Alt-R&B powerhouse ELIZA is back with a vintage funk-infused reminder to protect your peace as she gears up for the release of her third studio album, The Darkening Green.
ELIZA isn’t just making music; she’s crafting an ecosystem. The North London native has just dropped her latest track, ‘Cheddar’, a soulful, spiky confrontation that serves as the perfect appetizer for her highly anticipated new record, The Darkening Green, arriving on 4 March.
Following the success of ‘Anyone Else’, ‘Cheddar’ finds ELIZA navigating the murky waters of an exploitative relationship. Built on a foundation of urgent bass lines and a classic vintage funk drum beat, the track allows ELIZA’s signature soulful vocals to shine through a lens of “bruised realization.”
With lyrics like, “Cheddar, is that all I am to you… my love was a treasure, always on the house,” she exposes the “true agenda” of those who take more than they give. However, in true ELIZA fashion, the song refuses to sink into negativity. It closes with a resolute, shimmering vow: “You won’t make me bitter, it’s not worth my shimmer.” It’s a powerful anthem for anyone looking to rewild their spirit and protect their energy in a hardening culture.
A Masterclass in Independent R&B
The track boasts an impressive production team, with ELIZA working alongside Finlay ‘Phairo’ Robson and EMIL (the magic behind hits for Loyle Carner, Sampha, and Doja Cat). It’s a testament to the lane she has carved for herself since moving away from the “Eliza Doolittle” persona eight years ago. By ditching the major label system, she has evolved into a “sorcerer of soulful pop” (Notion) and a vital independent voice in the UK scene.
Inside The Darkening Green
Due out this March, The Darkening Green is being touted as ELIZA’s most human work to date. The album explores the idea that our emotional lives mirror the ecological world. From the messiness of love to the heat of connection, the record follows a journey of returning to nature and oneself, away from the noise, ego, and daily grind.
With over 720,000 monthly listeners and a COLORS performance that has racked up over 33 million views, ELIZA is no longer just one to watch — she is a tastemaker leading the charge in the neo-soul and lo-fi space.
Pre-save The Darkening Green HERE.
Pop Scoop founder and editor. Ex showbiz/tech editor at the Cyprus Mail. Former sub-editor at Archant. Former art director Sky TV. Co-founder of Kool Magazine and freelanced for the BBC, Channel 4, Warner Bros and the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation.
