A classic 60s-inspired track, honing in on Dark’s influences
Fresh off of the back of her latest single ‘Cool For You’, Spanish/American multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Alexa Dark has returned with the brand-new track ‘Villain’, out now.
‘Villain’ sounds like a classic 60s-inspired track, honing in on Dark’s influences which range from Nancy Sinatra to Portishead. A stripped-back tune that would be at home on a James Bond soundtrack, Dark’s ethereal vocals and buttery lyricism envelope you, depicting a story of feeling as though she isn’t the hero in her own story, but rather watching herself self-sabotage. The track represents Dark’s desire to be good, but feeling lured in the direction of being ‘bad’ – and kind of liking it.
Dark said of the track: “‘Villain’” is realising you might be the villain of your own story. It’s accepting the shadowy parts of who you are, while hinting towards a darker, painful underlying origin story which makes the villain, the villain.”
The accompanying music video, directed by Mateo Marquez (Verité, Maude Latour), sees Dark at her most alluring in a twisted, murderous fantasy. Taking inspiration from retro Bond movies, the video aims to convey the concept of becoming the ‘villain’ that is reflected in the three-minute-long track. In an eerie dive bar, Dark (the protagonist) plays the character of an elegant femme fatale spy whose mission is to seduce and kill her lover via poison. The music video plays with the concept of time, portraying a dance of seduction throughout, while also illustrating Dark’s struggle with what she came to do and the villain she ultimately has become.
“In my song ‘Villain’, I wanted to explore the multifaceted nature of the ‘villain’ in me, and how my past obstacles, my fears of love and heartbreak, play in shaping this version of myself. I wanted this to be the lead song to my EP, as I think it captures the arc of the story I’m trying to tell throughout the seven songs – the darker side of femininity, how heartbreak and loss might shape us into being something other than ‘the hero’ in our story, and how most often times the battle between the good guy and the bad guy takes place inside of us, facing off ourselves.”
Raised between Barcelona, Munich, London, and NYC, Dark finds herself drawing inspiration from her multicultural upbringing and eclectic music taste (from Françoise Hardy to Portishead, to Nancy Sinatra and Arctic Monkeys), as well as her love for film noir and French New Wave cinema. She began writing her own songs and poetry in her early teenage years, quickly taking this to the stage, where she began performing live in London both solo with her acoustic guitar and in different bands, honing her artistic direction and arriving at her unique sound and presence.
Dark then moved to NYC, where she became part of the downtown live music scene and began working on recording new music with Matt Chiaravalle (Debbie Harry, Warren Zevon), mastered by Grammy-award winner Emily Lazar and Joe Lambert (Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen).
In artist development with AWAL, she has been releasing her noir alt-pop singles since the summer of 2021 and building her sonic and visual world, which has grown a cult following on TikTok, becoming a 60s, Bond-like, femme fatale soundtrack. Dark has also opened for Ghostly Kisses, NoSo, Julian LaMadrid, and more. With over 170,000 streams on her debut single, features on Apple Music’s New In Rock and New in Alternative playlist, as well as publications Earmilk, She Shreds, Blackbook, and Story+Rain’s “Her Life is Her Art” alongside actress Sydney Sweeney and musician Rainsford, and more, Dark’s authentic lyricism and distinctive musical production makes her an up-and-coming artist to watch.
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