Music Spotlight: ALAENA

Grunge-pop artist ALAENA, fka Alana Potocnik, recently released her latest track I Wanna, and we’re living for her refreshingly unique sound + authentic style. Through the alternative-pop single off her forthcoming EP Unguilty Pleasures, the LA-based artist + former keyboardist of metal band Winds of Plague expresses the frustration of mixed signals in a relationship—with the perfect amount of angst, of course. We caught up with ALAENA all about the track + the transition from being in a metal band to becoming a solo pop artist.

photo by Taylor Brielle

Asymmetric Magazine: Congrats on your recent release! Can you tell us about I Wanna?
ALAENA: Thank you! The song sits in a weird place in my heart because I originally wrote it about a guy I was seeing where we kept throwing mixed signals at each other. But when it came time to release the song, I had a completely new outlook on it, because fuck that guy!

AM: We love the cover art! How do you think it parallels your sound?
A: It means a lot because my best friend and basically sister, Autumn Mitlo, would be the one person who knows what my soul looks like, and she is the one who created it. 

artwork by Autumn Mitlo

AM: Are there any consistent themes you typically pursue through your music?
A: You won’t really catch me writing a song about partying in the club or about money. I like my songs to tell a true story—for fans to be able to follow a piece of my life yet still be able to relate to the overall message. I had such a hard time telling people about my life, and the only way I felt comfortable talking about it was through song.

AM: How was it going from being a part of a band (Winds of Plague) to being a solo artist?
A: It was actually pretty tough. I had to start over and acclimate my fan base to the new music I was creating. I lost a lot of ‘fans’ in the process, but I knew I wanted to be a solo artist because I had such a thirst for pop music with a good strong melody that I wasn’t getting from metal. 

AM: For first time listeners, how do you like to describe your sound?
A: The Goth Britney Spears is my go-to, but it's like a bubblegum nightmare—a little bit of horror, a little bit of sweet. Mix in some angsty girl power vibes and a melodic rhythmic track, [and that’s] Alaena.

AM: What other musicians are you currently listening to?
A: I currently love Oliver Tree, Billie Eilish, BONES UK, KFLAY, Yungblud. We need more women in alternative pop.

AM: We’re based in LA, too. Does living in Los Angeles play in your work?
A: It fuels my depression.

AM: Is there a place that you feel completely in touch with your creative self and your music?
A: Back home in Pennsylvania with all my friends who have been rooting for me since the very beginning.

AM: What can we expect to hear from you next?
A: The best music I have released to date, new collaborations, a music video, and shows!

// listen to I Wanna:

// Listen to more ALAENA on Spotify.