Becca Rogers is an electro-pop producer and songwriter based in Washington, D.C. Her latest creation ‘123’ featuring Joe Bills is a summery bop with a catchy chorus, driving beat and nostalgia infused synths all wrapped up in a flawless production.
The song starts with a plucked synth/marimba ostinato that is simple enough to already be memorable, and engaging enough to carry through the whole first verse, before the chorus comes in with a punch. The arrangement knows when to drop elements to build up for a more impactful chorus. It’s a pop production that stands up to any other pop productions out there.
The vocal production is also great overall, with doubles and octaves addded in at the right times, vocal throws and harmonies that build up effective layers and progress throughout the song to keep the arrangement alive.
Becca shares this story about the inception of the lyrics:
I ran into the bedroom to tell my girlfriend about the song, and she said “with the marimba, this song should NOT have sad lyrics! This sounds like a beach club.” She thought the song should be about a guy asking a girl to dance (we’re a female couple, so we tried to get into the mindset of what a guy might be thinking by channeling how we felt when we first met in NYC!). We sat in bed and knocked out all of the lyrics more quickly than I’d ever written a song.
Joe’s vocals work great on the track, with just the right amount of vulnerability in the performance to suggest the nervousness of inviting the girl he likes to dance. This is not about someone out looking for a one night stand, but a someone pulling up the courage to make a move and find love. It adds a fresh spin on the typical ‘dancing in the club’ narrative, and is endearing at first listen.
Becca is clearly a very talented songwriter and music producer. While ‘123’ is the first release on Becca’s Spotify, she also produces for her pop duo Strawberry Aqua – go check it out!
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Julia Tache is a musician, social media enthusiast and writer. She releases music under the moniker Jewelia, is the founder of IndieGems and co-owner of Dual Productions.