London-based rising star Alysha embraces the darker side of her artistry with her latest single, ‘Take It or Leave It’, a brooding collision of goth, new-wave and electronic sounds that explores faith, temptation and personal boundaries through a provocative alternative lens.
Built around shadowy synths, electronic textures and an unmistakably nocturnal atmosphere, ‘Take It or Leave It’ sees Alysha stepping confidently into her new-wave era.
“I co-produced this song with producer Matt Rist,” Alysha explains. “I wanted to write a Goth/Electronic song about my faith which alternative people can also enjoy rather than the usual Gospel, R&B or Country you get with Christianity.”
That unconventional approach is at the heart of ‘Take It or Leave It’. Rather than presenting faith in familiar musical surroundings, Alysha places her spirituality inside a world of dark electronics and gothic tension. The track even references the number 666, deliberately using a taboo symbol to provoke curiosity and challenge expectations.
At its core, however, the track is straightforward in its message. “It’s an Alternative genre song talking about God,” says Alysha, capturing the deliberately stripped-back premise behind a song that refuses to fit comfortably into any one box.
Alysha’s willingness to blur boundaries has been central to her evolution as an artist. A Cuban-Indian musician raised in St John’s Wood, London, she grew up absorbing an eclectic mix of influences, from Joss Stone, Beyoncé and Lauryn Hill to Siouxsie & The Banshees and church gospel. A natural musician who began writing songs at just 10 years old, she eventually developed a sound that draws equally from R&B, alternative pop and darker electronic worlds.
After studying at Access Creative College before moving into fashion at Vogue College of Fashion and Istituto Marangoni, Alysha began collaborating with producers online and released her debut single, ‘David Attenborough’, at 16. Her breakout EP Midnight Rendezvous followed in 2020, before a creative rebrand in 2023 saw her move towards a more mature and adventurous sound.
Tracks including ‘Lord, Help Me’ and ‘Finer Things’ helped build her growing profile, with the latter generating more than 2 million Instagram Reel views. She has since brought her music to the stage at Wild Paths and Forwards Festival, sharing bills with artists including Greentea Peng, Hak Baker and The Jesus & Mary Chain.
With more than 3 million streams across Spotify, features in ASBO Magazine and Galore, and appearances on the covers of Vogue and Rollacoaster Magazine, Alysha has already demonstrated an ability to command attention. With further new music and a potential EP on the horizon, ‘Take It or Leave It’ signals an artist increasingly comfortable with breaking her own rules, and daring listeners to do the same.