The Welsh singer-songwriter Edie Bens has returned to the music scene with her single ‘Poster Child’. This is the 23-year-old’s first single since the release of her debut EP ‘Playing Pretend ’in January. ‘Poster Child’ is a slight departure from Edie’s usual sound. Her previous work has had clear folk and country influences which although still present in her latest song, there is a defined electro-pop overtone that suggests we are entering a new era for Edie.

In a reel posted to Instagram, Edie delves into the meaning behind the song, writing “It’s for those of us who can’t get enough of our clumsy golden retriever exes coming back to accidentally break our hearts for the 100th time.”

Despite the pop chorus that makes it the perfect song for all those who fantasise about having a Perks of Being a Wallflower car moment on a warm autumn’s evening, mental health is a defining theme. Edie perfectly illustrates the ongoing stigma behind mental health struggles:

“Sat in the white rose

You tell me that it’s fine

But you’re drinking like your father

And you’re crying like a child”

On what inspired her to write the song, Edie said, “I wrote Poster Child about buying into my first love in my hometown’s local pub on Christmas Eve. But really it’s a commentary on how growing up in sunshine-deprived small towns can affect mental health (especially in the winter).”

‘Poster Child ’has already been a huge success for Edie; last week Mollie King added the song to Radio 1’s future pop tracklist. The music video, which has received over 270,000 views, shows Edie in a picturesque rose garden, surrounded by crumbling brick walls and stunning nature on a hazy day in late summer. Matching her cowboy boots to her guitar, it’s clear that Edie Bens is set to be the next cool girl on the indie scene.

Edie will be joining The 502s for their Pure Serotonin tour across the UK and Europe this autumn, and we can’t wait to what the next few months will bring for this up-and-comer.