R&B Artist Alanna Royale adopts a nostalgic retro style for her new video for her track ‘Forget Me’. Here she tells Entertainment Now how the lyrics were inspired by the isolation of covid.
Can you walk us through the creative process behind your latest single, ‘Forget Me’? What inspired this track?
This track was definitely deeply influenced by the panic and isolation of COVID lockdown. Feeling like you’ve lost touch with your audience, all the momentum you thought you were building as an indie artist, and the confidence that you can get these parts of your career back.
How did the pandemic influence your songwriting and artistic direction for ‘Trouble Is’?
It’s kind of wild to think about what that period of time did for the feeling and direction of this album. If I had not been well into therapy, lockdown and the effect it had on me might have been far more damaging. I had been working through some of the most serious traumas of life, learning coping skills, etc. so I feel like I was somehow really prepared to go through this. What it did to my perspective on making this album was wild too! I felt like it brought me a level of clarity and self realization which in turn allowed me to make an extremely vulnerable and honest record.
What was it like working with Anshunee Madison on the ‘Forget Me’ music video, and how did you come up with the concept?
Anshunee is an amazing collaborator because she has the ability to really see you for who you are as an artist and listen to you. She’s psyched on collaboration and is open to possibility. I told her what this song meant to me and opened up about how painful the inspiration behind the song was – that’s why the video really nailed the feeling. There’s an air of isolation despite being in a crowd, lonely but not necessarily alone. She’s an artist herself, that’s why she knows where to meet me.
What message do you hope listeners take away from ‘Forget Me’?
I wrote this song on my own when most of the world was grappling with isolation and hopelessness. Despite feeling like nobody was coming to save me, I was able to pull through and make something. I want folks around the world to understand that it’s possible to create something and see it through to the end but even if no one else sees what you’re doing, it’s still worth the journey of creation and self expression. Do it for yourself and see where it takes you. You don’t need an audience, you just need yourself.
How do you balance your passion for classic 70s Soul and 90s R&B with your own unique sound?
It’s really hard to explain to people where I land when I say I make Soul and R&B music. The genres usually conjure up images of The Supremes or Jasmine Sullivan – thoroughly retro throwback or modern digital sounds. Keeping my sounds as analog as possible really helps to anchor me in the past, giving me the saturation and warmth that I’m looking for to counterbalance the modern feel of my vocals and melody writing. Although, I’ve been compared to some incredible artist of the past and present so everyone hears what’s familiar to them. Gottta do your best and then kind of let go when it comes to the comparisons.
Watch the video:
