Scarlett Macfarlane in Wonderland

“Winter’s Whisper”: A New Single by Scarlett Macfarlane inspired by Alice in Wonderland

Scarlett Macfarlane transforms winter into a beautifully unsettling wonderland on her new single, “Winter’s Whisper.” Blending the restless energy of 1990s alternative rock with contemporary alt-pop, the New York artist creates a song that feels playful, romantic, and quietly dangerous.

The track began with the lyric “Walk me home through Wonderland,” initially inspired by the familiar image of a winter wonderland. Then Alice appeared. Scarlett followed the idea down the rabbit hole, cutting apart literary references and stitching them into an original lyrical universe. Beneath the wordplay lies a darker reflection on life’s unpredictability. We ask for adventure, yet rarely control how it arrives.

That duality takes physical form in the accompanying music video, filmed at Château Bouffémont outside Paris. Scarlett portrays both Alice and the Queen, becoming the curious young woman entering an unfamiliar world and the commanding figure who rules it. Innocence confronts power. Wonder meets malice. The heroine and the threat become two sides of the same character.

Surrounded by ancient architecture, surreal tea-party figures and sharply contemporary fashion, Scarlett turns Wonderland into a psychological landscape. Alice appears in black and blue, while the Queen brings a darker, more volatile energy to the story. Rather than presenting good and evil as separate forces, the video suggests that both can exist within the same person.

With “Winter’s Whisper,” Scarlett does not simply revisit a classic tale. She fractures its looking glass and steps through as both the dreamer and the danger waiting on the other side.

IRK: What was the first image, feeling, or moment that sparked Winter’s Whisper?

Scarlett Macfarlane: I just knew I wanted to write a wintry imagery pop song, and I liked the alliteration of the words “Winter” and “Whisper”.

IRK: The song clearly draws from Alice in Wonderland. What aspects of that world spoke to you, and how did you reinterpret them through your own lens?

Scarlett Macfarlane: The first line of the song was “Walk Me Home Through Wonderland”. Originally, I was thinking of a winter wonderland. Then I realised there was a whole other version of “Wonderland.” So I went down the rabbit hole, googling “Alice in Wonderland” quotes. Eventually, I cut them up and stitched them together into a new interpretation in my song.

IRK: The title itself feels delicate yet haunting. What does “Winter’s Whisper” represent to you?

Scarlett Macfarlane: Well, for me Winter is a time of year that everything goes quiet or “dormant” or “hibernates” and there’s this very powerful voice that feels both romantic and whimsical at the same time that it feels almost haunting and sinister. It’s a strange mixture and that duality is the premise of my song.

IRK: Your songs often sound light, energetic and playful, at first listen, yet there is usually a deeper commentary underneath. Is that intentional?

Scarlett Macfarlane: Yes I like to hide layers often 3 or 4 deep into my words where maybe you don’t see it on the first listen but if you were to listen again or read the words you’d be “oh wait, that’s cool”. And I also have songs that quietly make references to each other which adds a whole other level. It feels like a sort of inside joke for just me that I hope others will someday catch on to.

IRK: Do you see Winter’s Whisper as a personal story, a social reflection, or something in between?

Scarlett Macfarlane: Definitely a social reflection on the way I see the world which is largely as crazy and bizarre. Reality really does feel strange sometimes. 

IRK: When you write, do you consciously build in multiple layers of meaning, or does that complexity emerge naturally?

Scarlett Macfarlane: It’s a mix of intentional design and pure serendipity. The phrase ‘Oh no!’ was always the emotional anchor of the chorus. It perfectly captures that overwhelming, Alice-entering-Wonderland panic when life spirals out of control. That visceral ‘what is happening right now?’ feeling.

The bridge, however, revealed itself to me. I was struggling with the transition back to the chorus until I envisioned the Red Queen exclaiming, ‘Off with her head!’ It was the ultimate catalyst to bring back that frantic ‘Oh no!’ It felt less like writing and more like uncovering a hidden truth.

Other lyrics, though, are meticulously crafted. By describing her with a ‘face crimson with malice,’ I subtly hide ‘crimson’ for red and ‘malice’ to rhyme with Alice. It allows me to conjure the entire Wonderland universe without ever explicitly saying their names.

There is a double meaning in the lyric, ‘An adventure is what I asked of you.’

The line continues: ‘You cracked the glass, came crashing through, yea, you delivered, as you always do.’ This is a clear throwback to Alice stepping Through the Looking-Glass. However, my idea of adventure is far less whimsical. Instead, it is a direct commentary on life.

We spend our entire lives seeking out grand adventures. Yet, we often regret it when life actually delivers. Life never seems to arrive gently. It always delivers in a way that literally feels like shattering glass.

IRK: There is a sense of beauty and fragility in the track. Is winter a metaphor for something larger in today’s world?

Scarlett Macfarlane: Winter is a metaphor for life, the world, the great cosmic story… whatever you wanna call it.

About the Visuals: A Parisian Wonderland

Translating the magic of “Winter’s Whisper” onto the screen required a setting as beautifully complex as the song itself. Filmed at the historic Château Bouffémont, the visual piece is a stunning reimagining of classic archetypes through a contemporary lens. Here, Scarlett takes us behind the scenes of her Parisian rabbit hole.

IRK: What was it actually like filming in a castle outside Paris? Did being in that environment shift your performance or emotional state?

Scarlett Macfarlane: Filming in a castle outside Paris made the whole fantasy of this story come to life in a way I didn’t see coming. I was always excited to shoot something related to Alice in Wonderland, but I didn’t really see it until we arrived at the Château Bouffemont, and it was literally like magic.

IRK: There is a dreamlike quality to the visuals. Were you intentionally playing with the idea of stepping into another world, like falling down a rabbit hole?

Scarlett Macfarlane: For me “falling down the rabbit hole” is a daily activity – whether it’s going down a rabbit hole of writing a new song or adventuring into making a music video or simply finding myself 2 hours later scrolling about puppies on instagram. There are so many rabbit holes to fall down here!

IRK: Did the contrast between ancient architecture and modern alt-pop energy create a tension you wanted?

Scarlett Macfarlane: I love the modernization of classic visuals. I love the twist we took in putting Alice in Black (and blue) not just blue) I love the chateau mixed with very modern costuming looks on each of the tea party characters. It’s a fantastical cross-section of modern fashion and classic archetypes. Which is similar to the song. It’s a very modern take on a classic story.

Artistic Direction: A Beautifully Bizarre Wonderland

Her sound might echo the rebellious pop-rock of the 90s, but Scarlett’s lyrical lens is firmly fixed on the present. Viewing the world as a complex, often absurd adventure, she uses her music as a sharp social reflection. Dive into the mind of an artist who turns everyday chaos into a captivating sonic experience.

IRK: You often blur fantasy and reality in your work. Why does that space between the two feel important to you?

Scarlett Macfarlane: I think I like the duality of things and see it as an omnipresent theme in the world that many can relate to. Love/Hate. Impossible/Possible. Fantasy/Reality. Enemies/Friends. Everyone has experienced both, as it’s somewhere in the gray area where we usually find the truth.

IRK: Is there a risk in making music that feels accessible on one level but carries strong messages underneath?

Scarlett Macfarlane: Yes. I risk that nobody will “get it” but I have a high opinion of people and choose to believe that I’m not alone and there are others like me who like the depth of words and ideas in my songs.

On Screen Cast:
Alice/Red Queen: Scarlett
The Mad Hatter: AP Delarp, The White Rabbit: Titouan Dubois, Tweedle Dee: Alexandre Chantoiseau, Tweedle Dum: Kendra Dresser, The Mouse: César

Video Credits:
Artist: Scarlett Macfarlane
Director: Mia Macfarlane, Producers: Scarlett Sound LLC & French Cowboy, Copyright: ©2026 Scarlett Sound LLC
Visual Effects & Editor: Joel Riley, Assistant Editor: Kendra Dresser, Director of Photography: Charles Sautreuil, Chief Electrician (Gaffer): Hubert Eudeline, Hair & Makeup: Nadia Kyrychenko|, Stylist: AP Delarp

Special thanks to:
BTS Content: Lucas Auger & Ernest Asfaux, Onset Assistance: Clara Elfort, Invaluable Assistance: David Vincent
and to the team at Château Bouffemont for an incredible location.

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