Who Is Alice Merton? Interesting Facts About The 'No Roots' Singer And Her Rise To TikTok Fame
TikTok is the new playground for singers to reach their audiences. Contrary to the belief of some that it destroys music, as many songwriters are now only focused on gaining that 15-second momentum, TikTok does help musicians reach new audiences. In fact, many then-unknown artists have been discovered thanks to this platform, and they're quite a talented bunch.
One of the cases is Alice Merton, whose debut song "No Roots" started going viral on TikTok back in March 2021. Up to this writing, millions of videos have been using the song's 20-second audio, and it doesn't seem to be dying any minute soon. So, what is it to know about the singer, and what are her next moves after a "career resurgence" on the video-sharing app? Here's a look at Alice Merton's life and her rise to TikTok fame.
6 Alice Merton's Early Life
The crooner hails from Frankfurt, Germany, where she was born in September 1993 in a mixed family of a German mother and an Irish-born father. Growing up, young Alice moved out quite a lot. She had lived in Connecticut before moving to Ontario, Canada until the age of thirteen. Her family returned to Munich shortly after to finish her high school education. She relocated to London, England, after graduating.
"Living in different places has influenced my music in various ways. When I was growing up in Canada I was listening to a lot of classical music, even opera. I don’t know why but I was obsessed with opera. I think a lot of the melodies are still swimming around in my head which is one of the reasons I love good melodies," she recalled in an interview with Lemonade Magazine.
5 Alice Merton's 'No Roots' Was Released Over 6 Years Ago
Contrary to popular belief where only new and hotly-released songs get boosted on TikTok, Alice's "No Roots" is a track from six years ago. Released on December 2nd, 2016, "No Roots" is Alice's debut single under her old-time imprint Paper Records International. Her experience of the nomadic past has shaped the song to be where it is today. She croons, "I build a home and wait for someone to tear it down / Then pack it up in boxes, head for the next town running / 'Cause I've got memories and travel like gypsies in the night."
4 Alice Merton's Debut Studio Album, "Mint," Was Released In 2019
Following the moderate success of "No Roots," which charted in several countries like Germany, Italy, Poland, France, and Switzerland, Alice followed it up with her debut album. Titled No Mint, the project features singles like "No Roots" and "Lash Out," which were previously featured on her debut EP. The album incorporates elements of dance-pop with touches of jazz here and there, and she re-released it in late 2019 with four additional tracks.
"I was trying to find this one thing that summed up all the experiences I’ve been through in the last three years. I couldn’t find it. I was thinking for like four months and suddenly I just kind of woke up one morning, and no joke I just knew it was supposed to be called MINT!," she recalled the creative process in a 2019 interview with Atwood Magazine.
3 Alice Merton Coached On The German Edition Of 'The Voice'
In addition to singing, Alice Merton also secured a coaching seat on the ninth season of Germany's The Voice. She became the first female coach to win the series, tapping Indonesian Claudia Emmanuela Santoso in the finale, performing her original song "Goodbye" in the final. She won by 46.39 percent, a staggering popular vote, making her the first Asian to win the event.
2 Alice Merton's Journey To The U.S.
After causing buzz in Europe, Alice ventured into the U.S. market by signing a lucrative deal with New York-based indie imprint Mom + Pop Music in 2017. The label, which was founded in 2008, currently shelters the likes of independent artists like Tash Sultana, Beach Bunny, Orion Sun, Del Water Gap, Alina Baraz, and more.
"What I’m doing is taking different parts from ‘No Roots,’ whether it be the gypsy part or the holes part or needing something to stay, [and] I put all that into different songs," she explained to Billboard. "‘No Roots’ is like the stem, and the other songs branch out."
1 What's Next For Alice Merton?
So, what's next for Alice Merton? She's now gearing up for an upcoming saga of her career: a sophomore album titled S.I.D.E.S. Eyeing 15 tracks for the project's tracklist, S.I.D.E.S. is set to be released in June 2022. She's currently settling in Berlin but often spends time with her family in England.
"S.I.D.E.S. tells my story of how I experienced these past years. It’s a summary of the ups and many downs, the psychological challenges I faced, and somehow realizing that there will always be another side to the story - the question is just how and when do you get there," she said.
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