Under the Radar: Alas de Liona

It’s been a flying start to the year for Californian artist Alas de Liona, who has found inspiration in Edinburgh, write Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon
Alas De Liona PIC: Gaelle BeriAlas De Liona PIC: Gaelle Beri
Alas De Liona PIC: Gaelle Beri

Hailing from the Mojave Desert in California, Alas de Liona grew up in a musical household, with her parents even composing a lullaby for her as a child. Arriving in Edinburgh as a student, she began playing in pubs, and so impressed one bar owner that he recommended her to The Proclaimers’ manager, Kenny Macdonald, who promptly took her on.

At the end of 2020 Alas recorded five tracks with producer and Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones, and since January she has been releasing one a month ahead of them being bundled as the Radio Astronomy EP.

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A move away from her more upbeat debut album, which has a hint of Irish folk pop, the new compositions have an almost hymnal quality and are striking a chord with a broad range of radio programmes and playlists.

On Friday she released track number five, Planetarium, a dreamy anthem with massive hit potential and on Tuesday she is a guest on Radio Scotland’s Roddy Hart Show. A streamed performance in the Mojave Desert is on the cards for this summer, before she goes back into the studio to record her next album, Gravity of Gold, www.alasdeliona.com

Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon run music industry seminar and social night Born To Be Wide visit www.borntobewide.co.uk

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