Italian born, London based singer/songwriter Alice Pisano is known for her uniquely warm vocals and natural ability for writing emotive pop songs. Her passion for music flourished from a very young age, where she spent much of her time as a teenager singing in various bands and studying classical piano, guitar and singing. With the desire to create authentic music that listeners can deeply connect to, Alice’s emotional and heartfelt music touches on her own personal experiences and relationships.
Her latest heart-tugging single “September” captures the post-sunshine blues, as Alice explains, “I wanted to try and capture that bittersweet feeling that I often get towards the end of summer…and at the same time, the end of love, when you’re trying hard to forget about someone but everyone and everything reminds you of them”. The bittersweet end-of-summer anthem is produced by John Foyle (Years & Years, Maisie Peters) and driven by rich piano motifs and intimate vocals.
Tell us about the story of your act
I was born and raised in northern Italy, in a small town called Ferrara. I think music is in my blood, as I’ve had a passion for it since I was very small. I studied classical piano, guitar and singing and sang in various bands as a teenager. But my solo project officially began when I moved to London four years ago and I started writing my own songs.
What is the message behind your art?
I mainly write about personal experiences and emotions… I hope that my music can be relatable which is why I always try to be as honest and personal as possible in my lyrics, and write straight from my heart.
What are some sources of inspiration for your lyrics and storytelling?
Relationships and feelings are definitely my main inspiration!
Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?
I’m really loving Elina, an acoustic-pop artist from Norway. Her music is very intimate and moving.
Was was the record or artist that changed your life?
One of my favourite albums ever is Blue by Joni Mitchell. My uncle gave it to me for my 12th birthday and I remember being bewitched by it…I still am! That record never grows old.
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about
I wrote September a year go in August…the day after I wrote it, I was in the studio recording another song (my single Open Up) and we had an hour left at the end of session. I played September to my producer and he loved it, so we decided to record it straightaway! We recorded it piano and vocals, but production was added several months later, we worked on it remotely due to lockdown.
I always find there’s a bittersweetness about the end of summer which I tried to capture. I was also going through a painful break-up… I was at the point where I was trying hard to forget about this person but everything reminded me of him.
You seem to be fusing several musical genres. What inspires your sound?
My musical taste has always been pretty eclectic… from pop to rock, folk, indie, classical etc. So I think all the music I’ve listened to through the years has influenced my songwriting, and hence my sound. I’ve always found it hard to fit into one specific box, to always have the same sound.
How would you want people to feel while listening to your music?
I hope that people can be moved by my music…and feel a little less alone!
Where are some things you really want to accomplish as an artist?
Just write as many songs as possible that connect with people, keep growing as an artist and building my story.
What would you call your style?
My style is pop, with acoustic influences… in a similar style as Julia Michaels, Gabrielle Aplin, Nina Nesbitt, Dermot Kennedy.
Was there ever a moment when you felt like giving up?
More than once! It’s just such a tough industry especially as an independent artist, it takes a thick skin to deal with rejection and the constant lack of certainties. There are definitely moments when I feel discouraged and low. But they never usually last long and so far I’ve always picked myself up… making music is what I love the most, it’s what adds colour to my life and I just need to remind myself of that.
What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Never give up! You might just be a step away from reaching your goal and you would never know.
Where do you think the next game changer will be in the music industry and entertainment scene?
I can’t be sure, but I suppose new apps and social media are constantly changing the music industry, like TikTok is doing now… I imagine more will come up in future! I hope that technology will make it easier for artists to connect with radio, labels, managers etc.
