Alice D Shares Anthems of Empowerment with new EP ‘Into The Light’

London-born singer Alice D has taken the different soundtracks from her life of music and put them together to create her new EP ‘Into The Light’.

The singer grew up surrounded by music, her mother is a singer from Bananarama and her father was a dancer for Michael Jackson and Tina Turner. She made her way into the music scene determined to stand out with her sound exploring many different genres. Her constant experimenting with new sounds produces an entertaining soundscape that showcases her delicate voice & lyrical ability.

The EP is bookend by two mood-setting instrumentals preparing the listener for a record that documents a journey of discovery, where Alice D learns more about herself with each song. This new record sees the singer expand upon her contemporary pop, soul and R&B roots by drawing upon a bright palette of shimmering global sounds, especially Afro-Latin music. Alice explains in an interview, “I’ve loved those sounds for such a long time, and to have the freedom to experiment then finally find a way of incorporating them into my own work has really cemented my sound.” She continues to combine authentic tunes with danceable beats, creating the ultimate sweet spot between blissful escapism and heated passion. 

The opening tracks ‘Nervous’ and ‘Ego’ keep a classic R&B but danceable beat that compliment her vocals and allow the lyrics to be the focal point. These introduce the theme heard through the numbers, of finding power and strength, and being authentically, unapologetically yourself. They feel reminiscent of early Alicia Keys girl power anthems. They have a more raw, true sound than the “slay queen” girlboss songs heard today, allowing for a deeper connection between the singer and her listeners.

The EP’s halfway highlight, ‘Protect My Light’, combines nostalgic R&B and island rhythms as Alice explores the need to eliminate toxic friendships from her life to keep her own energy pure. These sounds continue into the following ‘Girl on Fire’ type anthem, ‘Warrior’, a track about celebrating female strength for yourself and others. Alice claims this track is for all women, with its lyrics being both conversational and telling a story, like how a close friend would provide a pep talk telling one another to dust yourself off, because you’ve done it before and so has she.

These messages of personal development and empowerment are also a part of ‘Bittersweet’, which focuses upon the future possibilities that come with the pain of the end of a relationship. Closing with the lead single, the song that the singer calls her favorite, ‘Passion’ is the combination of all the goals of this EP. It combines all the authentic, empowering and sensual sounds of R&B and Afro-Latin music. This was released with a music video filled with dancers at sunset that is dark, but passionate. Having it round out the EP is the perfect icing on the cake.

This record from Alice D accomplishes the balance of experimenting with her sound, introducing new influences and remaining authentic. Listeners will be yearning for more self and sound discovery from this artist.

Hope Orr

@hopeirene17

Image: ‘Into The Light’ Official EP Cover