Alfreda: Guest Room
Following the release of her poignant single ‘Nude’ with its tongue-in-cheek, Rococo-inspired visuals and the spell-binding synth-pop number ‘Lipstick’, the visionary singer-songwriter Alfreda continues to expand her stylistic horizons with the powerful new song ‘Guest Room’. Rooted in her signature chic-pop style, this explosive single frames the bitter taste of rejection through Alfreda’s witty world perspective and a touch of old school Hollywood glamour. The London-born, New York-raised creative continues to build a world where fantasy and reality come together in crisp focus.
‘Guest Room’ opens with luxurious piano keys and Alfreda’s entrancing voice sweeps in with a rose-tinted vision of young love. However, this fanciful reverie is quickly swept away with the harrowing realisation that your lover has assigned you the guest room (how could they?!). The push-and-pull tension of the bluesy undertones and avant-garde pop production emphasises that childlike desire for love and acceptance; a theme that runs throughout this recent series of songs.
Reflecting upon a moment when even the smallest suggestion of neglect or rejection had sent Alfreda’s emotions spiraling out of control, she shares the real-life inspiration behind ‘Guest Room’:
“I remembered the time I was spending the weekend with my first boyfriend's family. It would be the first time I'd spent a night with him, so I was expecting to be sharing a bed and using the time to get closer. But upon arrival, I was put in a separate room, and I took great offence. The rejection I felt was certainly disproportionate for the situation, but it taps into a deep place of neglect and a feeling of abandonment. I had a lot of emotions and wasn't sure how to control them.”
Alfreda brings such a raw vulnerability and emotional sensitivity, marking her out in the art-pop sphere. Her artform is also incredibly versatile, as affirmed by the many performances of ‘Guest Room’ during top secret live sets at the influential underground club-night Dangerous Kitchen. She would be accompanied by a contortionist or a magician or a dancer – whoever was there on the night. With its purring melody and promiscuous vocal, this profound exploration of female sexuality has already proven to be an early fan favourite.
Her evocative transparency is central to her burlesque-influence live performances, where Alfreda strives to create a safe space. The artist holds down a cabaret-inspired residency called ‘Bedroom Tales’ at overhauled London music hub and now members club House of KOKO. Just a week before Glastonbury in 2023, Alfreda was invited to play at the festival by burlesque icon Evelyn Carnate.
‘Guest Room’, ‘Nude’ and ‘Lipstick’ share a throughline of femininity, self-awareness, playfulness, sexuality, and boundless expression. This builds the growing anticipation for Alfreda’s forthcoming Mothers Makeup EP. To promote the hotly anticipated debut, she is soon embarking on a ‘Bedroom Tour’, which will see Alfreda perform her songs in different people's bedrooms across England.
Alfreda also has a three-page editorial shoot and interview in the April issue of Tatler, where she discusses her music, cabaret, influences and her exciting visual world.
Have a listen and connect with Alfreda:
Photo Credit: Stanley Dunmore
