparent in latter tracks like 'Drifting' and 'Blu'."{{cite web|url=https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/benee-stella-steve/ |title='Stella & Steve' is Benee's most assured work yet, here's why |work=Tone Deaf |date=15 November 2019 |accessdate=26 December 2019 |author=Gunn, Nathan}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| total_length = 17:24
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Find an Island
| writer1 = {{hlist|Stella Rose Bennett|Joshua Fountain|Jason Schoushkoff}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|Fountain|Djeisan Suskov}}
| length1 = 3:12
| title2 = Supalonely
| note2 = featuring Gus Dapperton
| writer2 = {{hlist|Bennett|Jenna Andrews|Fountain|Brendan Patrick Rice}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|Fountain|Dapperton}}
| length2 = 3:43
| title3 = Monsta
| writer3 = {{hlist|Bennett|Fountain|Schoushkoff}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|Fountain|Suskov}}
| length3 = 3:41
| title4 = Drifting
| note4 = featuring Jack Berry
| writer4 = {{hlist|Bennett|Damin McCabe|Fountain|Schoushkoff}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|Fountain|Suskov}}
| length4 = 3:23
| title5 = Blu
| writer5 = {{hlist|Bennett|Andrews|Fountain}}
| extra5 = Fountain
| length5 = 3:22
}}
Personnel
=Musicians=
- Stella Rose Bennett – writing, vocals {{small|(1–5)}}
Other musicians
- Josh Fountain – writing {{small|(1–5)}}
- Djeisan Suskov – writing {{small|(1, 4)}}
- Brendan Patrick Rice – writing, vocals {{small|(2)}}
- Jenna Andrews – writing {{small|(2, 5)}}
- Jason Schoushkoff – writing {{small|(3)}}
- Damin McCabe – writing {{small|(4)}}
=Technical=
- Josh Fountain – production {{small|(1–5)}}
- Gus Dapperton – production {{small|(2)}}
- Spike Stent – mixing {{small|(1–5)}}
- Randy Merrill – mastering {{small|(1–5)}}
Charts
Release history
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+Release history and formats for Stella & Steve ! Region ! Date ! Format ! Label ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
scope="row"| Various
| 15 November 2019 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | Republic | {{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/stella-steve-ep/1486925300/ |title=Stella & Steve by Benee on Apple Music |publisher=Apple Music |accessdate=25 December 2019}} |
---|
References
{{Reflist}}
=Notes=
{{Notelist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|14421376}}
{{Benee}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stella and Steve}}