South African singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou continues to unfold her most vulnerable chapters with the release of “Old Shadows,” her third single of the year.
Coming Into Light
“Old Shadows” is a cinematic piano ballad steeped in gentle strength, showcasing Alice’s signature balance of softness and soul. Originally written in her twenties but kept hidden for years, “Old Shadows” now emerges as an ode to self-compassion and healing. The track reveals itself as a delicate unraveling of past pain that ultimately leads to light, in the most classic Alice Phoebe Lou style.
It’s the age-old tale of struggling to receive real love after so much hurt and confusion… It’s been beautiful to come back to this song and relive the moment that I understood my worth.” – Alice Phoebe Lou.
A Deeper Dive into “Old Shadows”
With stripped-back instrumentation that centers her raw vocals and piano, “Old Shadows” evokes the intimacy of a one-on-one performance, almost as if Alice is singing directly to you in a quiet room. Backed by the hush of somber piano, Alice tells a story both intimate and universal, wrapped in the bittersweet ache of learning how to be loved. “Old Shadows” lingers in the spaces between what was and what is. It beautifully captures the quiet struggle and tender tug-of-war between memory and presence through its achingly authentic lyricism.
Alice describes the song as:
Recognizing the shadows of past painful loves that haunt you and admitting to yourself how hard it is to get used to being loved and accepted and treated well.” – Alice Phoebe Lou.
The track follows the release of “You and I” and “The Surface,” all self-produced songs that mark Alice’s return to the poetic simplicity of her early busking days, simultaneously embracing the clarity of her experiences and emotional growth.
Out With the Old, In With a New Era
Fresh off a spring tour that included sold-out nights at LA’s Lodge Room, a support slot for Remi Wolf, and a run with Clairo on the Charm Tour, Alice Phoebe Lou has wrapped up her sold-out European dates and is now gearing up for more North American shows with her musical duo strongboi, opening for Men I Trust.
Now I’m paying tribute to the girl that bravely played the guitar and sang by herself, showing gratitude for that period of my life.” – Alice Phoebe Lou.
Born in South Africa and shaped by the streets of Berlin, Alice Phoebe Lou has long drawn comparisons to songwriting greats like Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. But with each release, she proves herself a singular voice. Her new work is luminous and unguarded, inviting listeners deeper into her journey as an artist and beyond. As she embraces a new chapter, this track stands as a moving tribute to the younger self and the old shadows that carried her here.
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