Hetta Falzon's “Belly Laugh” is a quietly cutting confession of love and absence

At just 20 years old, Hetta Falzon has already carved out a distinct singer-songwriter identity, shaped by unguarded acoustic arrangements, effortlessly memorable melodies, and lyrics that are light with wit, yet open in their vulnerability. “It’s a lot more important for me about the emotional journey than the lyrics, melody or harmony,” Falzon shares. “I guess it comes back to how I didn’t love singing when I was singing other people’s songs. I only love singing when I believe every word.”

Originally from Somerset, Falzon began writing songs at the age of 12 while attending a classical music school, the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. During her time there, she was given an hour each week to practice unsupervised in a practice room. “I started writing my own songs to pass the time and make music more fun, because I think music always felt a bit like a chore,“ she explains. Despite growing up surrounded by music, she never found an instrument that truly resonated with her. “I tried cello, trombone, piano, and singing, I just didn’t really love it. But when I started writing songs, I was like, ‘Oh, this is it’”.

There is a softness in the melody on “Belly Laugh” that Falzon's lyrics hone with vulnerability. Her songwriting feels quietly confessional, unfolding with an intimacy that treats the listener less like an audience and more like a friend. The lyrics came when Falzon was reflecting on her breakup with her first boyfriend; it is about the moment you realise you’ve never truly laughed with someone. “I started the song remembering how much I wanted to be with him in the beginning, and then how I felt like it didn’t keep getting more and more wonderful,” she shares.

Despite her lyrical vulnerability, Falzon exudes confidence in her melodies. A minimalist piano arrangement shimmers beneath bare vocals. The stripped-back production of “Belly Laugh” allows each line to breathe as she confesses self-doubt over delicate keys. “I have been playing it live like that for so long that it just feels like I’m saying everything I want to say through the piano arrangement,” she reflects. “We actually tried recording it with drums and bass, but then I listened back to it and thought it had lost all the delicacy. As soon as you take out all the pauses and the intimate moments, I feel like you lose the whole guttiness of the song”.

Falzon’s debut EP, Henrietta, is set for release on Friday, March 13. While unintentional, the Friday the 13th release date felt fitting. “The whole EP is about turning things I’m afraid of into something to celebrate,” Falzon explains. The title Henrietta comes from her full first name, a choice that reflects the project’s deeper theme: “I was always embarrassed about [my name] because people made fun of it at school, but I wanted to make something I’m ashamed of into something I’m really proud of”.