Melbourne singer-songwriter Anya Alchemy has released Don’t Say You Never Felt It, a new collaboration with producer and songwriter Alice Ivy that signals a new phase in her evolving alt-pop sound.
by Paul Cashmere
Melbourne singer-songwriter Anya Alchemy has released Don’t Say You Never Felt It, a new single co-written with Alice Ivy that expands the artist’s approach to songwriting while retaining the soulful vocals and genre-blending production that have shaped her work. The track follows Anya Alchemy’s 2024 single ICK and begins a run of new releases planned through 2026 and into next year.
Don’t Say You Never Felt It centres on the tension between two people who appear to share the same feelings, while one refuses to acknowledge them. Alchemy wrote the song about someone suppressing their emotions rather than admitting the connection she believed existed between them.
“I wrote this song about someone holding back their feelings for you and lying to themselves,” Anya Alchemy says. “I could tell that they felt the same way as me but wouldn’t admit it.”
The song developed through an unusual writing partnership for Alchemy. She has traditionally written much of her material with her brother, but worked from the outset with Alice Ivy, the Melbourne producer and songwriter whose credits include Mallrat, Thelma Plum and Ecca Vandal.
“I usually write with my brother so creating with Annika was a really fun experience,” Anya Alchemy says, referring to Alice Ivy by her real name, Annika Schmarsel. “We had great chemistry and flow in the studio, and the songs just seemed to pour out.”
A beat supplied by Alice Ivy provided the starting point. Anya Alchemy says she does not often begin writing from scratch in co-writing sessions, but found the lyrics came naturally once she heard the production.
The finished recording combines soulful vocal textures with polished indie alt-pop production. Mixing was handled by Matt Bartlem, whose production and engineering credits include Boo Seeka, Lastlings and Jarryd James, while mastering was completed by Dale Becker, whose credits include Billie Eilish and Sabrina Carpenter.
For Anya Alchemy, the collaboration also reflects the infrastructure developing around her as an independent artist. She cites her brother Jay, manager Em, Bartlem and Becker among the people supporting the current phase of her career.
“My team is absolutely insane,” she says. “As an independent artist, it can be super hard to get ahead or to feel like you can ‘compete’ on the same level as the pros, but with this team behind me I honestly feel like anything is possible.”
Anya developed her musical identity in regional Victoria before establishing herself in Melbourne. Raised in a musical household, she learnt piano and guitar and began writing songs from an early age. She has previously described putting “full-time musician” on her bucket list when she was seven.
Her recording career began in 2019 with Home, a collaboration featuring Australian rapper Pez. The release established an early connection between her songwriting and hip hop, while subsequent material has moved between indie pop, alternative pop, soul and other influences.
A significant career milestone came in 2023 when she competed on Australian Idol under the name Anya Hynninen and reached the final six. The television exposure provided a national platform, but her career has continued to develop through independent releases and live performance.
In 2024, she released ICK, a more assertive alt-pop statement that marked another step in the evolution of her sound. Her live history includes performances alongside Conrad Sewell, Pierce Brothers, Boo Seeka, The Audreys and Nathan Cavaleri. She has also appeared at Melbourne’s Hello Sunshine Festival alongside acts including The Veronicas, Grinspoon and Bliss N Eso.
Don’t Say You Never Felt It places that catalogue in a new context. The collaboration with Alice Ivy demonstrates Alchemy’s willingness to alter her established writing process rather than relying solely on the formula that has taken her to this point.
The single is also the first indication of a broader release schedule. Alchemy says she has a substantial number of songs prepared for release during 2026 and 2027.
“I’ve got stacks of singles waiting to be released this year and next, and am very happy to finally have my babies out in the world,” she says. “I just love making music, writing and singing. And even if it never made/makes a dime, this is still what I want to be doing until I die.”
Don’t Say You Never Felt It is out now and establishes the next chapter of Anya Alchemy’s recording career, with further singles expected to follow across the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.
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