alayna’s new single ‘But It’s Lonely’ pulls heavy on the heartstrings

Rotorua-raised alayna once again proves herself to be one of Aotearoa’s most distinctive and evocative songwriters, with the release of her latest single But It’s Lonely.

Listen to But It’s Lonely

Tinged in melancholy, But It’s Lonely is about loneliness in love and ranks among alayna’s most intimate songs.

“I wrote this in LA. I nearly cancelled the session as I was feeling jetlagged and run down, but I’m so glad I didn’t. It ended up being one of the favourite songs I’ve ever written. I feel that I’ve tried to write a version of this song for a very long time, and this time I was finally able to nail it.”

Co-written with Micah Premnath (Selena Gomez. Lady Antebellum, John Legend) and produced by Ben Malone (Luca George, Nouri, Rory Noble) But It’s Lonely follows the recent release of Mother’s Mother – a deeply personal ode to matriarchy, which saw alayna step back into the spotlight to reveal a new chapter in her already remarkable journey in music.

Both songs see alayna exploring the concept of love in all shapes and forms and showcase her talents for articulating through song, feelings that are seemingly impossible to describe.

“They reflect my perpetual attempt at going to the ‘hard to reach’ places. I try to turn over every rock of feeling so that I can understand myself and my place in this world a bit better,” she explains.

alayna’s artistry shines through not only in the songwriting on But It’s Lonely but also in the accompanying video, directed by Laila Ben-Brahim and Marlan Prabahar from Westall Road.

“We wanted to visually portray the vastness of this feeling of loneliness. The video begins with me surrounded by my own journals / papers; it then shows me painting in a lonely cabin. I stare out to sea, I look at the landscape, and I dream of a time where I am not so alone.”

Photo Credit: Luke Penney