Bellah Mae makes the most of her feelings on ‘Never Waste A Heartbreak’

Recommended Tracks: “Hell & Never Back,” “Compatible,” “4 Better 4 Worse”
Artists You Might Like: maryjo, Leah Mason, ROSIE

In the moment, a heartbreak is devastating. You feel so many emotions, which can make your heart race or your hands shake. Sometimes you might feel nothing at all, as a numbness could set in. When you are going through it, it can seem like you will never get over the heartbreak, that each day only makes things worse. But in time, the pain gets easier to manage and the emotions level out. You could end up stronger than you were before and grateful that the heartbreak even happened. According to Bellah Mae, you want to make the most of these feelings. On her sophomore EP, Never Waste A Heartbreak, Bellah leans into the sorrow, the angst, the insecurity, only to come out on top.

While promoting the EP, Bellah has mentioned that we are tapping into her ‘Sad Girl Era’ with these songs. We fully enter this era with “Hell & Never Back,” which opens the project. Throughout the track, she tries to navigate the end of a back-and-forth relationship, wondering if this is really the end. Even with fragile lines like, “Kept it real tight, I played it so nice while / You were a monster” and “How many times can I walk away / ‘Til there’s a time that I don’t forgive him?” the vibe never comes across as too heavy or too emotional; Bellah’s pop vocals shine against the summery pop melodies and warm beats. When the relationship is over for good, there are still times when it could start back up again, making matters even more complicated. On “Stay Friends,” Bellah just wants to know what the deal is with her ex. Against the more stripped-back production, the rich and rosy tones of her voice shine through, adding depth and beauty to the track. Still, we can hear her anger, disappointment, and confusion in lines like, “You called it off, but you didn’t stop calling” or “You don’t wanna hold me, so you hold me back,” making this a wild ride.

The middle of the EP finds Bellah even more vulnerable, as she reflects on the present and the future. What do you do when you realize that you and your partner are too different to stay together? Do you try to work through the problems or do you leave and move on with your life? On “Compatible,” Bellah puts the pieces together, leaving her with one tough decision to make. Over twinkling piano riffs and moody strings, she sings, “We work well on paper, we don’t argue, we don’t fight / But lighting scented candles just won’t relight up our fire / And it ain’t that bad, it’s just not what I wanted / Don’t wanna live this life half-hearted.” In the end, we trust that she will find the spark she needs. After sorting out her present, Bellah looks to the future with “2053.” Filled with sweeping vocals and lilting melodies, the track is a tender pop ballad that touches on the so-called “one that got away.” While Bellah can see herself starting a life and a family with someone down the line, she can’t pull away from her “first.” She admits, “See you in every guy I date / Why can’t I seem to replace ya? / You shoulda been gone by now / But you stick around,” wondering if she will ever be truly satisfied without this person in her life.

By the end of the project, Bellah has pulled herself up from the ashes of heartbreak. She gives us celebratory and confident tracks like “4 Better 4 Worse” and “Love Of My Life,” showing that everything she experienced was not a waste. With “4 Better 4 Worse,” she is in full control. The lyrics could have easily been set to wistful piano, as we have heard in prior tracks, but the light melodies and enthused pop beats give Bellah the upper hand as she sings, “I loved you but God, I dodged a bullet” and “You’re the worst, I’m the better.” On “Love Of My Life,” she continues to live her best life, giving us cheeky lines and playful quips about how she feels post-breakup. Against the playful strumming, Bellah tries to brush off the fact that the relationship was end game, that the person she was seeing was the “love of her life.” She sasses, “Did I really mean nothing at all? / Why would you care about me?” while mentioning, “It’s not like I let you waste three years of my time.” She continues, “I’m not fine, I’m not alright / You might be the love of my life / I might’ve spent the whole damn night crying / You might’ve spent this relationship lying,” letting us know how she really feels under the carefree pop sounds. Nevertheless, we know she will be fine; this heartbreak is not going to go to waste.

All in all, Never Waste A Heartbreak further unveils Bellah’s talent for creating emotionally moving tracks that hit hard. For the EP, she leaned into storytelling that is synonymous with country music hits, using specific experiences and details to create a lasting impression. She also drew from artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo, giving these songs a feisty pop flair. Whether you want to curl up and cry or enjoy a night out, these songs will get you there, guiding you through your various stages of heartbreak and encouraging you to never let a second go to waste. After hearing Never Waste A Heartbreak, Bellah’s ‘Sad Girl Era’ may be her best yet.