OK, it’s actually getting quite ridiculous now. We at Indie Top 39 have yet another spellbinding debut release for you, this time from New Zealand-based singer/songwriter and genre-blender Alya Jade. The track is called ‘Under Her Spell (Boom)’, and it sees Jade blending elements of roots, pop, a little reggae, a little soul, and even a little bit of dub just for good measure. I’m not going to lie – it’s a tough tune to pin down genre-wise, and I think that’s why we love it so much!
Working alongside producer Ben Malone and fellow New Zealand musician Harry Parsons, Jade uses the song to reflect on an unpleasant experience she encountered as a young female. “I remember getting male attention when I didn’t actually want it,” she stated. With a strong feminist undertone and a superbly confident vocal performance, we have absolutely no doubt that you’ll be hearing more from Alya Jade in the very near future!
I’m telling you, 2022 is the year of the debut! Alya Jade’s ‘Under Her Spell (Boom)’ is a sublime little tune that we can’t stop listening to!
INDIE TOP 39
What does the song mean to you?
Being my very first single out there in the world, it feels very very special (and a little bit terrifying!) It brings a lot of personal reflection and gratitude for the journey it has taken to get to this point and for all of the people who have supported me along the way. I’ve learnt so much during the recording and release process and on a personal level, I’m really grateful for the opportunity to learn more and to have finished works that I’m proud of.
What inspired you to share the song with the world?
I feel like my music career has had a natural progression and so once I had the support from NZ On Air and met my producer Ben Malone, it just felt like releasing this track was the best next step. We wrote this song during our development journey and the whole day we were working on it was such a vibe, it was so much fun and that’s a really important part of the creative process for me – fun! Once we had finished it we realised this was it, and it just felt right to be the first release.
What are your favourite lyrics in the song?
There’s so many lines that hold such meaning for me, but the part where it goes “It don’t matter what you try, you can’t have her for the night” in the second verse, along with the vocal melody gets me every time. It’s also my daughters favourite part of the song, she always says “can you go back and play my favourite part again Mummy!!” If it’s her favourite, it’s mine too!
When did you realise that music is what you wanted to do?
I think I realised before I was even 10 years old! I have always had music in my life and have loved it for as long as I can remember. As a child I grew up going to music festivals such as WOMAD and Splore, but my first concert was Fleetwood Mac at the Bowl of Brooklands in Taranaki when I was 13 years old. Stevie Nicks is my ultimate influence and seeing her perform live was such a pivotal moment for me. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face and when I looked around it seemed that the feeling was mutual in the crowd!
I realised that it was so much more than just listening to the music and I fell in love with the connection that it brings. Ladi6 and Iva Lamkum have also been massive influences for me, being female artists from Aotearoa with a unique sound really set me up to have this dream of hopefully being able to do the same one day.
Make sure to connect with Alya Jade on Instagram » Facebook »
Now you can listen to all the 39 songs in one place, right here on Spotify!
This coverage was created in collaboration with Musosoup as part of the #SustainableCurator movement.
