The Philly-based band Diet Lemon (stylized as diet lemon) is more than just an indie rock act; it’s a confessional project that balances on the motto, “fake sweet, real sour,” a phrase that cuts right to the core.
“The name honestly just kind of started off as a goof because I really like diet sodas,” began pseudonym holder Alex Spagnolia, referring to the moniker “Diet Lemon” itself. “I know that sounds silly, but I started the project sort of as this side thing for me to produce and get some ideas out and have a bit of an outlet. So I just called it Diet Lemon because it just seemed silly.” From there, the tagline “fake sweet, real sour” came easy: the music sounds nostalgic and happy while the lyrics often taste more bitter.
This notion can most easily be seen on Diet Lemon’s EP, juno, released on November 11 of this year. With tracks that range from the dancey and vibrant opener of “fool” to the thought-provoking and mellow “tommy’s gun,” juno is a compilation of exactly what Diet Lemon aims to be. And for Spagnolia, juno is its own milestone.
“[juno] was the first body of work that I dropped all at once,” he said. “And that’s a little nerve-racking, but I was ready. I felt like it was time.”
juno’s drop follows a rather up-and-down period of Spagnolia’s life, having been conceived in three different studios while Spagnolia was in the process of moving from Detroit back to Philadelphia. “It’s just been this crazy couple of years,” Spagnolia noted, “which felt like led up to this month. So it just felt right.”
“I’m ready to move on to the next stuff,” Spagnolia said, almost with a sigh of relief. “And then of course,” he added, “people’s response to [juno] is humbling and a blessing in and of itself. Like, wow, I didn’t expect people to resonate in this specific way or for this many people to like this one. And you kind of have all your own little personal bets on what’s going to be the one people like or which one was my favorite and this person’s favorite. And you’re never right. It’s always a surprise, and that’s a lot of fun.”
According to Spagnolia, listeners enjoyed “fool” more than he had anticipated, and his expectations still stand for one song in particular to gain its appreciation. “I still have my hopes up for it, but it might be a sleeper of sorts that people find later,” he stated. “But ‘tommy’s gun’ was the one that I started the project with back in Detroit, and it’s been one we just kind of sat on… [The song is] interesting because it’s weird. It’s a different style from what I think people expect. And I think it’s attracting a different audience than my normal listeners.”
“tommy’s gun” in particular, though containing storylike lyricism, is based on a very real situation that’s close to home for Spagnolia. “That one was definitely more of a story-based track, just based off of some stories from my childhood, stories that I was too young to even recall myself,” he said. “It’s not a perfect one-to-one, but it takes inspiration of my mother’s journey, having me and starting her life when she was my age. So ‘tommy’s gun’ is sort of this climax of the story, where she was dealing with some very intense situations and scary situations. I just sort of drew from that.”
Spagnolia’s mother, Julie, is the inspiration for more than just a song; the album’s title is a direct alias for her name. To Spagnolia, it’s the telling of a story inspired by her. The cover art of the album, though, is a homage to every track’s single cover before being featured on the album. That of “fool” is on the TV, the cat from “blame” is on the floor, the hand from “i hope we keep in touch” is in the foreground, the house being on fire is from “think you are,” and “tommy’s gun” is represented by the man in the doorway.
“My fiance, Annie, draws all this stuff,” Spagnolia said, admirably. “I love her style. We’re obviously very close. She knows me better than anyone and was able to sort of draw this from these experiences and memories that I’ve shared with her.”
Diet Lemon’s sound itself is distinct and a part of the niche “Philadelphia Phruitcore” genre, the name of which follows the Philly music scene trend of replacing words that start with “F” with “Ph” to honor their home base. Coined by the band Mega Mango, for which Spagnolia was formerly the guitarist and producer, Phruitcore blends indie bedroom rock with heavier bass and drums, creating an atmospheric sonic aura that listeners can also easily dance to. Vibrant melodies and warmer tones break up the depth, adding yet another layer to the unique genre and making it all the more addictive.
For Spagnolia, his inspirations also come from the artists he listens to most. “I love Dijon,” he said. “I think some of the more experimental decisions he makes in his productions, especially on Baby, while also maintaining that rawness… I don’t think I am super successful in pulling that off, but it’s definitely something that’s inspired me to maybe take some more risks while grounding into a sound.” He also cites Djo and his 2025 release, The Crux, for inspiring instrumentation and vocal placements, in addition to Hippo Campus. “They’ve been an inspiration for a long time,” he said.
If there’s one thing that has served as the greatest influence, though, it’s the city of Philadelphia itself. “I come from a big Italian family that all grew up either in Philly, outside of Philly, and we are all brutally honest with each other,” Spagnolia recounted, laughing. “There is no dodging the elephant in the room if there is one. It’s where everything’s on the nose. We like to pick on one another and stuff. We’re just very honest and open. And I think that’s something that inspires my lyrics specifically, because there are some times where I’m like, ‘I shouldn’t say that.’ And I hear my mom or my stepfather, and he’s like, ‘Just say it. Just say what you got to say. Don’t beat around the bush. Don’t mince words.’ So that’s something that definitely inspires me lyrically. And it’s a very Philly thing. We’re obnoxious. Go Birds.”
He continued, “[Philly people are] saying what you need to hear because they care about you. Because there is a genuine desire to go out of their own way, out of their own comfort zone, to confront you because they want to help and they love and care about you. In lyrics, we need that. I think lyrics need to, and you can do that without being cringey or on the nose or being hyper specific, but saying that thing to say what you really think and not the second or third thing that comes to your mind.”
And in 2026, Spagnolia says that he and his team will be hitting the ground running, releasing more personal reflections that leave a sharp aftertaste in the best way. “We already have a couple more songs ready to go early next year,” he revealed. “So while [juno] was a moment for us, we got to put out this EP, but we’re not going to just sit on it. We have more stuff that’s coming out. We’re still gunning pretty hard.”
For people searching for a discography that they can absolutely melt into, Diet Lemon has established that his songs are more than just music—they’re emotional releases that definitely taste more sweet than sour.
Photos courtesy of Elton Audio Records | Interviewed on November 25, 2025
Leave a comment