Alyssa Gengos - "In the Real World"

Photo by Sam Setzer

Alyssa Gengos is another of the alt-pop artists that I've been really digging lately. Her latest single, "In the Real World," has this light and upbeat feel to it. It's a fun song, which is what pop music should be. Unlike most pop music, "In the Real World" is a fairly sparse and stripped down song that basically defines what is great about bedroom pop. Gengos sounds like a back to basics version of Lily Allen on this song, and who doesn't want something like that? Even if you're a fellow hater of anything that contains the word "pop," you're still going to love this song.

Alyssa Gengos says of her new single:

"After moving back in with my mother in Los Angeles during lockdown, I found myself retreating into the depths of my own mind, sifting through memories of adolescence and young adulthood and dreaming about what the future may hold. While there was some comfort in fantasy, I realized I was losing touch with reality. 'In the Real World' expresses my desire to be honest to myself about what’s worth my time and energy, and to put that into practice. That doesn’t only mean searching for the highs of life, though – accepting the harshness of reality is just as important. When I wrote this song, I was starting a new phase in my life, and I knew there was an opportunity to really dissect my childish, selfish mistakes from the previous phase. To me, a large part of maturity is learning how to deal with life’s consequences. 'In the Real World' is a plea to myself to be more honest, intentional, and self-aware, and to grow up while still holding onto that inner child."

You can watch the video for "In the Real World" below. Mechanical Sweetness is due out February 25 on Egghunt Records. For more on Alyssa Gengos, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter.