The calendar year known as 2020 will be remembered for a wild myriad of events that will leave future generations stunned, but out of all the chaotic moments came the idea of reflection and resolution. So many found themselves looking inward and then out at the world, and with that came many realizations of who we wanted to be, where we wanted to go, and what we wanted to do with our lives once making it out the other side. Some of us baked, others did way too many puzzles, but people like Ziggy Alberts wrote. He wrote his heart and soul into 2021’s ‘searching for freedom,’ and for that – we should all be grateful for this Americana-infused album that plays around with folk, alternative, and pop.
Some years ago the male artists in my playlist rotations were growing weak. Each release was just a watered-down version of the record that came before it. With that, I sort of abandoned listening to them and anyone like them. I needed them to say something more than the typical, and they were not. Fast forward to a beautiful Sunday afternoon in May 2021 and me pressing play on ‘searching for freedom.’ Within a few songs, my heart was ignited. From Ziggy Alberts’ pitch-perfect pipes to the lyrical content, I immediately knew this was a record written with a realized perspective. Not only that, but actual human emotion.
Within a few seconds into “keeper,” I was taken back to my senior year of high school. It was like being at a Jack Johnson show only with an Americana twist. Ziggy Alberts knows how to pen a great song that is meant for mass consumption and this one, along with “heartbeat,” and “getting low” are sentiments of that. Along with the radio-ready songs, some tracks shined a light on the year that was 2020. From the pandemic to political strife, it was all a bit too much to handle, and songs like the titular track, “don’t get caught up,” “together” are reminders to move past the negatives out there, and that when we band together – we stand taller and stronger as a whole.
He recently opened up in an interview with Diandra Reviews It All saying of the album as a whole, “I think it is a fairly accurate record of my personal search for freedom. I think that it will move people, and I hope they will feel inspired to break out of the typical narrative and prioritize each of their pursuits for a meaningful life filled with love and purpose.”
On top of that, this record had a lot of love in it as well. It is like what is needed after listening to the powerhouse debut, ‘Sour,’ from Olivia Rodrigo because while that album makes one yearn to key the car of an ex, Ziggy Alberts allows the heart to feel warm and embraced not only lyrically but also because of that voice. Much like Sam Hunt, Ziggy Alberts has a set of pipes that have a way of melting the knees of those who hear, especially when listening to a song like “chocolate.’
With that, it is no surprise that on Spotify alone Ziggy Alberts garners over one million listeners monthly. His way with words and how they are delivered have served him well over the years. With over half a dozen releases to his name, this Golden Coast singer has fans around the world that have helped him sell out tours in Australia and beyond, and now that the pandemic is easing and things are normalizing – I can only hope he makes his way to the states to tour so I can have a night out with music that has a backbone and purpose.
To hear and fall in love with new music, check out Ziggy Alberts’ ‘searching for freedom,’ available now on all major music and streaming platforms.
Written by Kendra Beltran
