A pop-rock icon on the rise without a doubt! Leah Rogers makes an incredibly bold entrance to the world of rock-pop with her latest release Alice (wonderland). This release shows the bravery of this uprising artist who isn’t shying away from controversial topics and is able and absolutely willing to bring those hard and sometimes shocking conversations to light.
This release is primarily inspired by the heaped up conversation in 2022 United States about abortion and women’s rights, which is a topic that is usually linked to how people think about motherhood, sex, and women’s social role. 2022 was a pivotal year in the US juridical history as the infamous Roe vs Wade case was still on the radar and many conversations were being shed light to question whether abortion should be legal or not. In other words, more conversations and debates orchestrated by men about women’s bodies and their rights; and this was exactly what sparked the artist’s inspiration. Her anger and roaring emotions were funneled into this piece of art, Alice (wonderland)
The artist is primarily writing from the perspective of male gaze. The lyrics, right from the start, highlight a male dominant perspective of the world: “Come on Alice, drink the potion. When you’re done, shake those hips for me.” The artist, being a neurodivergent and a plus size female, has always known what it is like to be critiqued, controlled, and constantly being pressured under the umbrella of care and societal expectations. It is evident that she doesn’t really see that the political atmosphere is helpful in any way either. This song comes as a reality check and an anthem of truth for what women and most minority groups feel in this world: oppression. Not to give in to this harsh reality, but to be a reminder that there are still conversations that need to be had and actions that need to be taken.
The highlight of this song is without doubt the theme that it discusses, regardless of how often it is talked about. However, another element that stands out in this release is Roger’s voice. It is a mix of delicacy and rage. Which would make it interesting to see her experimenting with some symphonic metal kind of repertoire, as one couldn’t help but remember icons such as Sharon Den Adel of Within Temptation and Amy Lee of Evanescence. This release is without a doubt a noteworthy break into the rock-pop music scene for Roger.
