Though CT-based singer/songwriter Alec Chambers may be best known, at least to some, for his standout cover of Halsey’s “Without Me,” a cover that has more than 50 million streams on Spotify, there is far more to him than just that singular defining moment. Chambers, a skilled and seasoned performer, has been a staple on YouTube for many years, routinely generating buzz from stripped-back covers of popular songs across multiple genres including “WAP” by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi, and “you broke me first” by Tate McRae.
Chambers’ unique raspy vocal tone cuts through like a knife, and his ability to connect emotionally and present a song, whether it’s an original or a cover, as his own is, undoubtedly, a factor in his success. His repertoire includes a growing catalog of original material, including “Boston,” “Dark Can Be Beautiful,” and his newest release, “Oasis.”
“Oasis” feels like the kind of tune an artist keeps in their back pocket for years, waiting to release at the right moment. It also feels like a rare, maybe even once-in-a-career window into the mind of the person behind the brand, the music, and the persona. The track is a gentle, awestruck love letter to someone who lifts Chambers up at his weakest and makes him feel safe: “And when my flaws start to show you lift me up from below / Stay by my side and I know you’re where I belong.”
While known for his high-tenor range, easily able to sing certain female songs in the original octave, Chambers, for the most part, stays within his sweet mid-chest voice and floaty falsetto for a majority of the track. Accompanied by an entrancing acoustic guitar line, he sounds head over heels and overflowing with gratitude.
The chorus, written so simply but with real-life implications that make it feel so critical, is the focal point of the tune: “My oasis… a paradise in the dark / A saving grace when I’m lost / My whole heart / My oasis… in the middle of nothing at all / A place where I’m all yours / Right where we are.” These words are even more poignant knowing Chambers’ battle with his stutter, which he displays openly and honestly on social media. For those who stutter, a sanctuary, or a person who fosters a judgment-free space, is eye-opening.
In a video on Instagram featuring a short snippet of “Oasis,” Chambers is seen walking along the water’s edge as he stares down the camera. While the primary inspiration for the song may be tied to a certain individual, the calm, breezy atmosphere of a body of water could be the physical, location-based “oasis” Chambers sings of. A place we all feel, even if just in our mind, is “in the middle of nothing at all.”
Stream “Oasis” on Spotify: