Photographer: Iam Gum
1. Thank you very much for your time! Before we introduce your new release to our readers – what kind of drink would you recommend to sip on while they listen to your new music?
Thank you for having me! A Hugo Spritz would definitely be my pick at a “For The Record” listening party. And if you prefer mocktails or are under 21, a Shirley Temple with cherries is a favorite of mine as well!
2. Please give us an update about – new single, new album, tour dates, new videos?!
I just released my new album, For The Record, on June 26th, alongside the launch of my first official tour. After releasing three singles from the album—“Love Business (Sha-Boom),” “SoHo,” and “Consider This The End,” my band and I began touring in May, traveling from the Midwest to Los Angeles, California.
We are still playing live shows throughout the midwest and I’ve been incredibly lucky to work with an amazing group of musicians: Arya Lakshman (Drums), Braedan Handy (Lead Guitar), Dan Pasowicz (Guitar), Eli Sparks (Bass), Finn Devlin (Drums), Kiyun Oh (Guitar), Lily Macey (Vocalist), Peter Kim (Keys), Rose Kory (Vocalist), and Sam Morgan (Bass).
3. We live in times of many conspiracy theories. Which, harmless, theory would you wish were true? (For example Dinos living inside Earth or E.T. living in a home in California)
A conspiracy that I wish were true is that a cat really has nine lives. I have had three cats growing up, including a cross-eyed cat and an outdoor cat. I’ve seen them survive some unspeakably crazy things, from climbing trees to jumping off my house’s second-story catwalk.
4. What fashion style or brand would best describe your music?
Definitely beret hats! I wear them in the studio, on the street, and occasionally on stage. They are my favorite accessory, and since they’re often associated with European fashion, it feels more fitting to wear them as an American artist who records in London.
5. Tell us more about your songs! Topics! Message!?
My songs are often very honest. I love communicating unsaid feelings through songs, and finding unique ways to encode my music with messages of faith. Something special about the way I write, or even title songs, is that it rewards repeated listens and allows listeners to learn more about me through them.
6. Beside music, do you have any special talents?
I can wiggle my ears, drive a boat, and love to ride horses. I also grew up dancing and retired as a captain at the collegiate level. A lesser-talked-about talent of mine is that I did musical theatre in high school and acting in college at Indiana University as well.
7. Name 5 things we all should know about you as an artist?!
- I write all of my music.
- I have a lot of old-school influences like Etta James, Aretha Franklin, and Frank Sinatra.
- I love high-energy performances. All of my concerts are structured to balance moments of excitement and eccentricity with slower interludes for my more personal songs and ballads.
- I was 7 years old the first time I ever performed at my elementary school talent show, and I have not stopped performing since. It has always been my dream to make this passion into my career.
- I am very hands-on creatively in my projects. I lead a lot of my creative designs in my cover art, photoshoots, graphic designs, flyers, and my first vinyl jacket.
8. The road so far…. who or what was your biggest support??
My biggest support on the road so far has been Pool Hall. They are an indie alternative rock band based in Illinois and supported me at Joe’s on Weed St. in Chicago. I am a huge fan of theirs, so it was incredibly special to share a stage with them.
9. A question you’d like to answer, but never been asked in an interview before?! + Answer pls
What song of yours feels like a place you can still visit?
Ocean Air
At the time I wrote „Ocean Air,“ I was living on a boat in Florida. Every morning, I’d wake up, head to the beach, learn to surf, read my Bible on the dock, and spend hours writing songs beneath the Dania Beach Pier, sitting against the wooden beams. Everything about that season of my life, from my surroundings to the sand beneath my feet, breathed life into the song and created a place for me to revisit each time I sing it.
Instagram: @alyssagallarneau @lpragency