In a world of online influencers selling false versions of themselves for profit, it seems absurd that musicians are now expected to produce content and compete for attention on the same platforms. And yet here we are. 

Portland based indie folk songwriter Alela Diane has been someone whose social media feels more like a natural reflection of her life, very low-key DIY, with a wry smile that suggests she’s playing the game without taking it too seriously. She’s filmed videos in her stunning Victorian home, featured her pets and children, partnered with eco-fashion brand Christy Dawn, wearing them in her social media content and on stage, while always keeping the focus on the most important element: the music. 

This new album was recorded in her own home studio, and she has recently made a deliberate choice to engage with her local music community again after many years focused on motherhood. Although it must be said that even if her attention was elsewhere she’s never really been away from music releasing Cusp, Looking Glass and It’s Always Christmas Somewhere with the Hackles in the ten years since this blog began in 2017.  Her new album ‘Who’s Keeping Time?’ is full of beautiful, warmly rich sounding songs which she will be touring far and wide in the upcoming year, another sign of her renewed ambition.