Shaped by Music: Primo the Alien

Out of This World

Words by Guadalupe Triana Photos by Eric Morales

Her sound is bright and nostalgic, yet clearly from the future. Primo the Alien is the alias for singer, songwriter, and producer Laura Lee Bishop, who has quickly captured the attention of audiences, both online and live. Her sound, clearly rooted in 80s synthpop, is driven by Laura’s alluring vocal melodies, groovy basslines, joyful beats, and straight up glamour.

“When I started this project, I wanted to be, unabashedly and just unapologetically, myself,” Primo explains. “I hope when people come to my shows, they feel the same way.”

The last two years, Primo has been busy creating a name for herself, releasing several EPs and singles, still finding the time to churn out entertaining social content to engage fans across various platforms. Now, with nearly 58,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, it’s clear her fans are tuned into what she’s doing.

“I think that’s why my progress has been [forward moving] the last couple years. I just consistently put [the material] out,” she explains. “I make it, I write it, I put it out. I don’t wait – what if I die tomorrow?”

Though her outlook may sound bleak, this process has propelled Primo to reach new milestones in her journey. On New Year’s Eve, she welcomed 2022 by opening for electro-dance duo Ghostland Observatory—an invitation she never expected. Now, most recently, Primo’s picked up a nomination for Best Pop Artist at the 2021-2022 Austin Music Awards. 

 “When I started Primo, it was going to be so separate from me, and I was going to be this alien that never really talked about my personal life,” she explains. “As it has progressed, I don’t think it was that separate at all.”

But it hasn’t always been about pop for Primo. An artist at heart, Laura has been writing and performing music for a long time. She approaches writing in a few different ways, never really sticking to one method. Sometimes, she’ll write music in her head and then bring it to life on a recording. Other times, she’ll sit down to write based on a beat she’s put together, or someone will send her an idea. “It really is different every time,” she explains. “It’s never the same.”

Primo was also invited to perform at the 2021 Austin City Limits Music Festival, a moment that quickly went from one of the best moments of the year, to one of the most frustrating, when her set was canceled due to storms. However, she’s determined not to let that small mishap dictate her future.

“There have been a lot of things where I said ‘I’m never gonna get to do that,’ and they have actually happened,” she shrugs. “‘I’m never going to have my own vinyl, I’m never going to get to play at Moody Theater, and I’m never gonna play ACL,’ and [all of those] things have happened.”

As Primo continues tackling new projects, and reaching new audiences, she remains laser-focused on one thing: releasing her highly-awaited studio album.

Contact:
@primothealien
@primoalien
primothealien.com
Listen to Primo on Spotify
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