Alice SK’s latest single is a love letter to some of the people she loves the most. And that would be, specifically, the women in her life. “[It’s about] my relationships with said women and the bond and connections that don’t shift, no matter how much you change,” she tells us below of the track’s focus.
The stimulus for “Daisy Jane” came when her producer, Muca, played Alice the Brazilian viola. “It was such a beautiful, pure sound,” she explains, “I thought of what the purest form of love that I’ve experienced is and it lies with the female presences that I’ve been lucky enough to have been surrounded by, from my mum, sisters, and my friends.”
Showing more angles of her genre exploration, Alice draws on the rich vocals of the likes of Joni Mitchell and Ella Fitzgerald to create an expertly-crafted, ’60s-imbued cut, in the follow-up to March’s seven-track project, “Electric”.
Head below to read our chat with the artist about all things “Daisy Jane”, right now…
Hey Alice SK! Where are we speaking to you from?
Hey guys! I’m chilling in a cafe in Streatham currently, hiding out from the rain. I’ve been gardening today but can’t say much has been done.
What was the first thing you thought about when you woke up this morning?
What to get my mum for her birthday present! I have left it a little late….
When did you first realise you wanted to get into music?
There was never really a light switch moment of wanting to actually be in the industry itself. I’ve just loved playing, singing and listening to music since I was pretty young and it just got to the point that I was doing that more than focusing on anything else so it was really quite a gradual process. I think as most artists would say, it has always been there!
Do you have any particular influences?
I’ve had lots of different ones throughout the years. Vocally, artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone, because of their insane power and presence that you sense merely from listening to a track. Lyrically, artists such as Bob Dylan due to his storytelling, and bands like The Strokes definitely defined my teenage years, so those guys too.
Congratulations on the release of “Daisy Jane”! The song is dedicated to the great women within your life… Can you expand on that for us?
Thank you! Yes, so the lyrics were really taken from and based upon my relationships with said women and that bond/connection that doesn’t shift, no matter how much you change etc.
Has sisterhood always been important to you?
Yeah definitely. I’ve always been super lucky to be surrounded by amazing women from my sisters, mum, friends and female role models. I feel really blessed to have had that and it’s nice to be able to show back an appreciation to them in my own way.
Who did you first play the track to? What was their reaction like?
I first played it to one of my friends Hana and my twin sister Meg. Both of them were super supportive of the track which was lovely as it gave me the confidence to really spend a lot of time completing it.
Can you talk us through the writing process of it?
“Daisy Jane” was probably the quickest track I’ve ever written. My producer, Muca, played me the base music for it, which was a Brazilian viola, a beautiful instrument. I thought the music was so lovely that the lyrics had to reflect this pure, true sound. The title “Daisy Jane” came to mind and then that evening I was trying and failing to sleep so started writing the track with this idea of an unshaken kind of love in mind. I changed a few lines in the morning, but that was it really.
What do you hope people can take away from the track?
I guess just the sense of love, whatever that may be for the listener at this time for them. Whether it be friendship, romance, passion – the song is meant to be about a core connection, so whatever that love is for them right now.
Where are you going to take your artistry next?
So Muca, who produced this track and who I work closely with, and I, have been writing and working on a lot of different music which we’re in the process of finishing up, so definitely planning on releasing these tracks in the near future. I’m super excited to share them as we have been working and exploring different styles and sounds which has been fun. I think also collaborating with different people is another thing on the hit list as it is a great way to discover more about your own style while learning from other people.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Hopefully halfway across the world on a stage somewhere!