Alicia Creti releases latest single “Crazy”
Rising singer/songwriter, Alicia Creti, gives fans a treat before her 2024 EP Self/less drops with the new single “Crazy”. We chat with Alicia on her musical journey, her beauty routine (yes – we’re obsessed with her curly hair too) & what’s next for the songstress. Read our full interview below, download/stream “Crazy” here.
Featured Interview:
Tell us about your new single “Crazy” – what inspired the song and video?
My new single “Crazy” is about taking your power back in a toxic relationship. In so many of my past relationships, my exes would downplay my feelings by calling me crazy. I was constantly made to feel like my feelings were not justified or valid when an issue would arise, so I began to suppress them; my mental health was suffering because I started to believe, that I was crazy or unjustified in feeling this way. But over time, I started to figure it out and see how I was being manipulated, and that little voice telling me something was up got louder and louder until eventually, I reached my limit and ended things. This song is a reminder that likely, your feelings are valid and your ex is avoiding taking accountability. The music video is entry 3 of 7 videos for each song on my upcoming EP Self/less and is really just one piece of the whole story. It’s meant to illustrate the breaking point whether in your head or in actuality after being gaslit and manipulated by a partner.
What does music mean to you?
Music has always been there for me through everything. It is my greatest form of therapy. It felt like the only consistent thing in my life, the only thing that is mine. Songwriting, singing those songs, and becoming one with the piano is where I feel the most, like coming back home. It’s a place without judgment and the freedom to express every part of you, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and that’s a beautiful thing. It’s one of those things I am grateful for every day that goes by.
Who are your “Sheroes”?
My biggest Shero is my mom. She has been through so much in her life, yet she always shows up for me and is always strong for everyone around her. I don’t know how she does it. She is the most incredible woman I know and the best mom to my brother and I. I guess I’ve seen a lot of people go through things and become bitter and very sad. I admire her ability to see the good in any situation and be able to let go of things that don’t serve you so you can genuinely be at peace and be happy. It’s a really difficult thing to do but it is life-changing. I just love her.
What is your beauty philosophy?
My beauty philosophy is that beauty lies within. I spent years of my life judging myself and trying to change the way I look to fit a certain beauty standard. How you carry yourself, what you consume on the daily and the way in which you talk about yourself are the biggest determiners of how beautiful you feel, and your opinion is the only one that matters. I feel the most beautiful when I am kind to myself and others, and am unapologetically myself.
What is your creative process like?
My creative process usually starts with a passing thought or phrase I may hear or read somewhere that will stick with me. I’ll often write little journal entries and thought spirals in my phone and weed through that for subject matter when I want to write a song and am feeling melodically inspired. Sometimes I feel like I need to release this creative energy inside me and feel overwhelmed but don’t quite have the words to describe how I’m feeling, and I’ll just sit at the piano and let it come out. When I sing in that way, it’s very therapeutic for me, I’ll just hit record in the voice memo app and let it run for as long as I go, sometimes it’s 30 minutes sometimes it’s 30 seconds. I tend to mumble some words that I’ll make out later in the recording and those can sometimes be telling of how it was I was feeling in that moment, and I’ll start to put everything together from there.
How is your creativity disrupting the music space?
It’s funny because the one thing I thought was my weakness and what I thought I had to make up for was my tone, my voice. Growing up I didn’t really hear anybody who sounded like me, with a deeper more nasal-toned voice, so I thought to myself that I must not be good, hell I was even bullied for it in school. So pushed my range and practiced the hell out of my riffs and runs thinking it would make me a better singer. And it most definitely did, but what got my career started was a viral tiktok of a cover of session 32, which to me felt like it didn’t showcase the best parts of my voice because it didn’t show a crazy range or the most challenging riffs. It was just me singing from the heart, a song I love, I didn’t think anything of it. That was a really important moment and a lesson in my life all around, which is not to run from the things that make you distinctively you, the things that make you unique because that is often the most special thing about you. I think that the best way to cut through the noise is to simply be yourself. And if you aren’t fitting into a certain box, create a new shape.
Sometimes I can get really overwhelmed by the journey so I like to check in with myself throughout the day and remind myself of that. All I want to do is create the realest and best music I could possibly create. When I put my heart and soul into it, it is what I think people connect to. I think the magic lies in how honest I am being with myself and owning my truth.
What advice would you give your 13-year-old self?
The advice I would give my 13-year-old self would be to not be so hard on yourself because everything you hate and scrutinize about yourself/what makes you different is what has gotten you to this very moment, and it isn’t going anywhere. So the sooner you accept yourself, the sooner you will be on your way to living a fulfilled life. Don’t be afraid to be weird or different because it is what makes you unique and that’s beautiful.
What is next for you? Can we expect a full project/album?
My EP Self/less will be out in February 2024. I put my whole heart into this project, and creating this has been the most healing and fun 2-year journey. I started making this project when I began going back and forth between Montreal and LA, to eventually leave home and move out here by myself to follow my dreams. It keeps you up to date on who I am how I’ve lived my life up until now, and how I’m learning to break old patterns and finally put myself first.
Team Credits:
Photographer: Luke Kitlen @lukeieyphotos @lukeiey
