Watch Alison Wonderland perform her debut single and a stunning rendition of The Smashing Pumpinks’ track ‘Disarm’, incorporating warped vocals and a grunge feel that exudes electric electronic energy for the Lollapalooza livestream.
In lieu of Lollapalooza Chigaco 2020, which was cancelled due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, a collection of huge names including Kaskade, Kali Uchis, Louis The Child, and of course Alison Wonderland have performed live sets over the weekend for Lollapalooza’s 2020 livestream event. The online event also included archival footage of past performances from artists such as Lorde, OutKast, LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Portugal. the Man, and ASAP Rocky.
Ditching the DJ decks, Alison Wonderland (aka Alexandra Sholler) mixed it up by performing solely on vocals giving us her classic electronic, future bass sound. The DJ and producer began the live performance with her hit song ‘Run’ from her 2015 debut album, integrating echoey vocals and chilled out waves of electro trap that pulsate through the speakers.
Alison made a special ode to Chicago by performing an electrifying cover of ‘Disarm’ by The Smashing Pumpkins from their 1993 album Siamese Dream. This cover is grimy and raw with scratching synths that exude pure grunge and an electronic warehouse feel.
During the stream, Alison told fans why she decided to choose this particular song and its significance in her life growing up as a teenager;
“This next song is a really special song to me. It’s one of my all-time favourite songs by one of my all-time favourite bands, The Smashing Pumpkins, from Chicago,” Alison said to introduce the track. “I just wanted to do a little ode to Chicago, because Lollapalooza. This song is called ‘Disarm’. It’s the song that got me through high school, so this is for my high school self right now.”
Following her cover of The Smashing Pumpkins Alison performed a section from her unreleased track ‘Bad Things’ that is hypercharged with cosmic energy and embodies that quintessential EDM fist-pumping sound.
Joining Alison on set was a drummer and multi-instrumentalist that helped bring each song together harmoniously, supporting Alison’s vocals with electronic energy and flair.
Wonderland’s latest album release was in 2018 with her studio album Awake. In April the DJ also took part in her first livestream where she trended #1 on USA Twitter and #7 worldwide.
Earlier this year Alison also paired up with LA singer Phem to release a Tiger King themed track exploring the bizarre theories behind the Netflix series involving Carol Baskin and her missing husband. The short track is called ‘WWCBD?’, or ‘Wut Wuld Carole Baskin Do?’
Earlier this year Alison told triple j that she is preparing to share lots of unreleased music in the near future;
“I think while everyone’s just bunkered down I want to slowly release some of the edits and remixes and bootlegs I’ve made that people have always aske me to put out,” she told triple j.
“Just gonna do little dropbox files here and there for everyone to have it for free, because we all need a bit of music right now.”
You can watch all of the performances from the Lollapalooza 2020 livestream on the Lollapalooza Youtube channel.
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