Lizzy McAlphine – All My Ghosts

Lizzy McAlphine’s warm smile and shy giggle make it easy to forget she has amassed hundreds of millions of streams on TikTok and has traveled the world, but this Philadelphia native is no passing fad; she is an accomplished singer-songwriter with deep experience dealing with heartbreak, as her music video “All my Ghosts” showcases. In it she bravely confronts loss as her song speaks directly about heartache.

The short film corresponds with her sophomore album five seconds flat, which explores heartbreak in an intricate, cause-and-effect fashion. Additionally, it gives singer-songwriter Melissa McCarney a chance to explore screenwriting and acting – something she always had an image in mind of how songs would translate onto cinema. So she thought the best way forward would be turning her music into a short film.

Contrasting with her debut folky album Give Me A Minute – which garnered comparisons to Phoebe Bridgers and Shawn Mendes – her second project is more assured and unafraid of expanding out of its genre confines and exploring alternative musical arrangements. Album opener “erase me” blends acoustic guitar, piano, assertive electronic elements, horns and strings into an immersive experience; “doomsday” follows suit with similar instruments more closely aligned with chamber pop instruments than “erase me”.

All My Ghosts is an intimate piece that explores the aftermath of a failed relationship, leaving its artist feeling burdened by memories from their past. It represents an attempt to shake off heartbreak’s debilitating effects and move forward in an optimistic fashion; its video portrays this truth beautifully by showing that even when pain exists, strength must still be found; an important reminder not to lose focus of what’s truly important.

Lizzy McAlphine has had an exciting debut album release and since its success has had an active and productive career path since. Not only has she sold out her inaugural headline tour but has performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Ellen DeGeneres Show as well as collaborated with Phoebe Bridgers, FINNEAS and Jacob Collier before even performing on NPR’s Tiny Desk for NPR!

Lizzy is known for writing emotive and heartfelt lyrics that show her honesty about life’s struggles and heartaches, yet her songs also emphasize hopefulness and finding an avenue of belonging.

As someone who has fully immersed herself into the online community, it isn’t hard to see why so many listeners are attracted to her. Her personality shines through across platforms but especially videos; her charismatic yet humble persona makes it hard to imagine she could draw such a large following through social media alone; yet it remains refreshing that her online presence feels genuine despite having millions of dedicated fans; this skill will serve her well in her future endeavours.