We had the opportunity to interview Grammy Award winner and Platinum-certified artist Alessia Cara about her latest album, Love & Hyperbole. Alessia Cara is a Canadian musician and songwriter who has released hits such as “Scars To Your Beautiful” and featured in “1-800-273-8255” with Logic and Khalid. After a small hiatus, Alessia is back with a new perspective on life and love.

During the interview, Alessia admitted to us that she has synesthesia. This neurological condition causes the brain to associate sounds with distinct emotions, physical feelings, and even colors. Other musicians such as Pharrell Williams and Lorde, who also have this condition, contribute this to be the driving force of their creativity. The richness and sophistication of red wine are what Alessia correlates with creating the tracks and themes on her new album. With Love & Hyperbole, the theme of love is omnipresent, yet the tracks explore the realms of love that she admits to only recently discovering. Alessia has been on a journey of maturing, healing, and finding out what love really means to her.

Alessia’s artistic choice to use hyperbole for this album and to express her newfound experiences gives the audience a look inside her head. After all, she is a Cancer (I get it, I’m a Pisces). Experiencing the profound highs and lows of being in love with someone can almost feel like torture, but there is beauty in the process. The track “Dead Man” is highly soulful and self-aware– understanding that this other person has mentally checked out of the relationship, but you’re still trying to make it work. “(Isn’t it) Obvious” is a song about two lovers who are unsure that the love they are receiving is what they deserve. Quotes such as “fears are only false creations” exemplify Alessia’s ability to write beautiful tracks and connect with a down-to-earth crowd. “Fire” is passionate and beautiful, and “Slow Motion” is sexy yet vulnerable. By the end of the album, you can be certain of one thing: this girl is in love.

We asked Alessia if she considered herself to be a “romantic” and how her views on romance and love have changed over the years. Here is what she had to say:

Alessia Cara is a wise woman who continues to touch the hearts of millions worldwide through her thought-provoking, relatable lyrics and her beautiful voice. My greatest takeaway from speaking to her is that we all deserve a love that is pure, well-intentioned, and mutual. Her soulful spirit is evident through her responses and the words and themes she plays with in Love & Hyperbole. If you want to feel something, check out her latest album, available on all streaming platforms.