There is something very special about seeing an artist perform an album that feels deeply personal to them, and Set Her Free by Alayna felt exactly like that.
Studio 230 in Ponsonby was the perfect setting for it. The space itself feels like an experience: part gallery, part expansive performance space, filled with art, hanging lyric sheets, and carefully considered lighting that constantly shifted the atmosphere. When we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and offered mulled non-alcoholic wine. There was an excited, almost buzzing energy in the room as everyone waited for the performance to begin.
At 7:30, we moved inside in quiet anticipation.
Then Alayna appeared in a beautiful white dress, barefoot. The whole image felt like the ultimate representation of the spirituality and softness that runs through her music.
Set Her Free is Alayna’s second album, and listening to her speak about the meaning behind it made the songs feel even more intimate. The project explores love in all its forms — romantic, platonic, love for women, and, perhaps most importantly, the relationship we hold with ourselves.
She spoke about recognizing the weight of platonic love, and how much of the album was shaped by the people around her. Some of the songs are direct love letters to her friends and girlfriend. She described the album almost as three distinct journeys — past, present, and future — explaining how certain tracks hold very specific personal meaning while still leaving enough room for listeners to find themselves inside them.
That is what makes Alayna’s songwriting so powerful: it is deeply personal without ever feeling exclusive.
One of the highlights of the evening was hearing her talk about her creative process — writing from the mind, the heart, and the body. She touched on the wisdom of the body, the power of micro-moments, and the courage it takes to simply start creating. The artwork in the foyer mirrored that mindset: playful, colorful, and imperfect in the best possible way, reminding us that art doesn’t always need to be dead serious. Sometimes, it’s just about playing and making something.
There was something particularly beautiful about the origin stories behind the tracklist, too. She spoke about “Small Things” — about the people who show up in seemingly insignificant moments, like someone dropping everything to bring you a Band-Aid after a cut finger. Those tiny acts of care often become the biggest memories we carry.
Alayna described “Tender” as the first song she ever wrote to herself — the beginning of an inward journey and a process of self-discovery. Hearing that context while watching her perform it gave the track an added layer of vulnerability. There is something incredibly brave about choosing softness, especially after life has taught you to build a thicker skin.
“Love You More” hit me the hardest. Standing there, taking in the lyrics while looking out at the sunset in the background, I unexpectedly found myself getting teary.
As a woman, a friend, and someone who has experienced love across many different chapters, I felt profoundly inspired by the journey Alayna built with this record. You can feel how much thought, work, and raw emotion went into every detail. Nothing felt accidental. There is an intentional consciousness behind the way she navigates love, relationships, vulnerability, and self-understanding.
And then came “Bliss” — a song carrying its own history. As Alayna’s debut single released back in 2017, long before this album and this chapter of her artistry, hearing it recontextualized alongside her new material felt like being guided through her personal artistic evolution.
That was perhaps my favorite takeaway from the entire evening: it wasn’t simply a concert. It was an artistic experience.
The gallery, the paintings, the lyric sheets, the shifting lights, the stories, the music, and the crowd all merged into the performance. Alayna didn’t just sing her songs — she invited us into the room where they were born.
And that is what makes Set Her Free so beautiful. These songs may have come from her mind, heart, and body, but once shared, they become spaces for everyone else to step into. As she noted during the show: the more deeply we understand ourselves, the closer we can get to someone else.
Set Her Free is soulful, vulnerable, and deeply personal. If you haven’t spent time with it yet, do yourself a favour. For anyone who loves the Aotearoa music scene and wants to experience a gentle, soft-spoken masterclass in storytelling, this is an absolute must-listen.
Because sometimes the most powerful love songs aren’t about finding someone else. Sometimes, they’re about finding your way back to yourself.
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