Sevda Alizadeh — the Dutch-Iranian avant-pop muscian who performs under the name Sevdaliza — has made a name for herself with mesmerizing vocals and dreamy visuals. Her stage presence is enchanting, too, full of languid movements in front of a flower-wrapped mic stand. Her recently released EP, The Calling, adds another set of songs to her arsenal of haunting music.
That project's artwork is stark; dressed in a netted bodysuit fastened with multiple leather harnesses, Sevdaliza lays in the fetal position atop sheets of crinkled plastic. The photo is both jarring and captivating, a perfect representation of the singer's personal style. Her looks balance the minimal and the ornate, and we can't get enough. Here are a few of the ways she's killing it.
Sevdaliza often adorns herself in maximalist jewelry, and her taste in earrings is especially impressive. Case in point: her wire-thin, massive hoop earrings — complete with tiny, golden plate charms — sit perpendicular to her face for an almost ceremonial feel.
There's plenty of reasons to love the singer's long, jet-black hair — but her tight, towering ponytail is at the top of the list.
Sevdaliza is Iranian, which means she's genetically destined to have naturally perfect, thick eyebrows. That being said, she rocks any shape and color with ease, including hard-to-pull-off variations — like the pencil-thin,1920s brows of silent film stars and bold, bleached looks.
Textures and all things tactile are making a comeback, and Sevdaliza is ahead of the wave. Her hyper-structured leather fits with exposed metal hardware and plunging tops with sparkling beadwork are on-trend and true to her own style.
Small, dark shades, sleek trench coats, and slicked hair? The simulation machines are not ready for her.
Thumbnail by Annie Collinge for The FADER.