ANCHR'S Artist of the Week: Alice Phoebe Lou

This week’s artist of the week goes to Alice Phoebe Lou, a singer-songwriter hailing from South Africa but now based in Berlin.

Photo by Andrea Arie

Lou started performing at the age of 18, and over the span of her career, she has released four albums. Her first album Orbit was released in 2016, with her sophomore not following up until 2019, entitled Paper Castles. While fans waited a few years for the second record, they didn’t have to wait long for the third and fourth albums—both of which were released in 2021 and titled Glow and Child’s Play respectively.

My first listen of Alice Phoebe Lou didn’t happen until this year (I know, I’m late to the party!) when she released the single “Shelter” from a forthcoming album in March. The song lured me in with its breezy, easygoing melody that melds beautifully with Lou’s celestial vocals— it makes for the the perfect summer vacation soundtrack by conjuring sunny beach-day vibes. “Shelter” contrasts with Lou’s most recent single called “Open My Door,” which was just released last week. This track abruptly cuts to Lou singing the phrase “I used to open my door” as a jazzy piano melody kicks in on the second beat. In this second single, listeners get to experience a richer, velvety texture from Alice Phoebe Lou.

Much of Lou’s earlier catalog, like the 2020 single “Witches” or the 2021 album’s title track “Glow,” have a distinct yet versatile sound that I’d describe as mythically quirky. With Lou’s newer material, there’s still a sense of her unique artistry in the music, but there’s also a sense of maturity and exploring new territory.

If you’re a fan of Faye Webster, La Luz, and Hand Habits, you should add Alice Phoebe Lou to your playlists, and be sure to catch her on the road soon. She’ll be performing at Thalia Hall on May 13th if you’re in Chicago.