MUMBAI: Malaysian-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Alex Porat shares a new single, “girlfriend.” Leaning into masculine music tropes like brash ‘yeyahs’ and a mid-tempo trap beat, she flips the script on the typical aloofness boys display when dating and takes the upper hand for herself. To further assert her sovereignty, she juxtaposes the masculine with her signature bubbly melodies and delicate harmonies to make the song her own.
Alex shares, “I always found it so annoying how guys could get away with doing the most relationship-like things and acting like a boyfriend but then turn around and say that they are not in a relationship. So this time I wanted to flip that perspective, and this is my take.”
“girlfriend” follows Alex’s 4-track debut EP, ‘bad at breakups,’ which arrived with four music videos directed by Iris Kim. The EP opens with the soft and subdued single “forgot to forgive,” in which Alex monotonously talk-sings the verse before lilting into a gentle waltz. It also includes the dreamy, bittersweet single “happy for you;” Alex’s cheeky debut single “only hanging out cause i’m lonely;” and “never say ily again,” which juxtaposes bouncy and playful production with lyrics that express regrets about a past relationship.
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This track signals a new direction for Alex, one that is distinctly more pop-oriented. She explains, “The last project as a whole felt really concept-focused and this next one feels like a variety of corners from my world that are being explored for the first time. So much of that is because this past year forced me to be more introspective, and I’m glad it did because it turned out to be very freeing. I’ve been scared of the pop world because it’s so competitive, but the more I thought about it, I was like, ‘damn, being Asian and in pop music might be worth the struggle if it can help set a precedent for the future.’ I would be so grateful and honoured to be part of the group that pushes that boundary in North America.”
Alex Porat is a magnetic force. She delivers lighthearted pop with serious skill, effortlessly combining memorable melodies with fresh electronic production and crystalline vocal delivery. The Malaysian-born artist may have grown up across the globe in Toronto, but she’s successfully built a massive fan base in Southeast Asia. Starting out, Alex gained a strong following on YouTube and Instagram by posting covers. Now, with only a year of solo releases under her belt, she’s gained 1.1 million+ monthly Spotify listeners, almost a million YouTube subscribers, and 140 million+ total YouTube views. She rounded out 2020 with a livestream performance in collaboration with YouTube Music under the umbrella of its Foundry global artist development program.
