After the success of SZA’s SOS and Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal, it looks like Top Dawg Entertainment is going all-in on the girlies, and we’re here for it. The Los Angeles-based label has signed its third woman, Ethiopian alt-pop singer-songwriter Alemeda. You may remember her from her UPROXX Sessions performance of “Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows” in 2022, and since then, not only have there been plenty of other singers adopting that cosmetic choice, but Alemeda herself has built a growing fanbase as her alt-pop style caught on through artists like PinkPantheress and FKA Twigs.
Today, Alemeda released FK IT, her debut EP for TDE, featuring three all-new songs, “Below The Belt,” “I Already Dug Your Grave,” and “Not Asking For Much,” in addition to prior releases like “I Hate Your Face,” “Guys Girl” and the aforementioned “Bleach.” The project picks up threads from SZA’s pop-punk experiments on SOS and similar songs from the likes of Fousheé’s new project Pointy Heights, like “Feels Like Home.” “Below The Belt” “I Already Dug Your Grave” are upbeat riffs on the Disney pop-punk Alemeda says she grew up on as a kid in Arizona, while “Not Asking For Much” slows things down for a bit more bite. It’s a bit of a departure from “Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows,” which took more inspiration from UK garage and 2-step.
The versatile project is a worthy introduction to Alemeda for newcomers and an exciting look at the future of the formerly hip-hop-centric TDE. You can check out FK IT here.