Two sisters, each with distinct aspirations.
While Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is widely recognized for her advocacy work, her younger sister is carving her own path through powerful performances and dramatic flair.
In a candid conversation with Interview Magazine, Beata MonaLisa, known as Bea—and yes, her full name is inspired by her grandmother Mona and great-grandmother Lisa—demonstrated that she’s not merely following in her elder sister’s footsteps. Unlike 23-year-old Greta, who fervently addresses climate concerns and social issues, Bea is forging a unique identity.
Bea, a talented and multifaceted 20-year-old, likened her vocal prowess to that of seasoned jazz musicians. In the interview, she revealed that music and dance have been a part of her life since early childhood, despite being subjected to bullying for pursuing her passions.
“During school performances, I often got labeled as annoying,” Bea confessed, reflecting on her experiences.
Her recent cover of the 1949 French song, “Hymne à l’amour” by Édith Piaf, is enough to blow audience’s socks off as they wait in anticipation for her debut album, described as “Pro-queer, anti-macho,” which she revealed at the time of the interview is being finished and something she’s been working on since she was 13, writing every song herself.
“I keep coming back and changing things. There are nine songs, seven are finished…The album’s about the freedom of identity and empowering women,” the 20-year-old, who’s described as a “gay icon,” pointed out to Interview.
To address the activist elephant in the room, when asked about her headline-making sibling, she cooly turned down the question, responding, “I’m not responsible for other people’s lives.”
Clearly, having very different life goals compared to her sister, Bea described success as “Maybe it’s a feeling. You can be worldwide famous and not feel accepted, or you can have a small fan base and feel very successful.”
Similar to her sister, she’s a woman who also has strong opinions and clearly isn’t afraid to voice them.
“I have many straight male producers who tell me how to sing. They want to feel like they’ve taught me. A loud, young female is very provocative, especially to them, because they want to have control,” she explained in the interview.
She admitted to wanting worldwide fame, but to her, “it’s more important to have fans who understand you.”
“They’re very specific. They have the same interests, the same way of dressing, the same humor. I’m very sarcastic,” she described of her fan base.