| Night Garden | |
| Cover: | Benee - Night Garden.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Benee featuring Kenny Beats and Bakar |
| Album: | Hey U X |
| Released: | 15 July 2020 |
| Length: | 3:41 |
| Label: | Republic |
| Studio: | The Cave (Los Angeles) |
| Chronology: | Benee |
| Prev Title: | Lownely |
| Prev Year: | 2020 |
| Next Title: | Snail |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
"Night Garden" is a song by New Zealand singer Benee featuring American producer Kenny Beats and British musician Bakar, released on 15 July 2020 as the lead single from her debut studio album Hey U X (2020).
"Night Garden" was recorded in the Cave", Kenny Beats' studio in Burbank, California, shortly before the introduction of COVID-19 lockdowns around the world.[1] [2] The song became Benee's first release following the popularization of the song "Supalonely" which initially was initially released as part of her EP Stella & Steve (2019) but later became the third single.[3] The commercial success of "Supalonely" led it to becoming a sleeper hit, with Benee performing the song on both The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.[4] [5]
In terms of musical genre, Mike Wass of Idolator noted that "Night Garden" "falls somewhere between alt-R&B and alt-pop."[6] Chris DeVille of Stereogum described Kenny Beats' production as "hard-hitting yet surprisingly low-key,"[7] while David Renshaw of The Fader described the instrumental as a "low-slung beat" which Benee maintains by "keep[ing] things in a similarly downbeat mood as she sings of things creeping in her dreams". DeVille noted that "despite the music’s relatively laidback vibes, Benee’s lyrics are paranoid. [...] She switches into rich, soulful singing for the chorus." Ruby Scott of Ones to Watch described "Night Garden" as "jaw-dropping from start to finish," while drawing resemblance between Benee's "restrained delivery" and that of both Björk and Billie Eilish.[8] DIY described the song as an "example of Benee’s skill at crafting infectious pop bops".[9] Cameron Adams of Herald Sun described "Night Garden" as "a Wu-Tang-inspired, hip hop influenced single".[10] Happy Australia noted that the song was "a change in scenery from Benee’s usual brand of summery pop".[11]
On 19 July 2020, Benee performed the track on the premiere of The Sound, a music television programme broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
| Peak position | ||
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[12] | 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand Artist Singles (RMNZ)[13] | 12 |