Perenna King On the Making Of “Alibi”
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Alibi" and the story it tells?
I wrote this song after Roe v. Wade was overturned in the U.S. The idea of women caravanning together across state lines to get abortions spurred ideas of outlaws, which then spurred on the imagery of the Wild West. “Alibi” is a song for women who are reaching out to other women in their time of need. It’s a reminder that, when both the church and the state are against us, we might need a partner in crime from time to time.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for this track?
I remember writing the hook of “Alibi” during a live writing session on my Twitch channel. I knew I wanted a 2 syllable phrase or word to end the chorus but couldn’t land on anything that felt natural, until “alibi” popped into my head. I wrote the rest of the song around that. We also had a moment in the studio when none of the 5 of us in the session that day knew how to whistle. So, we went to the studio across the hall and pulled a random man named Joseph into the booth to whistle for us. We affectionately call him Joseph the Whistler now, but we don’t know anything else about him and haven’t seen or heard from him since.
How do you feel "Alibi" represents your artistic identity?
“Alibi” is hard to put into a box. Is it pop? Is it folk? Is it indie? Is it country? I still don’t know. I think my artistic identity is a lot like “Alibi” in the sense that I never follow a strict guide. I never stick to one genre of music or one topic or one look. I’m constantly evolving and changing colors like a chameleon. This allows me to explore music and have fun with it. I write about what my heart wants to write about and everything else follows. Not to mention, the song has a spunky attitude much like me.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in music?
I’ve been writing since I was old enough to read. Writing is my first and one-true love. I will always write even if it’s no longer my career. I wrote as a small child, I wrote as a teen, and I write now as an adult. I always say that if I weren’t a songwriter, I wouldn’t be a singer. Writing and lyrics really are the foundation upon which I built my entire career. I dropped out of college when I was 19 and moved to NYC from a small Midwest town. I got an unpaid internship at one of the biggest record labels in the country and wrote music when I wasn’t in the office. Even when I went back to school and got a couple degrees, I didn’t stop writing music. And, whether you hear that music or not, I will do it until the day I die.
Do you aim to convey any specific themes or messages through your music?
Like I mentioned before, my messages and themes change from song to song, but there are some common threads that weave their way through my artistry. I don’t write love songs. I don’t necessarily prevent myself from writing love songs, I’m just very rarely inspired to write them. I write a lot of politically charged songs; in fact, my last three singles were politically based songs. I like to express my opinions on social and political commentary without lecturing the audience. If they can sing along in the car at the top of their lungs while also learning about a relevant issue in today’s world, then I’ve done my job.
