Alisa Xayalith Releases EP Title Track 'Superpowers'

Alisa Xayalith has delivered another taste of what's still to come on her debut solo EP, with new single 'Superpowers' out today.

A gorgeous and gentle indie-folk leaning song, which builds to a swirling anthemic crescendo, 'Superpowers' sees Alisa wearing her heart on her sleeve and sharing an insight into the journey that's taken her from being the frontwoman of one of New Zealand's most famous musical exports, The Naked and the Famous, to now releasing music on her own steam. 



"Overcoming your fears can feel like a superpower to become your best self," explains Alisa. "I wrote this about pushing through my own self imposter syndrome to do with the pursuit of my solo project. I feel like I became my best self, stepping into being the leader of my songs and getting them to the finish line."

It's the third single from the award-winning artist, who first made her mark in The Naked and Famous as she ramps up to the release of her EP, also titled SUPERPOWERS, out on November 18.

"I have spent the last few years just dreaming of completing this song and my EP. There were countless times when I doubted myself and thought I'd never finish my first body of work," says Alisa.

'Superpowers', and indeed all the songs that make up the soon-to-be released EP, reflect a side of Alisa that has seldom been seen or heard - vulnerable and standing alone in her own power.

Born to refugee parents who left Laos from the overspill of the Vietnam war, Xayalith is one of seven children. While Xayalith faced many hardships in her childhood, one of the hardest was dealing with the loss of her mother at just seven years old - something, she says, has had an 'immense impact on her' as a human being. Her father later remarried, which added more layers to an already complicated life that the young Xayalith built a resilience to 'survive'.

But, she says, it is this resilience and determination that has carried her through her career. Music has always been her escape. Seeking it out through school choirs, vocal groups, musical theatre - then, at thirteen, learning to play the guitar, and write her own songs. The decision to pursue it as a career came when she returned to New Zealand after a year overseas.

She enrolled in music school, which is where The Naked and Famous' story began. Over 850 shows later, recognition around the world, and records we know and love, we now get to experience the beginning of Xayalith's solo story.

Listen to the new single here: