Alice Merton Previews Just-Announced Debut LP: 'Every Song Sounds Like the Emotion It's Portraying'

“There’s this one song that’s probably gonna be one of the singles," Merton says of the so-far unnamed track. "It’s one of my favorites at the moment. I could listen to it all the time... We’ll probably be releasing it in November. When I wrote it, I was like, yeah this is fun.” We also learn the track in question was produced by alt-pop mastermind John Hill, whose production credits include the likes of Portugal. The Man's "Feel It Still" and Florence + the Machine's "What Kind of Man." 

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Curious about how a brand new, independent artist turned her debut single into an international smash? Merton also looks backward, giving the play-by-play of how she wrote "No Roots," brought it to the attention of labels and streaming services, and defied the "advice" of gatekeepers who urged her to remove the guitars and quirky synth line and make a completely different version of the song we know today. Safe to say, her instincts were right. 

Listen to the 'cast below.

Also released today, Merton's latest single "Why So Serious" can be heard here.

#AlternativeFacts is a weekly Billboard podcast devoted to all things alternative music. Click here to subscribe to the #AlternativeFacts Podcast on iTunes. Let us know what you think on Twitter (@cpayneonaplane) and by rating the podcast on iTunes.