Alessi Rose exceeds high expectations on ‘for your validation’.
‘This is pop prodigy stuff.’ That’s how under the radar was left feeling when Alessi Rose arrived in full for the first time on 2024 debut EP rumination as ritual. Fast forward six months, the prodigy steps out in a lane of her own.
The 22-year-old earned comparisons with Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan as she broke through towards the start of last year, and it was easy to understand why. Alessi quickly found a penchant for turning the smallest of feelings into melodramatic pop flicks, delivered with a knowing wink.
Effortlessly endearing, the star’s meteoric rise in the months that followed rumination as ritual was no surprise for those day ones who saw her brand of pop threaten to break the stained glass windows of St Pancras Old Church last April. Selling out this year’s headline tour in record time and fast-tracking herself to London’s Koko to follow in the footsteps of Lady Gaga, Halsey and Katy Perry, it’s fair to say that sophomore EP for your validation dropped this month with lofty expectations.
In short, Alessi exceeds those hopes. Over an expansive six tracks and 19 minutes, the singer/songwriter transcends her debut project with an overwhelming sense of effortlessness. There’s no comparing the Derby-born star to the Roans and Carpenters of the world now - on for your validation, Rose is her own artist.
The only place to start when talking about Alessi’s new project is ‘IKYK’. A track unheard before the EP’s full release, the singer takes her biggest swing at a pop banger to date and doesn’t miss. The elder sibling of the giddy ‘CRUSH!’, there’s an alchemy to the “la, la, las” as the singer makes a lovesick potion to win over a love interest.
“Promise you’ll be mine forever, and never take it back,” Alessi taunts with a grin. It’s a track so good, it’s almost criminal the singer doesn’t amp up the production again to those levels. Nonetheless, the most arena-sized moment on for your validation perhaps comes elsewhere.
Opening track ‘oh my’ caught the attention of the world on its release in September, and streams have followed in their millions. An easy-going, guitar-led ballad, Alessi struggles to find the courage to ask for more - “he gives me head while I’ve been losing mine,” one of 2024’s best pop lines. It’s strikingly simple as a track but its glory rests in that airy production and singalong quality. ‘oh my’ will fill any room you put it in.
On that song, you can’t help but want to scream at the songwriter to move on from her love interest, but masochism is very much on the menu when Alessi is cooking. On rumination as ritual, ‘eat me alive’ and ‘break me’ saw the star step on the accelerator with heartbreak ahead and some things just don’t change.
On the ironically titled ‘imsochillandcool’, the songwriter takes no time in warning for the pity party that’s about to come - “I know I’m a baby but girl it’s a nightmare,” she throws out. What follows is a far-from-healthy stalk of an ex’s new fling. Alessi’s conclusion? “If I’m not what he wants, I’ll just die here because I hate thinking what if.”
The star’s ability to conjure up such tongue-in-cheek brilliance has got her this far but, on her sophomore project, there’s an added sincerity to her songwriting. ‘don’t ask questions’ is so personal it has the feeling of a therapeutic bedroom demo that might never have been meant to see the light of day.
On that track, Alessi explores how her OCD can affect relationships. It casts the singer in a new and vulnerable light, a multi-faceted artist whose cheeky discography has a soft underbelly. It wouldn’t be a reach to label it her best release to date.
What makes for your validation a pitch-perfect project is the range the rising star achieves. Between the sass, self-sabotage and sincerity is an ethereal moment of hope that comes with ‘pretty world’.
On that single, Alessi opens her heart for positive connection. Produced by Charlie Hugall, one of the masterminds behind Florence & The Machine hit ‘You’ve Got The Love’, ‘pretty world’ shares that track’s hopefulness as the artist lets her vocals dance around a fairytale-esque hook.
From start to finish, for your validation is a remarkable success. Alessi Rose is no pop prodigy. She’s the moment, right now.
10/10
Alessi Rose’s ‘for your validation’ has been added to under the radar’s Elite Picks.