Alex Rapp announced the release of her edgy and avant-pop single "Ego," combining harsh and bright vocals with a beat that refuses to quit. Her music, focused on experimentation, combines a unique blend of soulful electronica and stories of love and heartbreak, bringing the listener into her sonic world.
Rapp is equal parts vocalist, producer, songwriter, and music technologist with dreamy harmonies and maximalist soundscapes. She often incorporates different technologies into her music, including the MiMU Glove, which allows Rapp to change her vocals and move freely. She has also spent the past few years teaching music production to youth groups, particularly those focused on empowering young female creatives, such as Beats by Girlz and She Knows Tech.
The song starts out haunting and slow, steadily bringing in a beat and bass boost that makes the listener want to sway back and forth to the melody. Rapp's vocals are loud and proud, hitting high notes that people wish to do with ease. The music video accompanying the track brings the listener into her own world. Directed by Jendrik Schröder, the video was filmed in The Namib Desert in Southern Africa, with some obstacles. As Schröder puts it, "Because we only had a period of 1-2 hours in which we could shoot with the right light, one of the biggest challenges was to shoot all the scenes of a location before the light disappeared completely.”
The video combines spectacular costume design with striking low-key lighting and fluid camerawork, featuring three different alter egos of the main protagonist, played by Rapp, including a Namibian woman (Yozika Kahuure), a little girl (Kimberley Anne), and a mysterious dark horse. The haunting single "Ego" encapsulates the feelings every adult feels, almost stuck in a rut in their job, life, or more.
Alex Rapp shows that it is okay to have an ego because it can help with your image of yourself and your identity. Overall, the song is an ego booster in itself, making you feel powerful with melodic dubstep beats and Rapp's intricate vocals.
Alex Rapp can be found on Instagram under @thats_arapp.