Photo Credit: Elliot Weaver
Today, Los Angeles-based artist Bella Moore returns with the video for her debut single “Benny Valentine,” released this summer via Rain Phoenix’s label, LaunchLeft. First premiered via Flaunt Magazine, the video is directed by Ben Howley (Limo) and follows Bella on a whimsical summer night with a lover, perfectly encapsulating the hauntingly beautiful essence of the track. LaunchLeft’s Rain Phoenix says: “The video for ‘Benny Valentine’ is love story but also a cautionary tale about jealousy and redemption set in a sleepy desert town replete with villains and beautiful monsters.”
“Benny Valentine” features Bella’s ethereal vocals as they float over an array of distorted guitars and reverberating drums. The fuzzed out track explores a mesmerizing meeting with the mysterious figure known as ‘Benny Valentine.’ With lyrics that evoke a sense of fascination with the enigmatic character, the song’s eerie ambiance paints a picture that explores the complexities of the captivating encounter. Grappling between attraction and resistance, the internal conflict amplifies the overall sense of uncertainty that flows throughout the track. Bella says, “‘Benny Valentine’ is a love song. It reminds me of a nightmare and a dream all at once. It’s a feeling of doom and being eternal, living in love and not fear.”
“Benny Valentine”: Watch / Listen
Bella Moore dreams of a world out of time. Growing up around racetracks, casinos, Floridian seas, old Hollywood films, and carnivals, she is heavily influenced by memory. In the summer of 2022, she met a young boy who read her palm and told her to pursue music. Shortly after, her fiancé, director and singer Ben Howley of the band Limo, had her duet on the band’s second album, and from there she began to experiment.
Owing to a very close relationship with her grandparents, Bella was drawn to the music of Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Rudy Vallee, along with a variety of 30’s to 50’s singers. Combining this with her eclectic taste in bands like Suicide, Bloodshot Bill, and Les Rallizes Dénudés, Bella began to compose songs on her keyboard. She is inspired mostly by drums, and can create a song entirely around a selection of carefully chosen waltz-style drum beats. Bella sought the help of Kirk Hellie to produce and Rob Campanella to mix the start of her evolving musical journey.
“Benny Valentine” Single Art
Artwork Credit: Elliot Weaver
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