Alice Kristiansen got her start over a decade ago posting dreamy covers of pop songs on her YouTube channel. By luck (and a very intelligent algorithm), I found her right away, and played her videos on repeat as I did homework in my dorm room. It wasn’t until this last year that I—still following her channel—realized she was also from Maine, just a few hours up the coast.

Nowadays, Alice is known for much more than her covers, and her loyal fanbase devours just about everything she puts out: original songs, photos of her garden, this amazing video of her talking about life as if whoever is listening is already a close friend. And herein lies her magic. Alice’s work is a masterpiece of vulnerability. Her most recent EP, Memos from Maine, was recorded live and in one take. Like her treasured YouTube covers, it is raw, ethereal and dripping with emotion. Take a listen below and then go save it to your Spotify immediately.

When I asked Alice what she would like to share alongside her music, she sent me this poem.