Alessia Cara, the Canadian pop and R&B singer from Brampton, Ontario, has been captivating audiences since her 2015 debut single, “Here.” The track peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold three million copies. Her debut album, Know-It-All, released in November 2015, went platinum, marking the beginning of a remarkable career.

Since her debut, Alessia has amassed over 14 billion global streams, won a Grammy, and received a Juno Award for Best Album and Songwriter of the year for her sophomore album, The Pains of Growing, released in November 2018. Her third album, In The Meantime, released in September 2021 to critical acclaim from Pitchfork, Billboard, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times, which described it as “incisive and introspective as ever.”

Now, after four years, Alessia returns with Love & Hyperbole, an album that explores love, reflection, growth, and the fears of getting older. “There are new forms of love that I have experienced—ones with a sense of security and comfort that allow me to feel more like myself. I’ve never experienced that before, so I explored those topics in more detail,” she shares. “As well, things like getting older, death, and the fact that life passes quickly—I’ve never talked about that before, and the sadness I experience with those fears.”

Visually, the album’s aesthetic mirrors its depth. The rich red wine tones on the album cover contrast beautifully with cooler tones. “For this album, red is a colour we associate with love, and this specific red wine colour felt very sophisticated and rich. The warmth and cool tones were very indicative of what the album means to me—how we need contrast in life, and that’s what makes it beautiful. It’s the negatives and positives working in tandem,” Alessia explains.

This album not only marks Alessia’s artistic evolution, but also reflects her personal growth. “I feel like the exact same person as I was during The Pains of Growing, like that version of me could look at me now and still recognize me. But on the other hand, I’ve changed so much,” she says. “Some of my earlier albums had this closed-off, heavy stubbornness. I had this fire in me fuelled by angst, but I feel like it’s not there in me anymore. I feel softer in a good way, more expanded. That stubbornness and default melancholy I had back then is still there, but I’ve reshaped my life to stay more present.”

A strong influence on this album is Alessia’s upbringing in Brampton, Ontario, a city rich in cultural diversity. “I’m very fortunate to have grown up in a city that celebrates many different cultures, religions, and ethnicities. Canada really celebrates the different colours of the mosaic, and it definitely informed a lot of my songwriting because of the openness it brought me,” she shares. “The GTA (Greater Toronto Area) has such a sound and identity in music that has been influential toward my own.”

Another influence on this album is Alessia drawing inspiration sonically from the ’60s and ’70s. “When I’m looking for a fresh perspective, I always go back in time. Some artists I was listening to for this album were Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Beatles—just a bunch of legends who shaped what music is now.”

One of the album’s standout tracks, “Fire,” is Alessia’s most personal song yet. “This song is the first time I have written a love song without any fear or negativity attached to it. When I write love songs, there’s usually a fear or melancholy behind them, or I put a negative spin on them. But this song is just a love letter I wrote in a happy, free way, without fear. Although, it’s a lot scarier for me to talk about love in a lighter sense—it feels more naked.”

Love & Hyperbole was released on Valentine’s Day and will be followed by a 35-stop tour starting April 6. Alessia is excited to share this new era with her fans, and we can’t wait to see what comes next for her.

Special thanks to Alessia Cara, Def Jam, Universal Music Group, and º1824 for making this interview possible.

Love & Hyperbole is now available on all platforms—listen now!

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