ALEXIS – HATE IT HERE (2025)
After the shimmering promise of debut single ‘Blue Jeans’, Filipino-Australian newcomer ALEXIS doubles down with something braver, bolder, and far more intimate. ‘HATE IT HERE’ is a confession blasted through neon speakers, a diary entry dressed up for the dancefloor. You can laugh, cry, or spin around your room to it, and that’s exactly the point. From the jump, the track wears its contradictions proudly. There’s a glittery synth-pop sheen, indie-pop charm, and even flashes of pop-rock grit, all threaded together under her “upbeat sad girl” mantra.
On first listen, it sounds like the perfect summer anthem. Listen closer, though, and the cracks show lyrics about self-doubt, guilt, and identity questions hit with brutal honesty. ALEXIS doesn’t sugarcoat her struggles; instead, she makes them loud, proud, and weirdly joyful. It’s that blend of vulnerability and vitality that makes her stand out among the wave of new-gen confessional pop stars.
What really drives ‘HATE IT HERE’ is ALEXIS’s voice; clear, cutting, and emotional without ever slipping into melodrama. You believe her when she says writing the track was scary, that it meant saying out loud the things she’d rather keep hidden. And yet, the result is liberating, even euphoric. It’s the kind of song you belt out in the car at 2 AM, the kind that stings a little but feels better the louder you sing. Fans of Olivia Rodrigo or Maisie Peters will feel right at home, but there’s a uniqueness here, an undercurrent of cultural pride and introspection that gives ALEXIS her own lane.
For a second single, ‘HATE IT HERE’ feels remarkably assured. It’s polished enough for mainstream playlists but honest enough to feel underground, personal enough to resonate yet universal enough to scream in unison at a live show. If ‘Blue Jeans’ hinted at potential, this track cements it: ALEXIS isn’t just breaking through, she’s building her own world. And right now, it’s one we’d happily get lost in.
Find out more about ALEXIS on her Instagram and Spotify.
Listen to more pop music on The Other Side Reviews Pop playlist: