There’s something about “Soft” that clings to the skin—like leftover summer heat on your back, like a hook that loops in your brain before you realise you’re humming it. Gianna Alessi’s voice doesn’t just carry the song, it floats through it—cool, collected, but never cold. It’s that kind of 90s-leaning R&B-pop you’d expect from a Mariah deep cut or a Brandy B-side, but dipped in west-coast calm and a bit of modern melancholia. And just when you think it’s settling into chill territory, the chorus opens up and lingers—an earworm without the stickiness, a vibe without the filler.
Produced alongside Rich Emery, with final touches by Daniel Neiman and Dan Millice, the track is all about tension and release. Synths drip like honey, beats stay light on their feet, and stacked harmonies fold into each other like waves—never too much, always just enough. But behind the smoothness, there’s a message that doesn’t flinch: staying emotionally open in a world that often wants you numb. It’s not preachy, though. It’s more like a soft reminder whispered through a smile, telling you that gentleness isn’t weakness—it’s resistance in disguise.
If “Soft” is the first chapter of the upcoming EP “Soft n’ Lush”, then we’re already sold. The track doesn’t scream for attention—it leans in, invites you to slow down, and lets you feel a little more, if only for three and a half minutes. And that feels pretty radical in 2025.
About Gianna Alessi:
Raised in classical sounds but raised herself on alt-R&B, Gianna Alessi has been steadily making waves from NYC’s Sofar Sounds to LA’s Hotel Ziggy. Her time at The Boston Conservatory shows in the precision of her delivery, but it’s the warmth and soul that cut through the most. There’s an emotional clarity to her music that’s hard to fake—she doesn’t shout to be heard, she sings so you want to listen.
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