Alice Merton has released her new single 'Vertigo', via her own label Paper Plane Records.
It was on a cold night in Berlin, when Alice was queuing with her friends to get into a club that she realised something wasn't quite right. The closer she got to the front, the worse she felt. As a twinge of dizziness became a rush of vertigo, Alice made her excuses and hastily headed off into the night. This is the experience that inspired 'Vertigo'.
She recalls,
“I felt so helpless the next morning. How is it possible to love playing in front of huge audiences, when you feel anxious about being judged by strangers in public? All I could think was, why can’t I let go?”
Produced by Grammy-nominated Koz, the track captures the moment in sound, with a pulse-raising shot of adrenaline, distorted, industrial-tinged guitars and Alice's crystal clear vocal. The result collides timeless pop appeal with an uncompromising new attitude. Lyrically, there's an empowerment at having the bravery to face the issue head-on. It’s also a song that also possesses the raw energy needed to make it a fan favourite when shows and summer festivals return.
The intensity is heightened in the official video for the track, directed by Anuk Rohde and set in a post-apocalyptic world with an aesthetic that’s part ‘Mad Max’, part ‘Snowpiercer’, Alice is depicted deep in a mine where her anxiety is represented by a succession of visceral encounters. Undeterred, Alice is determined to escape to freedom.
Born in Frankfurt and raised in the USA, England and Canada, Alice Merton released her debut EP 'No Roots' in 2017 which led to the release of her debut album in 2019. Her breakthrough track topped the Billboard rock chart, exceeded 400 million streams and shot to the Top 10 all across Europe. Such was Alice’s impact that she was even invited to become a judge on the German edition of ‘The Voice’ and has now had over 620 million streams across tracks.
'Vertigo' is out now. Listen HERE @alicemerton
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