Last February, I fangirled over Tori Kelly and her incredible voice. Recently, I found a new musical obsession to add to my list of favorite female vocalists: Alessia Cara.
Alessia is a 19-year-old from Ontario, Canada who has reinvented R&B music for her generation. Just like The Weeknd, Alessia has mastered the growing musical genre called alternative R&B. From her soulful voice to her insanely relatable lyrics, Alessia’s music is sure to get stuck in your head for the rest of the day.
Alessia Cara, originally born Alessia Caracciolo, began sharing her music when she posted acoustic covers on YouTube at just 13. She finally signed a record deal this year, at 18 , with EP Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings. Some of her label mates include Kanye West and Justin Bieber.
Her debut single, which has garnered her major success and attention, is titled “Here”. A smooth and cleverly written song, “Here” is an anthem for everyone struggled to fit in at social events. Alessia seems to speak directly to my soul when she sings: “Excuse me if I seem a little unimpressed with this//An antisocial pessimist, but usually I don’t mess with this.” Alessia’s lyrics connect with anyone who has ever felt like an outcast. I bet you’ll be humming this song after your first listen.
Following the success of “Here”, Alessia released her first EP as a sneak peak to her upcoming album. The “Four Pink Walls” EP proves that Alessia is certainly more than just a one hit wonder. Every song is laced with a mash up of R&B and pop, but also has its own twist. “Seventeen” shows off her strength as a song writer, “I’m Yours” highlights her powerful vocals and “Outlaws” and “Four Pink Walls” make you feel like you grew up with Alessia.
Alessia sounds amazing on the studio version, but she sounds even better during her live performances. Whether she’s performing her hit “Here” on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” or covering Nick Jonas’ songs on the radio, Alessia nails every note. It’s no wonder the many popular musicians are giving Alessia shout outs on social media.
So, if you want to bless your ears with some brand new music, I HIGHLY suggest you download Alessia’s EP now.
All images from Twitter.