- Words Liam Cattermole
Alt-rock trailblazer Alisa Stepura is rewriting the rules of DIY music-making. Blending nostalgic guitar tones with modern grit, the self-taught producer, multi-instrumentalist and bedroom studio devotee is carving out a sound entirely her own.
There’s something unmistakably electric about Alisa Stepura. Maybe it’s the vintage-soaked guitar tones, the magnetic production style, or her full-throttle commitment to doing it all herself. Whatever it is, the alt-rock artist has been steadily crafting a sonic identity that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly her own.
Her latest single, Aftertaste, pulled from her forthcoming album Birds Are Dinosaurs Too, is a grungy, melody-forward triumph—equal parts raw and refined. It sits comfortably in the sweet spot between punchy pop-punk and the scrappy elegance of ’60s and ’70s rock.
“I’ve always been a massive fan of 60s, 70s, 80s rock,” Alisa tells Notion. “Those artists managed to create some of the most influential pieces with such limited technology. That’s inspiring to me.”
While many rising artists are chasing studio perfection, Alisa is embracing the imperfections and intimacy of bedroom production. “Over the years, I’ve built up a robust setup in my bedroom. It’s neat, it’s curated, and it’s mine,” she explains. Every track she’s released has been self-produced, recorded, and mixed within the four walls of her home studio—minus the drums (for now). “I’m still trying to figure out how to record a full drum kit without driving my neighbours insane.”
It’s this hands-on approach that sets her apart. Stepura plays nearly every instrument on her records, crafts the arrangements, and threads it all together with a modern ear rooted in retro taste. “I love taking vintage sounds and putting a modern twist on them,” she says. “I like taking something from start to finish entirely on my own.”
Though she’s only been in the industry a few years, Alisa’s musical journey stretches back to childhood. At just 4 years old, she was already composing. By 11, after getting her first computer, she dove headfirst into GarageBand and Logic. “Once I discovered I could actually keep recordings of my music and edit them, I couldn’t stop. I’ve just been producing ever since.”
Her first EP quietly earned over 40,000 streams; a surprising and surreal milestone for an artist who, at the time, was hesitant to even promote her work. “That moment gave me a lot of confidence,” she says.
Aftertaste is a taste of what’s to come and stands as a gritty, guitar-laced reminder that the best rock music doesn’t always come from a label-funded studio. Sometimes, it comes from a bedroom. And sometimes, it comes from Alisa Stepura.