Her independent approach to her music has given the singer-songwriter a creative confidence that shines through in her captivating vocals and stripped back music. Having developed her bluesy, folk sound busking on the streets of Berlin, she has caught the ears of a community of music lovers the world over with her honest storytelling and raw, beautiful voice.
She grew up on a mountainside in South Africa listening to her parent's records and indulging her love of theatre, arts and music at a local Waldorf school; a formative time that nurtured her independence and desire to experience music of all styles. This multi-faceted creative upbringing mixed with Alice's natural wanderlust and in 2010, 16-year-old Alice made her first journey to Europe during her summer break from school. Inspired by watching fire dancers in Paris, she began to perform likewise to get enough money to fund her travelling.
That summer she roamed between Paris and Amsterdam; experiencing the highs and lows of street performances' underbelly. This vagabond lifestyle was a creative inspiration and gave her an enduring taste for the immediacy of street crowds. After returning to South Africa to complete her studies, her path led her back to Europe and she made her way to the German capital - Berlin. The freedom of the city was intoxicating and she immersed herself in the creative world there.
She began busking across Berlin with just her guitar, a small amplifier on a trolley and her mesmerising voice. Her natural talent and captivating delivery started to garner a cult street following with people coming to see her busk and buy her records. The uncompromising creative community of Berlin also helped Alice grow musically and she collaborated with acoustic, jazz and electronic musicians; including multi-instrumentalist Matteo who quickly became Alice's live performance companion. Soon she self-released her first body of work - the Momentum EP - her first collaborative effort recorded between Berlin and Cape Town with five different producers. Although by now interest was sparked with several major labels, her desire to maintain the creative freedom she had fostered kept her focus on growing her digital community of loyal fans and imagining ever more interesting settings for her intimate live shows
Now having spent two years playing intimate gigs across Europe and South Africa, and supporting established like-minded artists like Rodriguez, 2016 saw her releasing her first full length studio album. Orbit comprises nine jazz-influenced, eclectic tracks recorded between Cape Town and Berlin that encapsulate the freshness of her live style, vagabond spirit and showcase her distinctive, soprano voice. Produced by Matteo and Kyson, the album is a testament to Alice's collaborative way of writing and features musicians from South Africa and Europe lending their musical skills and different visual artists producing art works to match each track. The result is an intricately woven pattern of soul, blues and jazz: scattered with retro, beatnik melodies; soothing vocal harmonies and sleazy brass flourishes.
Let Me
Alice Phoebe Lou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't be all you've got too
There's not enough room in here for all of you
I'll give you more whenever I'm ready
I didn't ask to give up my privacy
I'm just one girl
Don't wanna rule the world
I just wanna make, make my own
Let me
I've given my time and love to so many
But I don't have enough to give what you expect me
I'm going out alone
Alone feels just right
Let me
My shoulders are tired from holding such weight
I'm putting it all down
Taking it off
Letting it drip down
I will not be around
I will be somewhere that I can only reach
Not open to the public
Not open to anyone
Not open, not open
Let me
In the song "Let me in" by Alice Phoebe Lou, the lyrics reflect a strong desire for personal space and independence. The opening lines, "I'm all that I've got, Can't be all you've got too, There's not enough room in here for all of you" speak to the singer's need for autonomy and the recognition that they cannot fulfill everyone's expectations. They express a longing to be their own person and not be burdened by the weight of others' demands.
The chorus emphasizes this desire for self-determination, as the singer declares, "I'm just one girl, Don't wanna rule the world, I just wanna make, make my own." They are not seeking power or control over others, but simply want the freedom to navigate their own journey and create their own path.
The second verse further emphasizes the singer's exhaustion from giving so much of themselves to others. They acknowledge that they have reached a breaking point, needing to go out alone and find solace in that solitude. By detaching themselves from the expectations and pressures of others, they find a sense of peace and clarity.
The closing lines of the song convey a firm boundary, as the singer asserts their need for privacy and seclusion. They want to retreat to a place where they can be truly themselves, untouched by the prying eyes or interference of others. This longing for a personal sanctuary suggests a deep desire for self-discovery and the preservation of their own authentic identity.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm all that I've got
I only have myself to rely on and count on.
Can't be all you've got too
I can't be the sole source of support and validation for you as well.
There's not enough room in here for all of you
I don't have enough emotional capacity to handle everyone's presence and demands.
I'll give you more whenever I'm ready
I will provide more of myself and my attention to others when I feel prepared to do so.
I didn't ask to give up my privacy
I never wished or requested to sacrifice my personal space and solitude.
I'm just one girl
I am simply an individual person, not some dominant figure or ruler.
Don't wanna rule the world
I have no desire to control or exert power over the entire world.
I just wanna make, make my own
I only want to create and establish my own path and identity.
Won't you let me?
Will you grant me the freedom and space to be myself?
Let me
Allow me to pursue my own journey and make my own choices.
I've given my time and love to so many
I have dedicated my time and affection to numerous people.
But I don't have enough to give what you expect me
However, I don't possess sufficient resources or energy to meet your expectations.
I'm going out alone
I am venturing outside on my own, without relying on others.
Alone feels just right
Being by myself feels perfectly suitable and comfortable.
My shoulders are tired from holding such weight
I am exhausted from carrying the burden and responsibility of others' needs.
I'm putting it all down
I am setting aside and relinquishing all those obligations and expectations.
Taking it off
Removing the emotional weight and pressure from my shoulders.
Letting it drip down
Allowing the weight and expectations to slowly dissipate and fade away.
I will not be around
I won't be present or available.
I will be somewhere that I can only reach
I will retreat to a place where only I can access and find solace.
Not open to the public
This refuge is not available or accessible to the general public.
Not open to anyone
I won't open up or share this personal space with anyone.
Not open, not open
This secluded area is closed off and not accessible to anyone else.
Let me
Allow me to find my own sanctuary and emotional distance from others.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Alice Phoebe Lou
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joaquim António Gonzaga
on Orbit
One foot on the pavement and one foot in the milky way
And I’m soaring
Soaring
My branches scrape the sea of stars
My roots dig deep into this world of ours
And I’m grounded
Grounded
My reality is what I perceive
What I attract into my orbit
Worries fade into the haze
The air feels different this time round
Different this time round
Let’s set sail
Start a fire
Learn to live a little higher
Let’s pick the lock
Grab the reigns
Forget there ever were chains
Cause there never were chains
Days move on and times they change
In a blink of an eye things rearrange
We’re moving
Moving
We’re sucked in and we’re spat out
On the other side of the rabbit hole
But we find our way
Find our way
Do you want to be just a machine in this crazy society?
Pick the lock
Grab the reigns
Forget there ever were chains
Cause there never were chains
Eva Magro
on Deep Blue Sea
Where are the lyrics of this song? PLEAAAASSEEEE :)
Gretchen Jansen
on Berlin Blues
Heat ruffled up my feathers
and it barked on up my tree
when suddenly it seemed
all the fingers were pointing on up at me
and the footsteps in the sand
were all getting washed up by the sea
to leave me, in stitches,
bursting at the seams, bursting at the seams
when the sun came out to greet me
I only saw the wools from my dreams
this is my Berlin blues song
sometimes life can get a little wrong
but it won't be long
cause it just makes me strong
and there is a place where we one day will dwell
where there's no more walking on egg shells
where ideas are for free
oh it's the place to be
oh great minds no longer the minority
and I'll see you there with your hands in the air
where the canvas is bare and there's no more despair
and your third eye will stare
nothing can compare
where there's not one care
and I'll see you there
I'll see you there
I'll see you there
I'll see you there
I'll see you there
This is my Berlin blues song
sometimes life can get a little wrong
but it won't be long
cause it just makes me strong
and there is a place where we one day will dwell
where there's no more walking on egg shells
where ideas are for free
oh it's the place to be
oh great minds no longer the minority
and I'll see you there with your hands in the air
where the canvas is bare and there's no more despair
and your third eye will stare
nothing can compare
where there's not one care
and I'll see you there
I'll see you there
I'll see you there
I'll see you there
This is my Berlin blues song
sometimes life can get a little wrong
but it won't be long
cause it just makes me strong
Gabs Pasten
on Grey
Calm the fuck down
and unclenge your fist
I cant see you through the mist
How did it come to this?
Whipe the tears from inside your head
your eyes are looking dead
Was it something i said?
Take back those words Im not as strong as I look
its my soul that you shook
and my heart that you took
Leave me in my misery,
hopefully i'll forget you some day
I cant stay, I have to stop my soul's decay
You've taken all my dignity
its clear to me that this aint child's play
I'll be on my way
Before my world turns gray
Hey, hey you, yes you standing there
Is this is pain, would you give me care?
Hey, hey you, yes you with the smile
Would you take me under your wing for a while?