> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.rootsmag.nz/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # BEX - URL: https://www.rootsmag.nz/bex/ - Published: 2026-09-16T04:00:06.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-16T22:20:49.000Z - Author: Ryan Brash - Tags: Interviews Auckland artist **BEX** (**Rebekah Massey**) is taking a different direction with her latest project, swapping her usual indie pop-rock sound for electronic, hyper-pop and club music. The six-track EP *MAKE IT LOUDER* came together quickly this year after BEX and her producer and partner **Caleb Wong**, aka **Wongii**, started experimenting with a new synth, eventually turning what was meant to be a fun song they would never release into a full EP. Currently finishing an engineering and pop music conjoint degree, BEX says the project has been a chance to have fun with music without putting so much pressure on herself to make every release perfect. ### **How did you first get into making music?** I started in year 10 for me. I would run away downstairs to the garage and start playing and writing songs on the piano. But I took it really seriously when I signed up for the pop degree for university, and I think that was a really great exploration of songwriting and collaboration and everything.I think that's where it really took off. ### **What was the first ever song that you wrote?** Oh, it was some crap. This is so funny. I actually wrote a song about the Disney film Ratatouille for a music course in year 10, and I loved it so much. I tried to make it more of a generic pop song, 'cause I didn't want it to be exactly like “I'm a rat from Ratatouille.” It was very open. My music teacher really liked it, and then I was like, "Oh, I see a future here. I feel like maybe I could continue this." ### **Who are your biggest musical inspirations?** Okay, wow, there is so many. I love Phoebe Bridgers. I like Dijon. I love Mk.gee. These artists are so opposite to my genre for this EP, which is funny. I guess those are my indie inspirations. For this project I would say Jane Remover, Underscores, Ninajirachi, they’re all so cool. And thinking about New Zealand artists, I love Evie Bamford and Ben Chavasse. They’re cool. And [Jack Bromwich](https://www.rootsmag.nz/jack-bromwich/) too, he was in my music course. Those are my inspirations, there’s just a huge range. I think you ### **How would you describe your sound and your genre?** At the moment, with this project it's electronic, hyper-pop, dance pop, club music. But usually I actually play indie pop rock kind of vibes. I just wanted to have some fun and make some club bangers with this EP. ### **If someone was listening to you for the first time, what song should they start with?** I'll go with *Reply i i i*. ### **What's your songwriting process?** I work with my producer and partner **Caleb Wong**. His producer name is **Wongii**, and usually we just do everything collaboratively. So he'll start an idea on guitar or piano, and I'll write alongside him. Or it'll start with a lyrical, melodic idea that I have, and we'll build it from that. But we're kind of unique in the sense that we produce as the song is being written. We never, like, write it and then produce it, which I think is quite unique for us. ### **So when did the idea for the EP first come together?** Caleb got a new synth. He got a UDO Super 6, and he was playing around with some of the sounds, and we made the first track, *Pretty (Tell me that i'm)*. And then I was like, "Oh, this is so fun." It was just gonna be this fun little “we never release it” song. And then I remembered, "I have a song that I wrote earlier in uni that kinda suits this vibe," which was the second track, *I luv my boy.* And then we just kept going, and we just kept playing with the synth and making more and more and more. And it just came together really quick, all six tracks. We struggled with the sixth song a bit, but we were like, "Oh, we can't release a five-song EP. We've gotta do this final song." And that ended up being *The View*. ### **How long have you been working on these songs?** Just this year. Most of our songs that we write take years to come together and produce. But this one, we started the project in March. We've just been working on it over the year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/ae/82ae15cc-791b-45a9-a46a-3900b2eee181/content/images/2026/09/IMG_9398.JPG) BEX ### **Is there a particular theme or feeling that runs through your EP *MAKE IT LOUDER*?** Most of it's quite fun and flirty. The EP's separated into two sections. So the first half is quite fun, dancey, flirty. And then the second half I think there's this idea of ambition that kind of creeps into it, especially with *The View* and *The City*. So there's like a bit more serious undertones in those songs. But mostly it's just “have fun and dance!” ### **Has your approach to songwriting changed at all while you've worked on the EP?** I think I felt a little bit out of my depth writing this genre. And so instead of thinking "How would I write it?" I was kind of thinking "What artist would sound good on this song, and how would I write for them?" When I was writing the bridge for *Reply i i i* I would be thinking, "How would Zara Larsson write this? How would she sing it? How would she embody it?” And I think that helped me to kinda get out of my own head a little bit and stay true to the music, which is cool. ### **Did the songs end up coming out the way you originally imagined them, or did they go through a lot of changes as you were producing them?** We were always experimenting and changing. I think the changes were always quite gradual. We had a lot of control over how things evolved. With the UDO Super 6 we would play around with it, but none of the sounds would ever get saved. So if we came up with something we liked we would have to recreate it, and it would always come out a little bit different. And the first track we went back and revised it after completing the whole project, and we changed the drums completely, to more of a chiller sound. I think it was a bit too intense the first time round. That was the only big change that we went through. ### **Is there anything you're hoping people take away from the EP? A feeling, a message, or a certain vibe?** I think for my musician community, to take music a little bit less seriously. And just remember to have fun with it. Because I think, up until this point when I was writing indie songs, I started feeling quite a lot of pressure to have every release be perfect and to put all my energy into it and always be on this upward trajectory with my career and everything. But I think making this EP, the whole time the vibe was just “Have fun with it. Enjoy yourself, and have fun with the release, and have fun with the promo.” So yeah, I think my take away for people, especially for musicians, is just have fun with your music and don't always take it too seriously. ### **Is there a particular song on the EP that means something special to you, or that you're more drawn to?** I think I'm really drawn to *The View* and *The City*. The View is out and The City is coming out very soon. They've got a little bit more me in it than the rest of the songs, in terms of the lyrical themes. And I think they're a bit more honest, like they're about how I'm quite ambitious - but obviously, you know, success takes time and it's slow, and I have to keep remembering to work on it rather than just look at what I have and be upset with it. ### **Do you have a favourite song to perform live?** I haven't performed any of this EP live, but from my previous discography, it would be *It's Always Me*, which came out in January this year. ### **Do you have any plans to play this EP live?** I would really like to perform it live. I think it'd be really challenging. I think the way we formatted it, we switched a lot of the vocals, so it wouldn't kind of emulate the same way live. But I mean, if I can figure it out, I would definitely love to do it. ### **Do you have a dream venue that you'd love to play?** At this point I would like to just play Whammy. I haven't played Whammy yet, so that'd be awesome. ### **So your EP is coming out soon, do you have anything else coming up that you wanna plug?** Let’s just go with my EP. I am super excited about it and I don’t want to plug too much other stuff right now! *You can follow BEX on Instagram* [@bexmusicnz](https://www.instagram.com/bexmusicnz/?ref=rootsmag.nz)