Today, Boston-based artist Alisa Amador has released Narratives, her critically-acclaimed debut mini-album. This six-song snapshot in time is a deep look at a person stumbling through life in two languages — English and Spanish — and in many states of mind about it all.
Album opener “Timing,” a familiar tale of romantic uncertainty, accompanied by an irresistible horn section, was featured on Spotify’s "Fresh Finds,” "Fresh Finds: Indie,” and "Stay in Bed" playlists, as well as Apple Music’s "Now That's What I Call Today's Top Hits.” “Slow Down,” a Queen-tinged self-care anthem, was written a healing exercise meant to give a name to the chaos of navigating strained work relationships and an endless to-do list, while Beatles-esque standout “Burnt And Broken,” highlighted at The Bluegrass Situation, calls out rape culture and toxic masculinity.
Intentionally sparse in its arrangement, “Burnt and Broken” examines myriad systems of oppression. “Violence stems from fear, and fear grows from a lack of understanding,” Amador says. “An absence of a conversation around these violences causes such pain.”
“Alone,” a three-and-a-half-minute dissertation on the importance of committing to self-love with abandon, is followed by “Nada Que Ver,” a love song entirely in Spanish, which she says is “the language closest to my heart, and the language of some of my most vulnerable writing. This song is me bargaining with love. Stating clearly what I want and naming my qualms.” Album closer “Together,” is a song about systemic violence which Under The Radar called “a heartwarming tribute to friendship and camaraderie. Amador begins stark and solitary, accompanied only by the steady chime of her guitar as she acknowledges the pain that all too often defines life’s experiences.”
WATCH: “TIMING”
WATCH: “SLOW DOWN”
WATCH: “NADA QUE VER”
“The word ‘narratives’ encompasses not only the existing cultural messages that hurt people individually and collectively,” Amador says, “but also the revolutionary power of writing ourselves new narratives; rejecting a culture of fear; and catalyzing a culture of honesty, bravery, and self-love in the process.”
When listening to Amador’s music, her time spent immersed in Latin folk and jazz is undoubtedly present in her own songs, written in both English and Spanish. But there is also pop, funk, soul, and something uniquely her own. Her specialty is sparking connection across both listeners and musical styles. Working with producer Daniel Radin (The Novel Ideas, Future Teens), Narratives concentrates on the journey of Amador’s live set, taking listeners through songs that may elicit a laugh, bring introspection, offer a cathartic cry, or encourage a sing-along.
The genre-bending effort is as empowering as it is heart-wrenching. These songs explore themes of romance and heartbreak, of chaos and healing, exposing systems of oppression and shining a light on the intricacies of the human condition. They might break your heart open, but by the end, it will be mended, uplifted, and stronger—a ‘Life and Love Survival Kit' in the form of a bilingual EP. Click HERE to order Narratives.
TOUR DATES
9/19 - P.M. Sundays - Richmond, VT
9/22 - Club Passim - Cambridge, MA
9/23 - Club Passim - Cambridge, MA
10/7 - Fruitlands Museum - Harvard, MA
10/15 - Somerville Theatre - Somerville, MA*
10/22 - The Foundry - West Stockbridge, MA
11/1 - City Winery New York - New York, NY
11/8 - City Winery New York - New York, NY
11/19 - Rockwood Music Hall - New York, NY
* w/ Billy Wylder
