LOS ANGELES, CA- Alexandra Savior has always written from the shadows — part mystic, part siren — spinning spectral melodies and confessional lyrics into something that feels equal parts diary entry and dusty film reel. Today, she steps back into the light with “The Mothership,” the final single before the release of her long-anticipated third album, Beneath the Lilypad, which arrives May 16.
As if the studio version weren’t hypnotic enough, we’re also treated to a first look at a stunning live performance of “The Mothership,” where Savior’s vocals soar with a quiet, celestial grace. Stripped down and glowing with vulnerability, it’s a performance that lingers — a glimpse into the emotional depth and atmosphere the new record promises to explore.
For fans who’ve been following Savior since her breakout debut Belladonna of Sadness — and the raw, melancholic brilliance of The Archer that followed — this new chapter feels both familiar and evolved. With Beneath the Lilypad, she invites us into a world that’s even more introspective, surreal, and emotionally unflinching.
Ahead of the album’s release, we caught up with Savior to talk about her headspace going into this record, the evolution of her sound, and the inspirations — sonic, literary, and otherwise — that shaped Beneath the Lilypad.
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BLURRED CULTURE: The press release says that “Beneath the Lilypad” is a product of ‘unbridled creative freedom’—how did trusting your instincts shift the way you approached songwriting or studio work this time around compared to your previous albums, especially when the subject matter seems so personal?
ALEXANDRA SAVIOR: I think I had a lot more confidence in myself as a musician and songwriter with this album, and trusting your instinct wasn’t something I was taught as a woman. I’ve always put a lot of pressure on myself because I want to be the best I can be. Frankly, I am tired of worrying about being perceived as “difficult” because I want a track to come out the way I hear it in my head, which I suppose comes with age. This time, I was working with my partner Drew Erickson and he really encouraged me not to listen to those negative voices in my head, we call it “going to the dark side,” and recording the tracks with our best friend Michael Harris as engineer helped me to feel completely comfortable. I didn’t feel worried about being assertive with what I wanted from these songs, and I think the music benefited from that. I wish I had learned that lesson ten years ago.
BC: The press release also states that the album pays homage to surrealist filmmakers like Man Ray and Maya Deren—can you walk us through how those visual references manifested in the sonic textures or lyrical imagery on the album? Was there a particular scene or concept that became a spiritual touchstone during the songwriting process or production of the music?
AS: Yeah, I have always been very inspired by Maya Deren’s short film At Land. To me, it represents a woman walking through the scenes of a dream, and with my mental health, many of the past few years have felt like walking through a dream (or a nightmare lol). I wanted to convey the sort of dark and mystical element of psychosis from my point of view, and following those references always helps me continue to live within that.
BC: In “The Mothership”, there’s a real serenity to the lyrics—‘I wouldn’t mind if the earth stopped turning… when “The Mothership” draws the curtain, I hope she beams me right up next to you.’ It feels and sounds like a surrender to love amidst a kind of existential drift. How do you strike that balance between metaphor and personal truth in your songwriting, especially when expressing the complexities of mental health and emotional grounding through another person’s presence?
AS: That is a hard question to answer, because I hadn’t put much thought into it, it’s just something that sort of happened. The lyrics represent something to me now that is different to when song was first written down on paper. Writing a love song for me in this instance was about showing my appreciation for a person’s support and how that support is there even at a time when it feels the world and my role within it is coming to an end.
Beneath the Lilypad arrives May 16. You can pre-save the album here. HERE.
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