We caught up with singer-songwriter Alysha to discuss her new music video release for her latest single “Lord Help Me”. Alysha sees herself as genre-defying, forming her own unique sound that reflects herself as an individual. Her music video, which she describes as “avant-garde” and “gothic” is a reflection of her individuality as an artist.

What’s the reaction that you’ve got from your release? 

People have been quite surprised, the stuff that I was putting out before was not like “Lord, Help Me”, it speaks about religion, and my other stuff was more RnB, more pop. Now I feel like making more stuff that is soulful, and less mainstream. I feel like people really like this release compared to my other stuff. On the day of the video shoot, I was told I was giving Morticia Addams on set. Recently, I feel as though I’ve been getting into really gothic avant-garde kind of stuff, and I feel as though that’s my image now. It’s what I like, how I like to dress, I was basing the music video off of me. 

Do you find religion influences your music?

In a lot of my songs, even if it’s not about God, or religion, I will still mention god. For example, in one of my songs, I had “on my knees praying to God for you”, but the song is about being in a situation where theres an emotionally unavailable guy. My upcoming release, “Finer Things” has the lyric, “may God forgive us for wanting finer things”.

Would you define your music in terms of genre, or do you find you transcend these boundaries?

I don’t want to stick to one thing. I’ve grown so much from when I started, I was seventeen when I started and I’m twenty-one now. When I first started, my music was very lo-fi. Even my voice has changed, it is much deeper now when I sing. Now my songs are whatever I want, they’re kind of dark, mysterious and more soulful, which is what I’ve wanted to do. 

Who do you take influence from when making your music? Is there anyone in particular that you look up to?

I don’t have one person, I have quite a lot of songs that I’ve picked up and I’m like, I like this, I want a song like this. One of Boy Harsher’s songs, Pain, is one of my favourite songs in the world. Its six minutes long and its very Berlin-club energy. I like that kind of thing, but at the same time I like other music. There’s this one song on SZA’s album that I’m obsessed with, called Seek and Destroy. That is not really RnB, its herself. Its SZA, which I really like.  I’ve also been listening to jazz, instrumental in particular. I take inspiration from it, and I make it my own. 

Do you think there is a big Jazz scene in the UK right now?

For sure. There’s Ezra collective, Tom Misch, Jorja Smith did a bit of jazzy stuff. I feel like there’s definitely a jazz scene growing in the UK right now. I went to music school, and I remember the kids in my class doing a lot of jazz stuff. 

You started off your career in modelling, why did you switch to music?

I always wanted to be a singer-songwriter. I never wanted to be a model, it kind of just happened by accident. I’m still going through with it, it does help with being a musician. I know how to act in front of a camera, I know my angles and stuff like this that I’ve learnt over the years, which has definitely helped me.  

What did your Spotify Wrapped look like?

I was on the top 0.5 per cent of listeners for Joesef and Temz, I put my mum onto Temz she won’t stop listening to her. My top song was crack rock by Frank Ocean, and my top five artists were Summer Walker, Temz, Frank Ocean, Jasmine Sullivan and Joesef. 

How has living in London impacted your music?

I kind of wish I wasn’t born in London, or lived here. In London, sometimes I feel like I can’t be myself, I have to fit into one bubble, into one stereotype. I  think its much harder for artists to break out of London, than anywhere else. 

Is there a city you’d like to move to?

I would love to move to New York or Berlin. In Berlin, I feel like I can find like-minded people, and make better music there than in London. I think everyone in London is trying to be an artist, and it doesn’t work for everyone, unfortunately. I think producers and labels have less respect in London for people who want to be artists. I think I can be myself, I don’t want to be like anybody else in London. In Berlin, I feel like the fashion will be amazing. I really want to go and try to get into Berghain. 

Is there a country that you’d like to perform at in particular?

I want to go to Japan so bad. All the interviews I see, the artists always get really cute presents from their fans, and they are really respectful. 

Whats the one venue you most want to perform at?

I have always wanted to play at KOKO in Camden. Ever since I was young, I would see an artist at KOKO. I saw Daniel Cesar and Dua Lipa there before they were famous and I feel as though a lot of artists blow up after they perform there. The majority of the concerts I went to when I was younger were at KOKO. 

What’s up next for you?

I’m looking to do a lot of things, I want to be well known, I want to play at theatre venues and have hype around me, like every emerging artist does. My upcoming headline show is on March 17, in Canada Water, everyone go get tickets from the link in Instagram bio.