Today, Edmonton singer/songwriter VISSIA shares “The Cliffs,” the third single from her new album With Pleasure, officially releasing on April 30 on Hurry Hard Records/Symphonic Distribution. A sultry slice of neo-soul, “The Cliffs” clearly displays VISSIA’s shift away from the roots-based work she’s been known for in the past, toward an innovative new sonic approach that draws from a myriad of influences.
When asked to describe the song, VISSIA says, “‘The Cliffs’ is about taking the leap and making life-changing decisions. We’ve all been there, wavering at the edge, between the comfort of familiar ground and the terrifying unknown below. Maybe it’s finally walking away from a relationship that hasn’t been nurturing either lover for many years. Maybe it’s leaving a job that has provided stability by conventional standards of living, but is not aligned with your heart and higher purpose. Maybe it’s finally enforcing a hard boundary between you and an unreliable family member or friend. I wanted ‘The Cliffs’ to fuse tough love with compassion. We are capable of so much more than we think. We just have to be willing to push through our fear of falling so we can find out what it feels like to truly fly.”
Growing up in Stony Plain, Alberta, Alex Vissia began playing piano at age five, studying classical repertoire into her high school years. By middle school, she was teaching herself enough guitar to write her own songs and began arranging them with her two younger sisters. After an eight-year run as a touring folk-pop trio, the sisters went on indefinite hiatus to pursue their own interests.
Upon graduating from MacEwan University’s Music Program in 2011, VISSIA self-released her first album as a solo artist, A Lot Less Gold. Continuously evolving, VISSIA’s sound has come a long way since her folky beginnings and the whiskey-drenched swagger of 2017’s Place Holder. She has made high-profile appearances including the UK’s Great Escape Festival, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival and the Canmore Folk Music Festival, sharing stages with the likes of Hawksley Workman, Jim Bryson, Matt Andersen, Lindi Ortega and others across Canada. Driven by connection and thirsty for movement, VISSIA dives into bubbly waters and emerges with a collection of pop-polished gems with the forthcoming With Pleasure.
