Alela Diane

Alela Diane Menig is an American singer-songwriter from Nevada City, United States. Her music falls within americana, indie folk, psychedelic folk and singer-songwriter traditions. She grows up in a musical family, sings with her musician parents and performs in a school choir before teaching herself guitar and beginning to write her own songs.

Early work and first releases

Her early songs combine arpeggiated guitar patterns with warm vocals and meditative lyrics centred on family and nature. She first records under the name Forest Parade in 2003. Her first solo public appearances take place after an invitation from fellow Nevada City musician Joanna Newsom. She also spends time in the Nevada City slow grass band Black Bear before concentrating on solo work.

The Pirate's Gospel and wider recognition

The songs for The Pirate's Gospel are written during a trip to Europe and recorded in her father’s studio. The album first appears in a self-released edition in 2004, presented with paper and lace sleeves and hand lettering. It is later reissued by Holocene Music and then released in the UK on Names Records, where it receives favourable attention, including reviews in The Times and NME. Around the same period, she issues the song “Dry Grass and Shadows” on a compilation of Nevada City artists and releases five more new songs on the limited-edition 10-inch vinyl Songs Whistled Through White Teeth.

Touring and later albums

Diane tours in the United States both as a solo artist and with Tom Brosseau, and opens for the Decemberists, Akron/Family and Vashti Bunyan. She also performs in the UK and later tours Europe across the UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Her second album, To Be Still, appears on Rough Trade Records. She then records Alela Diane & Wild Divine with a backing band that includes her father, Tom Menig, and her then-husband, Tom Bevitori. The group tours the US and Europe and opens for Fleet Foxes in the US and Europe.

Her fourth album, About Farewell, is released on her own label, Rusted Blue Records. In 2015, she and guitarist Ryan Francesconi issue the album Cold Moon. Her fifth album, Cusp, is preceded by the single “Émigré”.

Other uses of her songs

Her song “Take Us Back” is used over the end credits of the fifth and final episode of The Walking Dead adventure game, and later appears again near the end of The Walking Dead: The Final Season episode “Take us Back”. Her track “The Light” is included on The Walking Dead fourth season soundtrack, Songs of Survival Vol. 2.