Bitty Goes Big: The Soultronica Act Bears Harsh Truths With Her New Transformation

Formerly known as bittymacbeth, Beth Yap is now simply Bitty (Credit: Ebenezer Lim)

It takes laudable bravery to change your alias after years of forging a reputation. The artiste formerly known as bittymacbeth has shed her Shakespearean attachment, now re-emerging succinctly as Bitty. Although, if you do consider the oft-colourful progress of Beth Yap’s evolution, you’d realise that bold gestures have consistently been locked in her groove.

The Berklee graduate has always been immensely talented, showcasing her capabilities since her nascent days as a versatile jazz vocalist, and all the way through her subsequent rise as a soloist. As bittymacbeth, Beth displayed astounding dexterity on the bass guitar, complementing her skills with superb vocal acrobatics and nifty live-looping techniques. And lyrically, just like the playwright who first inspired her moniker, she never shied from using her words to evoke emotion, whether it was about shushing the haters, finding beauty in ashes, or even adoring the environment while referencing Singapore’s national flower.

Bitty is moving forward with a brand new self-titled EP (Credit: Ebenezer Lim)

Even with the literal name drop, Beth continues to touch on hard truths as Bitty. With the release of her new self-titled EP that reinforces the acceptance of her metamorphosis, Beth digs even deeper for her material while playing with her soul and electronica signatures. The sway-worthy neo-soul opener, “(We Used To Be) S O C L O S E”, addresses the shattering of a once-impenetrable friendship that Beth had. Lead single and synth-pop firecracker, “MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE”, reveals Beth’s financial woes that plagued her livelihood as a struggling musician. And on the gospel-inspired “Keep Me Hoping” where she turns her vocals into a one-woman choir, Beth sentimentally lingers on the loss of her grandfather whose musicianship influenced her growing up.

These heartfelt anecdotes undeniably put her in a vulnerable position, yet she commendably chooses to do so in the hope of giving strength to others. The strategic trimming of her alias seems to have only boosted her confidence and sharpened her skills even more, expediting her transformation into the scene star that she deserves to be. In this interview, Beth talks more about the construction of her new EP – which will be launched on 14 August as part of The Esplanade’s Mosaic Music Series – and the milestones that shaped her into the matured maestro she is today. This is a Bitty who’s ready to go big.

“I feel this new name encapsulates who I really am.” (Credit: Ebenezer Lim)

Hello Beth! Let’s first talk about your recent evolution into Bitty. What were the emotions surrounding this transformation? Empowerment? Trepidation? Or was it something that just happened spontaneously?

Hey Kevin! I think it was a little bit of both. I am generally an anxious person. It didn’t help that when I initially floated this idea of changing my name from bittymacbeth to Bitty, my friends and family weren’t like “Yeah that’s a great idea, go for it!”. It was more of a curious and cautious “Oh? How come? But bittymacbeth is so catchy/iconic!”. And the great thing about bittymacbeth was that it was a username that was never taken on any socials.

But I had been thinking about it for a few years, since “Trace (Comfortable Sympathy)” came out. I felt the need to signal a clean break from live-looping and my previous experimental/avant-garde jazz-soul-pop style, and more into a funky-r&b-soultronica vibe. Also, bittymacbeth was intended to sound like a band name (because I was a one-woman-band when I looped my layers and vocals as a live solo act), but I think it always ended up sounding like just some Scottish woman when people announced me. And I don’t want people to think I’m pretending to be White.

I feel this new name encapsulates who I really am. It’s a real nickname my family and relatives use. And that’s who I want to be through my music – a friend, sister, a listening ear. So it felt right to me with the new music I was putting out.

“I hope that the tinge of hope I add in the songs also makes them feel comforted, and that they are truly going to be okay.” (Credit: Ebenezer Lim)

Musically, would you say there’s a huge shift between the two personas, in terms of sonic design and your creative philosophy?

In terms of sound design, Beauty For Ashes was almost all exclusively recorded sounds, while Better Not Bitter was rather the opposite. But with the Bitty EP, I think I struck a good balance between warm organic instruments and bright but lush synth textures and powerful beats. Having amazing players add saxophone, trombone, flute, trumpet, viola and violin to my songs was such a privilege.

In terms of creative philosophy, I think earlier bittymacbeth music mused about the human condition from a third-person perspective. Like in “Haters Gon’ Hate”, “Comfortable”, “Reign of Love (Bane of Love)”, and “Vandal Miss Joaquim”, it’s like “Here’s a societal issue, here’s a problem, here’s a solution, let’s do better in this area guys!”. My friend described it as preachy haha. Now I’ve opened up to write from a really personal and vulnerable place – which is terrifying actually – and I hope that the music now makes listeners go “Yeah this is what I’m going through and Bitty gets it”. And I hope that the tinge of hope I add in the songs also makes them feel comforted, and that they are truly going to be okay.

“MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE” addresses the unforgiving pursuit of cash. How has this been an obstacle in your personal growth as a musician?

It probably made me rather short-sighted in that I didn’t invest more into my career long-term. I didn’t take risks because I feared the zero returns, debt and loss that might follow, and I didn’t have the right connections to other high-powered and wealthy music bigwigs who could make big money moves for my career.

When I wanted to take a gap year in between Poly and University to record Beauty For Ashes, my mom told me she was gonna stop giving me allowance and I had to finance my gap year myself. So it ended up being three gap years because I spent one-and-a-half working as a vocal teacher then an assistant sound engineer full-time, and never having enough time to do much musically. And then the other one-and-a-half where I focused on writing, recording and performing exclusively.

Bitty wishes she had more money in her musical pursuits (Credit: Screenshot from Midnight Posse Films)

And so, when I started out with my music career, I dared not lose any money whatsoever. I was always scared of what I might lose more than enticed by what I might gain. I did everything myself to save money – videography, PR, admin, marketing (what little I knew of it). I probably missed out on some gig opportunities that could have opened really big doors overseas (e.g. applying to play at SXSW on Sonicbids, where you buy credits to apply for festivals and showcases).

Even while at Berklee (where I needed to get four different scholarships to cover my tuition), I was cramming classes into my schedule (about 16-20 hours a week, more than the usual university courseload), so I was constantly working on assignments. That took time away from me being able to play more shows, create more Youtube cover videos or just have the time and budget to network with more people that could have opened doors for me.

Bitty just telling it like it is (Credit: Screenshot from Midnight Posse Films)

The single, like several of your previous releases, touches on a raw and honest topic that many can relate to. Do you feel a responsibility to trigger awareness and change with the messages you pen in your material?

To quote Buzz Woodcock in his foreword on a book of William Blake’s poems, “Such is the role of the prophetic artist: to provide a critique of the status quo and inspiration to change it”. I don’t know if it’s my responsibility, but I do think I have the ability, and so, I should make use of the opportunity to use music to speak truth to power. Not only to tell the story of us everyday folk like it is (#TheStruggleIsReal), but also be that friend or sister cheering you on to overcome it, through my music and lyrics.

Your other single, “Keep Me Hoping”, stems from a sorrowful origin regarding the passing of your grandfather. Did this track help give you strength in this transition?

Definitely. The freaky thing was that the chorus hook came to me as an idea suddenly in a couple months before he passed away. Life was great then, I had some good opportunities going and I was enjoying school, work, and life. So I didn’t know why I suddenly felt like singing to myself, “I may be down, but I can deal, I may be hurt, but I can heal”. But after my grandfather’s passing, I revisited this idea and I guess it all made sense.

My grandfather was an untrained but pleasant baritone singer and he played harmonica (I have his harmonica now.) He was always annoying my grandma by tapping rhythms on the dining table, and I picked this up from him. I guess that’s why it became important to me make good music to honour my grandfather’s memory and legacy. I poured myself into “KMH” and all the music I was making, since I felt like the world had moved on, but I wasn’t ready to yet.

“I love experimenting with vocals, which is probably why I used to experiment with a cappella vocals and bass-and-vocal-only songs a lot when I started out in the scene with my live-looper.” (Credit: Ebenezer Lim)

I didn’t know if I was overreacting. Is my loss really that insignificant that that I should just be normal already, months after his passing? Everybody’s grandfather passes eventually, right? I doubted myself. But getting grief counselling at Berklee helped me realise I wasn’t crazy. I was close to my grandfather and had every right to be sad about it. So, I wrote and acknowledged my pain by writing “KMH”, and reminded myself that I would heal from it eventually, and that I could be thankful for glimpses of hope.

The track displays your remarkable vocal control, to the extent where you even formed your own solo choir by morphing the timbre of your voice. Have you always enjoyed experimenting with your vocals?

Haha, does that make me a narcissist? Cause I like the sound of my own voice? I’m just not as good at guitar and piano, compared to millions of really good pianists and guitarists out there already, guys L.

I enjoy experimenting with everything musical, dude! I’ve sampled my wok lid and jewellery before. But yes, I love experimenting with vocals, which is probably why I used to experiment with a cappella vocals and bass-and-vocal-only songs a lot when I started out in the scene with my live-looper.

**Did you consider replicating the conceptual nature of your previous EP, Better Not Bitter, for the new album? And do you consider yourself a conceptual creator?**

Sadly I don’t have the sound design-based interlude tracks to illustrate a conceptual narrative on this EP, which was about growing up; all the fun and painful parts of it. We all experience love (“I’d Choose You”) and loss (“Keep Me Hoping”); we dream (“MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE”) and drift apart from friends (“(We Used to Be) S O C L O S E)”. All these things that make us human.

I consider myself a creator who is very inspired by life. I’m always examining the human condition. There’s nothing you can’t write a song about… although, I doubt that a song about paint drying will be a hit. I think the best music makes you think and feel, and inspires you to make change. So, while I don’t focus on writing concept albums, they inadvertently blend into a workable theme.

If you haven’t seen it yet, Bitty is an absolute beast on the bass (Credit: Ebenezer Lim)

Your love for bass has also been an integral part of your artistic identity. Why do you think you ended up gravitating towards the bass guitar as a primary device of expression?

One of my ex-bandmates told me that a scientific study shows that women are attracted to low frequencies. That’s why they like men with deep voices, and tend to play piano, or bass. But lots of women play guitar too??? So I don’t get this reasoning.

I used to play guitar as my secondary instrument (vocals being my primary). And I do find bass so much more fun than guitar! I’m also one of those cliché bassists who likes to slap and pop. What can I say, I love ~groove~; funk/soul/r&b, I’m always down for that. I used to listen mostly to jazz but these days, if I’mma be honest, I listen to way less Kurt Elling and way more Kan Sano. Kurt Elling is still amazing though.

“Jazz exposed me to a musical world of possibilities, especially honing the creative expression to improvise or solo on the spot.” (Credit: Ebenezer Lim)

Does this mean the basslines generally come first when you put together a song?

I would say 80 per cent of the time, I get the idea for a hook first with lyrics and melody together. Even songs which feature basslines like “Get Better (Not Bitter)” and “Californian Dream”, they started with a hook first. I find it usually helps the bassline, like all other instruments, work around the vocals too, since that’s what the listener is paying most attention to, usually. Often, I’ll make then sync in terms of rhythm so it’s easier for me to play and sing.

“It sounds contradictory, but to achieve more productivity over a longer period of time, you have to make sure you’re taking regular breaks.” (Credit: Ebenezer Lim)

When I first came across you many years ago, you were winning audiences over as a jazz vocalist. How has your background in jazz shaped the musician you are today?

I think I remember that. At the Lowercase café at Lasalle, right? That was a fun gig, I look terrible in the pictures, though. Please don’t post them if you have any haha.

I wouldn’t be the songwriter I am today if it weren’t for jazz. My jazz education started with joining Singapore Polytechnic Jazz Band, which was very unintentional too. I auditioned because my friends wanted to join and they asked me to try out so we could all be in Jazz Band. But I got in, and they didn’t. Big oof. I thought I’d just try it out for a while, then go back to my CCA at the time, SP Theatre Compass. But I loved geeking out over Esperanza Spalding and Israel and New Breed so much with the Jazz Band folks that I stayed and dedicated all my Saturday mornings to them.

Jazz exposed me to a musical world of possibilities, especially honing the creative expression to improvise or solo on the spot. It’s not just about playing something technical, but also about listening to the band, and adapting as they react to you. Playing jazz with really good musicians forced me to hone my craft, develop my inner metronome, listen really well, know chord qualities much better, and led me to experiment with more interesting melodies and harmonies in my songs. But my pop/rock/alternative side was always there to remind me like “hey, make this something people can sing along to!”.

You’ve been in the scene for so long now. Have you ever felt any burnout, and if so, how did you eventually overcome it?

Ahhh, why does everyone say that. I feel so old now hahaha. I burnt out so regularly that I would be like “ah, right on schedule!” with every new burnout episode.

Really, the only thing that overcomes it is taking a break from work. Or at least doing something creative that you enjoy just because you enjoy it, and not because that’s what the world likes, or ‘cause you’re trying to hit some sort of target.

It sounds contradictory, but to achieve more productivity over a longer period of time, you have to make sure you’re taking regular breaks, and not working to your max capacity 24/7. I try to have a five-and-a-half workday schedule. I make it a point not to do any work or practice on Sundays at all. Sunday night is definitely my chill night when I just have dinner with family and read comics and do some self-care. My mom just reminded me I need to schedule some breaks in because I’m packed to the brim now with things to do for the EP and a special project I can’t tell you about (I signed an NDA). So time to take my/her advice. Ha.

And to wrap up, the essence of Bitty (and the rest of your career) is one that’s brimming with soul. As an artiste, how do you keep your soul burning and alive?

I write every single musical idea down, whether I get it at 3pm or 3am. Every now and then I take some time to do something creative, just for myself – making music, cooking, scrapbooking. I try to spend time in nature; I especially love to be near the sea. I pray. And remind myself that I’m just a vessel for truth and hope.