One of the major goals I set for myself with Eat This Music was to interview Australian artist Alison Wonderland – in fact, at one point I had a sticky note on my wall that read: “Interview Alison Wonderland”. Today I finally get to rip that note off my proverbial wall, as I get to publish this written interview with Alison on the release of her third studio album, ‘Loner’.
Getting recognition from Gene Simmons when his daughter was interviewed back in 2021 felt really great, however, Alison Wonderland has been one of my favourite artists ever since coming across “Games” back in 2015, so I am not too sure where to go from here. I hope you enjoy the interview and album.
“It’s so good to have it out,” Alison says at the top of our chat about her third studio album, ‘Loner’. “I’m really proud of this body of work. Making [an] album is no joke because you’re putting every part of yourself into it.”
‘Loner’ is not only a 12-track album that Alison put her heart and soul into, it is a piece of work she put one hundred percent into – personally and professionally. In fact, she thinks she actually may have manifested where she is now through writing this album. “From the very beginning of this album, even though I wasn’t in a good place, I refused to accept that as my life,” Alison continues. “I wanted this to represent a rebirth for me. Acknowledging the dark but heading to the light.”
Following on from the release of two studio albums – “Run” and “Awake” – Loner is the third album from Alison that continues to showcase her journey as an artist and how she has continued to grow her electronic sounds and vocal range to tell her story.
“Loner is actually about taking back my power and refusing [to] accept the narrative I had when I lost everything I thought I had.” — Alison Wonderland
“I know that the word Loner usually comes with negative connotations and pity but I actually wanted to bring light back to the word and make it a positive thing,” Alison continues. “Show that you can make changes if you really want to and that bad times can make you into the best version of yourself.”
Every album that Alison makes is a time capsule of something in her life. To say she went into this album intending to come out a stronger person, would be an understatement. In fact, she has come out even better than she ever has; both personally and professionally.
Going into the creative process on her third album, Alison reveals it actually wasn’t that different to how she went about working on previous material. “My creative process is probably pretty similar every time because it’s just how I create,” Alison explains. “I approached it from [a] more evolved perspective because I’m definitely a different person than I was when I wrote the other two.”
“One hundred percent. Everything that I wrote plays a part in the meaning of the album.” — Alison Wonderland
When it comes to which song or songs off the album Alison recommends listening to – it becomes sort of how a parent cannot choose their favourite child – it’s all of them.
One of the best aspects of Alison’s music is that she leaves nothing out, nor does she include any part of it that shouldn’t be there. Touching on that notion, Alison explained that “this was a heavily thought album and everything that was supposed to be on there is on there.”
Whilst every sort of music that comes out is left up to the interpretation of the listener – I, myself, think this album showcases how far Alison has come as an artist, and whilst the album is titled ‘Loner’, it is actually a huge album that features a lot of personal aspects and is a welcoming addition to her arsenal of creations – Alison says that she hopes people accept their own narrative: “That they don’t have to accept there narrative they’re in now. If they’re prepared to do the hard work they can get to a different place and it can be a better place.”
“I always have something to say as an artist but I’ll save that for the next album haha” — Alison Wonderland
Now that Alison’s third studio album is out, listeners can sit back and enjoy her fantastic piece of art; I know that I have (more than once).
“I don’t know I don’t even know what I’m going to eat for dinner,” Alison says at the end of our chat. “Just know that I’m working on a crazy live show.”
