Alissa White-Gluz is taking a different approach with her new project Blue Medusa, choosing to focus on a string of singles before eventually delivering a full-length album.
The singer discussed the band’s release strategy during a recent Q&A while promoting “Checkmate,” the debut track from Blue Medusa. Rather than immediately working toward a traditional album rollout, she expressed enthusiasm for spacing out releases and pairing each track with its own identity and visual component (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “We are thinking maybe it’s fun to release a bunch of singles, because, I love making music videos as much as I love writing songs, and I love being able to assign a moment in time. Like March 20th is ‘Checkmate’ day now, and I love being able to assign a moment in time and a theme and a visual to a song because I feel like it just makes it so much stronger — for me anyways, it does. And so I’m kind of digging the idea of giving you guys a lot of singles. And then, of course, there will be an album as well. And I will keep you guys posted on all of that.”
Even with the focus on singles, White-Gluz confirmed that a full album is still part of the long-term plan, suggesting fans will get the best of both worlds.
Live shows are also on the horizon. The band has already secured appearances at Louder Than Life and Aftershock Festival, giving fans in the United States an early opportunity to see Blue Medusa in action. At the same time, she reassured international audiences that broader touring plans are coming together: “We do have two festivals already announced, and those are in the USA: Louder Than Life and Aftershock festival, which are both festivals that I have attended in the past, and they are amazing.
“So if you’re based in the USA and you do wanna see BLUE MEDUSA live, I can guarantee you’re gonna see us at those festivals. And if you’re not from the USA and you feel like doing like a vacation or something, you can always time it around that because those festivals are really, really huge and they’re very cool. But you also don’t have to worry, because we will absolutely be touring everywhere that I have toured in the past. We are coming to see all of you again. I can’t go that long without seeing you. A lot of you know, I know you by name when I see you in the front row or at a meet-and-greet. You guys have become a part of my life in a way that is so important for making this music happen and making all of this happen. So I’m gonna see you again soon. As soon as we have anything confirmed, you will hear about it. It’ll be on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Patreon. We’re gonna post about it. So don’t even worry. We will be back soon and be performing for you guys.”
The new band, which White-Gluz unveiled on International Women’s Day earlier this year, features guitarists Alyssa Day (Mindscar, Absentia) and Dani Sophia (ex-Till Lindemann), with Alicia Vigil (Dragonforce, Vigil Of War) on bass and Delaney Jaster (Stitched Up Heart) on drums for live shows.
Blue Medusa emerges after White-Gluz’s departure from Arch Enemy, which was officially announced on November 23, 2025.
Immediately following her exit, White-Gluz released her first solo track, “The Room Where She Died,” composed by Oliver Palotai (Kamelot) with all vocals, writing, and recording handled by White-Gluz herself. The song signaled a bold creative shift and hinted at the freedom she would explore with Blue Medusa.
In her personal statement, Alissa reflected on her 12-year run with Arch Enemy and thanked supporters who have followed her through countless tours and four studio albums. She wrote at the time: “After 12 years in Arch Enemy, we have parted ways. I am forever thankful to the thousands of amazing fans I have met along the way. Thank you, Beastlings!”
