Going by the alias of Searows, Alec Duckart the 23-year-old from Portland, Oregon, broke through last year with his groundbreaking debut ‘Guard Dog’ – an album that encapsulated his moving take on folk and indie.
Now, curled up on the sofa of his London Airbnb, a few hours before he takes to the stage as Abrams’ European support act, Duckart talks about the emotionally vulnerable themes on his new EP ‘End Of The World’ (released last November ). He also shares his his thoughts on being the first artist signed to Matt Maltese’s new label, Last Recordings On Earth – another accolade which has yet to quite sink in.
“I still have so much that I want to work on,” he says, sounding equal parts humble and determined. “I’m not at the stage where I’m releasing my first stuff into the world, but at the same time, it still feels like each thing I release is the first. I feel so new to everything still; I don’t yet feel like I am really seasoned in any of it.”
Still, as he delves into the deeply personal but fundamentally relatable inspiration behind his lyrics, it becomes obvious why his music is resonating with so many.
Searows, whose real name is Alec Duckart, is a 24-year-old singer/songwriter from Portland, Oregon. He describes his sound as “stereotypically Pacific Northwest,” and I must agree; there is a peaceful quality to his music that takes me back to the gorgeous forests of Washington State. Additionally, he cites Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver among his biggest inspirations, two artists whose sounds are heavily influenced by the Great Lakes region.
Duckart’s music feels like it’s made for a Chicago winter, those days that start with the warmth of the sun on your face and end with a snowstorm. Searows’ unique blend of hope and melancholy reminds me exactly of those days. “I Can and I Will” is my favorite song from his 2023 EP “End Of The World“, and it’s the perfect example of this feeling.
Given the right moment, that song can break me into a million pieces. However, once he sings, “There are hands to be held and drinks to be spilled/And I can and I will,” I’m always left with a newly found sense of warmth.
I’ve seen Searows’ music described as resembling early-career Phoebe Bridgers. While I agree that their voices are eerily similar, I think Duckart’s music has a certain tone of maturity that Bridgers’ early music lacked—and I’m saying this as a huge Phoebe Bridgers fan. As much as I’d like his music to replace what I’m missing in this Phoebe Bridgers/Boygenius hiatus year, Searows has managed to carve a unique space for himself in the indie-folk scene. For an artist who writes ‘sad music,’ his discography, remarkably, lacks angst. His music has a unique undertone of acceptance within the melancholy, which is refreshing to find in a genre that tends towards pure sadness without enough complexity.
released January 23rd, 2026
The Fat Angel Sings 