Perenna King turns Protest into Pop gold on single, “Alibi”
Every so often, a voice emerges from the pop landscape that feels both familiar and unsettlingly new — the kind of artist who crafts songs you can’t quite pin down but can’t stop thinking about. Perenna King is one of those voices. With her latest single “Alibi,” the cinematic pop auteur delivers a gorgeously brooding, Western-Gothic ballad that not only seduces the ear but confronts one of America’s most incendiary social reckonings head-on.
From the moment “Alibi” opens, you know you’re stepping into a world of Perenna’s making. Thick, humming bass lines glisten in the track like clouds on the horizon, while atmospheric synth pads swirl around a mesmerizing drum pattern, setting a tense, cinematic mood. It feels like the sonic lovechild of Lana Del Rey’s noir Americana and Florence Welch’s primal theatricality.
However, for us it was King’s voice that carries “Alibi” into rarefied air. There’s a spectral quality to her delivery: smoky, aching, and deliberate. She intensifies the song’s melody with an effortless grace, often slipping into breathy falsettos before grounding herself with a deeper timbre. It’s an intoxicating performance, perfectly matched to the track’s cinematic production — a voice made for wide, desolate landscapes and neon-lit confessionals.
Lyrically, “Alibi” is where King truly where she shows off her chops as a songwriter in contemporary pop. While many artists shy away from overtly political themes for fear of alienating audiences, King does the opposite, using her art to illuminate emotional and social truths. The track confronts the aftermath of Roe v. Wade’s reversal in the U.S. — but it’s less of a protest song and more a parable, weaving intimate personal narrative with larger cultural commentary.
What makes it particularly compelling is how it pairs this subject matter with a pop framework that’s accessible and downright addictive. For all its darkness, the track has plenty of hooks — the kind that lodge themselves into your brain after one listen. It’s a slow jam at heart, but with all of its orchestral flourishes, guitar licks, and divine backing vocals create a lush, immersive soundscape that elevates it far beyond the typical protest anthem.
The production deserves special mention. King’s command of atmosphere is masterful — every element feels placed with intention, from the mournful slide guitar to the ghostly string pads that really amplify the song’s final moments. It’s the kind of song you want to listen to in headphones or on a dreary rainy night.
We urge everyone to dig into this song ASAP, but also to follow along to make sure you keep an eye out for whatever’s next.
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