Glasgow-based alt-pop artist Alannah Moar continues her signature blend of emotional honesty on new single, ‘Sandpaper’, a deceptively jaunty track that hides a deeply introspective message.
Inspired partly by a period of personal struggle, and metaphorically tied to DIY in her flat, the title emerged as both literal and symbolic. As Moar reckoned with emotional patterns affecting her partner, sandpaper became the perfect metaphor for her own behaviour.
Moar pulls no punches in her lyricism, “I am the architect of my own misery” and “god I feel like sandpaper, wearing us down” are not lines typically found in a breezy pop song, but that helps ‘Sandpaper’ be so compelling, it’s a track about accountability, growth and the painful clarity that comes with self-awareness.
“The narrative is about realising you’re the problem in a relationship, which sounds depressing, but I think it’s actually quite optimistic—because it’s acknowledging that you have to do better, and that’s hopeful.”
Originally written in fragments, the song evolved over time, influenced like many by the glossy palettes of artists like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX, Moar fused their pop sensibility with her own unique storytelling flair, “I refined it, made it a bit more me, a bit less of a pastiche.”
That refinement shows, ‘Sandpaper’ balances vulnerability with empowerment, polished production with raw sentiment. It’s a powerful follow-up to the bittersweet ‘Ready or Not’, which along with earlier single ‘Reciprocate’ were both Single of the Week on BBC Radio Scotland’s Afternoon Show.
Moar’s willingness to lean into emotional discomfort, then alchemise it into something sonically beautiful, sets her apart. ‘Sandpaper’ isn’t just a confessional—it’s a signpost of artistic growth, and a song that resonates with anyone who’s had to own their faults to move forward.
Renowned for her distinctive brand of dramatic folk-pop, Moar’s musical journey began at 14, over the last decade she has honed her craft to develop a unique sound and has headlined shows in Glasgow and Edinburgh and shared the stage with notable artists such as KT Tunstall, Amanda Palmer, Callum Beattie, Soda Blonde and Lazy Day.
