Between Struggle and Love: Eileen Alister About Her New Album, Her First Tour, and All That Inspired It

Just two weeks after releasing her debut album “Honeymoon In A Motel”, Eileen Alister is embarking on her first headline tour across Europe. We at THE UNSEEN sat down with her on the 9th of October to talk inspirations, struggles and the things she looks forward to.

Lars: You released your first full album on September 26th. I just wanted to congratulate you on that. How long has that been in the works now?

Eileen: It's kind of hard to say, we've been releasing a lot of singles. It's been a year since we started writing the songs specifically for the album.

Lars: The name “Honeymoon In A Motel”, where does it come from?

Eileen: We wrote it two years ago for no specific reason. I was going through a pretty bad heartbreak, so I thought the album would be sad, but then I fell in love accidentally, and it wasn't going to be sad anymore. So, it was about how I could fit my struggles in one album and it still made sense. In one session, I remembered that I had written a song called Honeymoon in a Motel. I recalled when we wrote that song, I thought, “That would be such a cool album title,” and it just clicked. Because I think with “Honeymoon in a Motel”, you could look at it from the perspective of “I’m so in love with you, we could do a honeymoon in a motel, and I’d be so happy with that because I don’t need anything else but you.” But you could also look at it from the perspective of it being „I’m giving you everything, all that I have, and you’re giving me nothing,” like a shitty honeymoon in a motel and I think it’s up to the viewer or the listener, how they want to take it. Overall, the motel and the vintage fit my aesthetic, so it just felt right from the beginning to call it that.

Lars: It’s safe to say that your music is influenced by an American aesthetic. In the music video for “Pity Party Princess,” you’re driving a typical American car. Is that a specific vibe you’re going for?

Eileen: It feels the most like me, and I’m really happy that I don’t feel the pressure to sort of fit all my music into one genre specifically, because I want to do heart-wrenching, sad ballads, but I also want to do very romantic, nostalgic songs and then I want to have songs where I could dance around to. I feel that the edgy part of me or my music is also just as important as the sad parts, so we just sort of mixed all the different versions of me together and created, I guess, my sound, which obviously is influenced by lots of artists that I love.

Lars: Because you’re from Switzerland, is there a part of that heritage that’s working itself into your music, or is that just not the case?

Eileen: Unfortunately, I don't think so, but I'm okay with my music not sounding like anything from Switzerland! I often get that people think I'm from the UK or the US. I'm glad people think my music feels international. My goal has always been to make music that I'd listen to as well. That's what I'm aiming for.

Lars: In other interviews, you've discussed childhood inspirations such as Hannah Montana, Taylor Swift, and the cinematic elements of Lana Del Rey. Would you say there is an attempt to bridge the gap between older pop and modern pop? Something out of the past you’re trying to bring into the present iteration?

Eileen: Yeah, definitely. I mean, I grew up listening to Amy Winehouse, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles, because my dad is a huge music fan and has been for the longest time. What I love to do is essentially combine these organic elements with modern electronic components. I’m definitely influenced by old music as well.

Lars: Adding to that, are you a person who just starts writing when inspired, or is it something that’s always on your mind, even when you’re away from the studio or the pen? Is there a ritual?

Eileen: I do get very inspired when I sit down. I think most of the songs were written in my childhood bedroom, which I still have at home. However, I often get my best ideas in the weirdest places, like riding the bus or just in the shower, so my notes file is a mess. Like, it's so many different sentences, sometimes it’s just even a word that I feel like sounds cool or I haven’t heard before or would fit into a song or as a song title. And when I actually sit down, I would always go through my notes. Because I love to have things on paper, I always have a little booklet with me that contains lots of sketches, poetry, and slogans. When I sit down to write a song, I go through everything and pick out little pieces from different things I’ve written down. That's my way to go.

Lars: When I listened to the album, one thing I particularly enjoyed was the song titles. Pity Party Princess, Pretty Girl Thriller, or Doomsday Kiss. I think they are great titles, and they also stay in your mind. Do you think of those titles first, or do they come to you while writing?

Eileen: That’s a good question. With a few songs, I had a title in mind where I was just like, “I love that title, I want that title to be what the song’s called, and we’re just going to write around that“, but often times, with such examples as “Pity Party Princess”, we’ve come up with that later on in the song. It was actually one of the last things that I wrote, or with “Born to be Blue”, I remember I was in Berlin, and I really wanted to write a song called Blue Girl, but we didn’t make it work that day, because the way I always felt is blue, I guess, I always felt a little too blue for the rest, and I really wanted to have that in a song. And then I came up with “Born to be Blue” and I was like, "We have to make that work, and I don’t really care for now how the song's going to sound or what it’s going to be about, it just has to be called Born to be Blue", but it's different.

Lars: Speaking of your debut album, is there a song you’re particularly proud of or that holds a special meaning to you? A song that you’d love for people to hear coming out of this interview?

Eileen: Yeah, I think there are definitely more personal songs. I think I’m always very proud of myself for being very personal and honest. One of my traits is that I’m always very honest, and I tend to overshare a little, sometimes forgetting that I look at my songs as my diary. Sometimes I forget that they’re not my actual diary; it’s going to be out in the world, and everyone can listen to that, so you need to be a little careful with that. One song I’m specifically proud of is a very personal one called “Pretty Girl Thriller”, which I started to write about my eating disorder, but at the end it felt really important to make it a little more general and to dive into this universal society issue, not just about my experiences, but how society and social media affect the issue, because I know a lot of people struggle with that specifically, so I’m very proud of that one. And I’m also proud of “Born to be Blue” because that one is very personal to me, too, and I love it when a song is good enough just by being about me, rather than about someone who has wronged or made me happy.

Lars: As you said, the songs seem to be tackling some very personal issues. Like in “Pretty Girl Thriller”, you’re writing about eating disorders in connection to societal beauty standards. Now that you are living a bit more in the limelight and having a big social media following of over 50.000, was the feedback positive? Did it help you to talk about it in such a public way?

Eileen: I’m not sure if it’s essentially helping me, but it definitely helps to feel less alone. I do think it’s very important, and I know many people are too afraid to talk about it or too scared, and I really want to be an advocate for them. I do feel like I’m at a point where I can and want to talk about it. I’m going to be really honest with you, releasing that song was really tough just because I knew if I put myself out there and I’m going to commit to that, I might get lots of messages that are basically stories of why and how they relate to that song and that could also be triggering to me. I think that was something my mom was really scared of because she was like, “I just don’t want that song to affect you negatively”. I think, usually as an artist, if people relate or resonate with a song, that's the best thing that can happen to you because that means a song could essentially do well and is perceived in the right way. With “Pretty Girl Thriller,” it was making me sadder than happy. Seeing so many people, especially young girls, relating to such a sad topic made me very emotional and I felt very overwhelmed by that. It shouldn’t be like that. However, getting so many messages of how this song helped people to feel heard, seen and less alone was one of the most special and rewarding things I've got to experience so far. That's the reason I want to make music. I want to be an advocate for those who are too afraid to speak up, and I think it's essential to discuss topics like these, mental health in general, even though it can be uncomfortable.

Lars: Now this question is kind of out there, but when we’re talking about those inspirations, I’d like to know, is there one artist, can be big or small, dead or alive, that if you ever had the chance of collaborating, you’d love to?

Eileen: There are many, there are so many. I feel like in general it would be Olivia Rodrigo, because I love her writing, her aesthetic and her as a person, but what inspires me about her is that she, for me, is the poster child of „Hey you can make really sad, slow songs but also really freak out in a song and get rocky,“ and I think that's exactly what I want to do. She’s such an inspiration when it comes to that and mixing genres. I think we would be compatible. I’m a huge fan of hers. Besides Olivia, perhaps Lana Del Rey, and many more, if we continue to discuss this, I could name so many others.

Lars: Name as many as you'd like.

Eileen: Yeah, but like I talked about before with Lana Del Rey, I’m very inspired by her sound and how nostalgic it sounds, so every song you listen to makes me feel like I’m in a movie, that's what her sound does to me. Lyrically, I’m obviously very inspired by Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Gracie Abrams, but there are so many more artists. It’s such a fascinating thing that there are so many new artists coming up, and I’m very inspired by all of them.

Lars: Of course, what's next for you is your first headline tour starting in just a couple of days. You must be pretty excited. I noticed that it sold out quickly. Any cities you’re particularly looking forward to?

Eileen: I’m looking forward to that. We start on Monday, which is very soon, and I’m still not fully processing, but I’m very excited. It’s going to be great to go on tour with my debut album. I’m also very grateful for that; all of this is thanks to the fans. With cities I’m looking forward to... definitely the two shows we’re doing in the Netherlands, because I was on a support tour last October and I did a show there. It was my first time in a different country, and I think more people came to hang out than in my hometown; it was just so present and perfect. To be in a different country for the first time for a show and having so many people, even though you’re just the support act, singing your words back to you? That was incredible. So, I’m very much looking forward to these shows. However, I’m also very excited about Paris, as it’s one of my favorite cities. The fact that I’m having a show there, which is also one of my biggest shows, is really exciting. And, of course, the UK is always very generous. I had a headline show there in April, so I’m very excited to be back.

Lars: Which city would you wish this leads you to? Any place you’d love to play at some point? Either in Europe, the US, or anywhere else?

Eileen: There are lots, and I know it’s still far-fetched, but I’m not shy to admit that. I would love to do arenas and stadiums at some point, and I’m really excited to work on that, because sometimes the way you get to somewhere is tricky and hard, but it’s also interesting and fun, so I would love to have a show at the MSG, the Forum or the O2, Radio City Hall and I’m from Switzerland so if I could ever have a show in Hallenstadion, which is the stadium in Zürich, that would be very fun as well. The Greek theater outside would be very fun too, but for now, the next step would be a sold-out show at Koko, London. However, we’re aiming big.

Lars: What's your favorite part about performing on stage?

Eileen: I think it’s just being in the same room with a bunch of people screaming my words back to me. When I’m on stage with my people, or I guess fans, (I hate to call them my fans, I prefer to call them my people). I think that’s just when I feel the most myself, the most confident, and have the most fun. I’m so grateful for social media because it allows you to connect with people, but sometimes numbers or connecting through a screen don't feel real. You can never picture so many people in a room all at once, but then to have that happen is just magical and perfect in every way. I’m really excited to be in the same room with everyone and have a great time.

Lars: I’d love to know if you've got any rituals on stage, you know, something like the Coldplay jumbotron or Taylor's whole 22 hat thing?

Eileen: We have lots of little surprises in store. This tour is the first time I’m going into the crowd, which could become a ritual in the future. If I had the tools and the budget, I’d love to hand out a sash to one of my people during “Pity Party Princess”, like you’re the pity party princess for the day. Sadly, we weren’t able to pull it off, but maybe in the spring. I’m looking forward to going into the crowd, and we have a moment in the set where I specifically have a barricade walk; take some photos, shake some hands, hug some people, which I’m really looking forward to as well.

Lars: That sounds great! Have you reached the point yet where people recognize you on the street? And if so, have you had any nice or memorable encounters with fans?

Eileen: Sometimes it happens, and it always surprises me, because it makes me realize I’m an artist. At the same time, I obviously don’t go out and about looking like trash. I come from a very small town, more like a village with 3,000 people. So, I would go to the supermarket and wear my Simpsons sweatpants. A messy bun would be on my head, and I would wear my face mask, so I wouldn't do that anymore. But if I meet people on the street, they’re usually incredibly nice, generous and respectful. One funny story I have is from when we went to shoot “Honeymoon In A Motel”, which was in the Italian part of Switzerland. We stopped at a gas station, and I had a bunch of hair rollers in my hair because we wanted to start shooting immediately upon arrival. I wanted to buy a sandwich or something, and I looked like a crazy grandma. The girl who was the cashier was like, „Oh my god, you’re Eileen Alister, “and I was, „Oh my god, no, I’m not,” but it was really funny because I looked like a mess. However, it was very sweet because she was like, “What are you doing here?” and I was like, “I can’t really tell you,” because at that point, the album hadn’t been announced, but I was just looking crazy with my hair, like a grandma.

Lars: I’m coming up to the last question, and given that your life’s heavily focused on your music, is there anything you like to do besides, any hobbies that aren’t related or that you do to clear your mind?

Eileen: I mean, music is consuming lots of my time, which I’m really grateful for because I also like to combine it. Sometimes I'm just with my little book, and I’m writing poetry, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be work or turn into a song, but that’s just journaling or writing in general, which is just really a hobby of mine as well. I’m also the designated baker of the friend group, so every time there is a birthday, I’m in charge of the cake, and I’ve done lots of cakes. So, if music didn’t work out, my friends would just suggest that I be a baker. Because I can create really fun cakes, such as a bikini top, as well as very beautiful ones, and I also love to cook. Additionally, I recently discovered paddleboarding, like paddle boats. I love that, and I will definitely hold on to it. I also enjoy drawing and being social. I’m not a person who needs a lot of alone time, so I like to be out and about and be with my friends and my family and my cat, so it’s just quality time, because right now everything is super busy, so I’m missing my friends and my family, but every time we get together, it’s just the best time.

“Honeymoon In A Motel” is a raw look at Eileen Alister’s personal life, as well as a record that's filled with songs perfect for singing and dancing your heart out. There are still tickets left for her shows this fall and early 2026 and we believe it's a show you shouldn't miss!

LISTEN TO "HONEYMOON IN A MOTEL" HERE: