In the vein of other iconic voices (both literal and lyrical) from the past few years, including Taylor Swift and Christina Perri comes New York’s Alice Sungurov, a 15-year-old who’s overcome mountainous obstacles and channeled her struggles into her music. Diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder at the age of four, Sungurov has spent much of her young life devoted to music: learning it, playing it, even performing in local plays and talent shows. She also inspired her mother to open a school for others like Alice who needed a bit of a creative outlet to enhance learning and life skills. Through her mother’s programs, and with the help of a spiritual guru, Sungurov has triumphed.

Drawing her pop inspiration from her world travels, which include India and her parents’ home country of Russia, Sungurov’s new song “Broke My Heart” explores the world of teenage romance in a contemporary way. Though raw and derived in spots, for a young artist like Sungurov, this single and her last, “So Blind,” only serve as showcases for what’s to come. As Alice herself says,  “Having my voice be heard inspires me to write. When I write music, I write a story. And then I hear lyrics come together with music and there is a moment where everything is paused, the feeling of content, the feeling of being complete. It is like reassuring myself that I know what I was meant to do.”

About the Author

Allison Johnelle Boron

Allison lives in Los Angeles where she is a freelance music journalist, jug band enthusiast, and industry observer. She is also the editor of REBEAT magazine. Find her on Twitter.

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