The emerging Ethiopian-Sudanese artist Alemeda is celebrating not only one but two major achievements. Today her long-awaited debut EP Fk It has been unveiled, arriving via none other than a partnership between Warner Records and Top Dawg Entertainment, a backup that reinforces her name as one to watch as part of the up-and-coming artists wave that has taken the industry by storm over the last couple of years. With an alt-pop style that is not afraid to tap into other genres for inspiration and added musical value, her sweet yet strong voice that gives character to the realistic topics of her lyrics, and an already established and growing fanbase that has assured her millions of streams, Alemeda is doing the pop-girly thing the right way.
“I’d like to speak to who the fuck raised you,” is how this album starts, and by just this phrase, which I have no doubt we all can relate to in one way or another, we are obligated to listen to discover what other truths hide on this album; to no surprise, each song is a reunion or relatable statements and situations in a genre-blurring style, blending gritty alt-rock, rebellious punk energy, and dreamy pop melodies. With a straightforward language that speaks directly to the newer generations that are tired of everything and that don't hesitate to express their opinions and experiences with love and life in a raw and honest way, Alemeda, as a 23-year-old herself, is full of things to say, and oh, if she knows how to say them.
The album explores themes of empowerment, heartbreak, and self-discovery in tracks like Don’t Call Me, Not Asking for Much, Guys Girl, and First Love Song, a personal highlight of the album that achieves the youthful and somehow naive feeling of the song name not only in its lyrics but also on the instrumental. Aside from the new material like the anthemic Below The Belt, the already well-known hits like Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows, which accumulates more than twelve million streams on Spotify, are also on Fk It, adding interest for the ones who are aware of Alemeda’s power.
This project arrives at a point in her career where everything is on the right track, and the road to success seems clear and smooth. Signing with Warner Records and Top Dawg Entertainment signifies not only a promising career ahead of her but an already preexisting X factor that has made heads turn, proved by her appearance in Colors https://youtu.be/PTaY_jZt-H4 —an instant quality seal of approval—with her performance of I already dug your grave, also present on the album. “This EP is the truest expression of who I am right now,” and who she is is someone with a bright future.