CloudKid Presents Vanic x Alexis Donn - Naked
A pop meets electronic crossover with a bit of edge, American singer-songwriter Alexis Donn joins Canadian producer Vanic on ‘Naked,‘ an absolute party-starter of a track, that holds a lot more depth to it than what listeners may absorb at first listen. It is a grandiose, massive, electronic pop song with production that has been carefully orchestrated sonically at the hands of Vanic. The big rock drums start the song off with a bang as it later transitions to larger than life brass and trap sounds, followed by a very rock inspired breakdown and emotional drop with Donn’s vocals at the forefront.
Donn says, “That’s what makes me fall in love with [the song] over and over again — the difference in that it sounds like a sexy song, but the genre is actually trauma. Lyrically and vocally, I was hugely influenced by Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, and Julia Michaels when writing this. I wanted something that sounded intense and a little edgy, but with a clever twist. This song is all about redefining intimacy as something way beyond the physical. The lyrics discuss the raw, unexpected beauty in trauma-bonding with someone – how opening yourself up and being completely vulnerable also exposes you to the most complex, gorgeous parts of a person’s soul where people truly connect.”
»It is something way beyond the physical - how opening yourself up and being completely vulnerable also exposes you.«
Inspired by personal experiences, but also world events and “life in general,” Vanic made his mark as a producer by turning his experiences into sound, as a means for others to be able to see and understand their own experiences reflected in music. In 2021, Vanic reemerged from a slight hiatus with his debut artist album ‘Here & Now.’ “The album is about being present in the moment. It’s about reality being made from perceptions, and is a little bit of the past and a lot of the future.” To accompany these forward-thinking ideas, Vanic teamed up with Hiber to create a virtual world that allows fans to experience an album in a whole new way. The goal was to create something that would feel different for every person who listened and watched. His new body of work sees him return to his musical roots, but also as a means to explore new territories. For the Canadian’s army of fans, this next chapter in his journey surely promises to be just as explosive as his beginning. Alongside him on the track is Alexis Donn, who after becoming diagnosed with a debilitating nervous system condition that took her from being an athlete to barely walking, promised herself if she could beat the odds and return to running, she could do anything — – including achieving her quietly kept musical dreams. Now four years into remission, Donn has spent two of those years penning and featuring on songs for some of the biggest electronic acts in the world (Excision, Blanke, Culture Code) – amassing millions of streams and a string of video game placements – and is now ready to introduce her solo singer/songwriter project. Her delicate voice, self-deprecating tendencies, and ability to pull your soul into the story she’s telling make you feel like you’re there in the room writing with her at two in the morning. With a raw authenticity and perspective that Donn credits to the post-traumatic effects from her illness, her artistry is aimed to help her listeners heal, feel seen, and remind them they aren’t alone. Together, their track, ‘Naked‘ out now on CloudKid!
