Donata’s sophomore album is an electrifying indie-pop record that contains meaningful lyrics that symbolize who the artist is. Through each of the ten tracks, the singer details stories of heartache, betrayal, and anger. Since the release of her debut album, Imaginary Land, she felt a “disconnect from the music.” Those songs were written during a difficult time in the artist’s life, but due to negotiations with a label, it took her a long time to release them. After this ordeal, Donata challenged herself to write, produce, and release a new song every six to eight weeks. She took control of her life and her career, and she ended with enough songs to release a full-length album. During this period of her life, she began to realize she was turning her hardships and struggles into something positive. Just like alchemy is the action of turning basic metals into gold, Donata was alchemizing negative emotions into poetic songs. Alchemy is a compilation of ten songs that underwent this moving process.
Track List
A Song About Being In Love
Moon Will Fall
Winter Solstice
Façade
Long Time
All There is To Do
Lenore
Easy To Leave
Lemonade
Goodnight My Love (cu in hell)
Donata is a Berlin-based singer, songwriter, and producer. She co-founded the acclaimed indie-pop duo, NOSOYO. After two albums and several singles, Donata chose to venture out to her solo career. She released her first single in 2022, followed by her debut album, Imaginary Land, in 2023. Her music is a beautiful blend of indie-folk and pop, making music that comes from the heart. Her lyrics delve into themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Her art is known for being profoundly deep and exploring personal and spiritual growth. She thrives to create moments of “heartfelt reflection on the transformative power of facing dark emotions.” Her songs have been featured on FluxFM and RadioFritz in Berlin, and also featured on many relevant playlist curators like AlexRainBirdMusic and Indie Folk Central. Additionally, her single, “A Song About Being in Love" was selected as part of the Listen To Berlin Compilation 23/24. With her impressive work ethic and overwhelming talent, Donata shows no signs of slowing down. Follow her on all socials to keep up with any new announcements!
A Song About Being In Love
Donata kicks off her album with the lead single, “A Song About Being In Love”. With a mesmerizing acoustic guitar, a soft piano, and Donata’s stunning voice, she shares the story of finding love just to lose it again. Every time the singer sits down to write a love song, the relationship ends before she can finish the track. The airy folk-pop soundscape effortlessly tugs on the listener’s heart as they empathize with the heart-wrenching story. She ends the song with the lyrics: “So next time I long to write// A song about being in love// I swear to God// I’ll be quick enough// To catch that seldom melody// Before it’s lost.” Next time, she will make sure to hold on tight and not let it go, at least until the song is complete.
Moon Will Fall
“Moon Will Fall” is an introspective track about trying times and seasons changing. Donata reassures the listener that “like the moon will fall” she will persevere through the dark times, even when it “hurts too much.” She delves into her fear of staying stagnant and wanting to “dare to fly.” Alongside the gloomy acoustic soundscape, these lyrics showcase the singer’s darker side, perfect for the background music of a somber film scene. "Moon Will Fall" is the first glimpse into Donata's experience of alchemizing. The only way to move on and change her outlook is to accept the past and hope for a brighter future.
Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. It often symbolizes the “death and rebirth of the sun.” The greatest darkness before the light begins to shine again. In the track of the same name, Donata shares the story of a love that was lost around this time. Throughout the song, she references classic Christmas sayings and utilizes winter to symbolize these cold, bitter times. In the chorus, she sings, “Winter solstice// It’s about damn time// That we turn things around// And let the days grow bright.” After the darkest moments with the subject, she is changing her outlook and spending this year to “make it sweet and light a fire” just for herself. The production and the lyrics are more optimistic than the previous two tracks, perhaps hinting at a change in Donata’s perspective.
Façade
Donata holds nothing back in her feisty, yet soothing indie-folk track, “Façade”. Throughout the track, she exposes her toxic, perhaps even narcissistic ex-boyfriend. The cheeky lyrics share his unacceptable behavior, like when he would “dive off into the night” returning with stories so grand they put stars in his eyes. She hints that he may have been cheating when she sings, “When you came home to me// You would sneak through the door like a dog// Afraid to get caught.” She let this slide, ignoring these problems and allowing the cycle to repeat. Until now. The filter is off and she realizes now, that it was all a façade.
Long Time
“Long Time” is a deeply poetic and vulnerable track. The song can be applied to multiple situations: unrequited love, a relationship that is over, or being in love with your best friend. Donata’s profound lyrics explore her difficulty with being emotionally vulnerable with the one she loves, afraid to tell them the truth. She admits through her song that she has “felt this way a long time.” Rather than admitting how she feels, she was hoping the silence would “kill the way” she felt inside. But they will not fade and she spends every night thinking about her muse. In the bridge, she declares, “So tonight, I’ll say it for the first time// Straight to your eyes.” She imagines herself finally swallowing her fear and expressing her true feelings. It is a stark change from the more melancholic and disheartening tracks, showing a sliver of hope in Donata’s life. Throughout the song, her heavenly voice carries the folk-pop atmosphere, guiding the listener effortlessly through the beautiful song, making it one of my instant favorites.
All There is To Do
“All There is To Do” kicks off with an angelic vocalization before an acoustic guitar takes over the soundscape and guides the listener into the first verse. The grim lyrics instantly caught my attention, stunning me with the fierce message. The dark track delves into society’s unhealthy outlook on mental health and healthcare’s toxic method of treating patients. She holds nothing back as she describes just what it is like to be institutionalized. As someone who received a degree in psychology, this track instantly resonated with me. The taboo and stigma that is attached to mental health care is disturbing. We have come a long way in just 50 years, and yet there is still a long road ahead. Donata begins the song with the lyrics: “No one’s asking any questions until you’ve become a problem// Now you’re locked inside a room that feels more like a giant coffin.” Mental health is often ignored until people are pushed to their breaking point and they need to be held for their own safety. But the treatment in mental institutions is subpar, from uncomfortable clothing to little to no stimulating activities. “All there is to do” is eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Nothing else. Patients cannot take a walk and there is no one to truly talk to. Throughout the song, Donata provides stunning high vocalizations that capture the listener’s soul and haunts them, like the lyrics haunt their mind. “All There is To Do” instantly became my favorite track for its honest and vicious lyrics that share the truth about mental health care—something not often done in music.
Lenore
“Lenore” is another detailed track that describes a dark and somber narrative—this time about someone else’s experience. She shares the love life of her friend, Lenore. However, she describes the emptiness that her relationship has. In the first stanza, she details her friend’s exciting intimate life with her love. But the next stanza shows the depressing side Lenore tries to hide. Donata sings, “My friend Lenore// She comes home to her man// And rinses off as fast as she can// To kill the residue of promises overdue// Tryna keep it down and keep it cool.” While remaining vague, the singer reveals that Lenore is unhappy. She feels like she has to keep parts of herself hidden from her lover, unable to be authentic to who she is. The end of the song sees a shift, where Lenore is accepted by the one she loves and gains the confidence that Donata hopes for her friend. It is a unique storyline that I have not heard touched on in a song, highlighting Donata’s originality and talent.
Easy To Leave
The next song has a bit more edge than the previous tracks. “Easy To Leave” has an energetic and feisty atmosphere led by an acoustic guitar and Donata’s compelling voice. The soundscape is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac while maintaining the singer’s individuality. Alongside the captivating production, “Easy To Love” shares a vulnerable narrative about a toxic relationship that Donata struggled to end. The lyrics describe a narcissist who only cares about themselves—who “rides people’s success” while “trashing them behind their backs.” They are a cheater and a manipulator. Someone who cannot be trusted and uses their charm to control others. Throughout the song, Donata sings the clever hook: “Now it’s easy easy easy to see// Why it was never easy to leave// Keep twisting my reality// Til I choose to stay.” Donata never left because the subject would say the right things to change her mind, only to continue the cycle. But now her eyes are open and she is free from the compulsion they had her under.
Lemonade
Keeping with the upbeat energy, “Lemonade” has a more pop-focused, synth production, differing from the acoustic folk songs earlier. The track shares her journey of taking her broken heart and turning it into something good. It ties into the meaning of the whole album and the title itself—alchemy. She sings, “I’m taking my time to alchemize the hurt// Making all this lemonade// I’m buried in work.” Just like alchemy turns basic metals into gold, Donata is turning her heartbreak into something meaningful. She is turning it into art. With only one track left, it is clear that she has successfully turned her pain into a golden masterpiece.
Goodnight My Love (cu in hell)
The final song was the moment the entire album clicked for me and my eyes were opened. Throughout the record, Donata mentions cheating. But it never seemed like she was the victim of this infidelity. Instead, it appeared that her muse had cheated on someone else. In “Goodnight My Love (cu in hell)” Donata sings, “I’ve been standing tall for my mistakes// Apologized to her face// I don’t think that I will see you do the same.” A few lines later, she says, “Tried to hide in plain sight// Well that didn’t work so well?” When I heard these lyrics, it dawned on me that Donata may have been the other woman. Unbeknownst to her, she was fueling the narcissism of her former partner, being a part of an affair she never asked for. Now, she viciously tells the subject: “Time to say goodbye// I’ll see you in hell.” However, the venom does not end there. At the end of the song, she tells them, “It’s not so smart” to use her as “your emotional vault,” because did they forget? She writes songs. It is a clever and powerful move, ending the song and the entire album on a cheeky note that listeners will not forget.
Alchemy is a remarkable album consisting of incredibly detailed and vulnerable tracks. Donata does not hold anything back as she shares her personal experience with love, heartbreak, and mental health. The indie-folk and acoustic-rock soundscapes throughout the album effortlessly guide the listener through the personal storylines. Each song is entirely unique while also naturally flowing together to create one cohesive soundscape. After only my first listen, I had already determined that Alchemy was one of the most introspective and poignant compositions written in the modern era.
Written By Karlee Skipper
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