Begonia to Release New Album 'Powder Blue' in February

Begonia-the solo project of alt-pop Canadian artist Alexa Dirks-confirms her second studio album, Powder Blue, set for release on February 24 via Birthday Cake Records; pre-save/pre-order HERE. The first album single "Right Here" debuts today alongside an accompanying video.

"'Right Here' is a love song for all my friends," says Begonia. "The Matts (Schellenberg and Peters), Marcus Paquin and I started writing it in December 2019 about how I was on tour all the time-always feeling like I was missing my friends' milestones, parties, birthdays etc. I love what I do, but the sacrifice is that you're not really someone who can like...BE THERE physically for a lot of important (and unimportant) things back home."

The album is written and produced by Begonia, Matt Peters and Matthew Schellenberg (Royal Canoe) with contributions from Jason Agel (Björk, Kelly Clarkson, Prince) and Joe LaPorta (FKA twigs, beabadoobee, Solange).

Of the album, Begonia says: "Powder Blue is more of an emotion. It makes me think of my baby blanket, the color of the Virgin Mary's shawl at the church Christmas play, the airiness of clouds on a summer day, chlorine filled water in a hotel pool, Elvis in the '70s wearing an ill-fitting jumpsuit, the wallpaper in my room growing up, the collection of faded denim jackets in my basement. The name of this album needed to be something that encompasses all of the feelings that these songs give me when they are put together. When I listen to them as a unit, they send me back to the words, the color. To me, this album holds a muted nostalgia, musings on childhood, the complexities of new love, self-love, religion, virginity and sexuality. There's an indulgence in emotional depth and pain yet also an indulgence in love and a poppy lightness -two sides I've always tried to balance. I feel like I let my guard down even more with this record and decided to not hold back on either end."

Powder Blue follows Begonia's 2017 EP Lady In Mind and debut album Fear, released in 2019 to widespread critical praise. Fear received a nomination for Alternative Album of the Year at the 2019 Juno Awards and also earned Begonia a nod for Polaris Music Prize.

As Begonia, Alexa Dirks creates bold, surprising pop that is tempered with sensitivity and wisdom. In her music, Begonia leans hard into a sense of arrival. Whether it's learning to come into her own or processing a brutal heartbreak, Dirks' intimate lyrics and audacious sound allows for her audience to relate to the messiness of life with an honesty that is refreshing.

Despite the turmoil from which it emerged, Powder Blue represents Dirks feeling settled by coming to terms with her past and present-from religious conflict, to exploring sexuality and managing mental health, the new album finds Dirks wresting with life's thornier moments in more evocative ways.

Tour Dates

November 10-Los Angeles, CA-Hotel Café

November 12-San Francisco, CA-Milk Bar

November 14-Seattle, WA-Sunset

November 15-Portland, OR-Hawthorne Lounge

November 18-Revelstoke, BC-Revelstoke PAC

November 19-Vernon, BC-Vernon & District PAC

November 21-Penticton, BC-Cleland Community Centre

November 22-Nelson, BC-Capitol Theatre

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