Singer, alternatively alto, terribly new (7)
I believe the answer is:
ortolan
'singer' is the definition.
(ortolan is a kind of birdanimal)
'alternatively alto terribly new' is the wordplay.
'alternatively' becomes 'or'.
'terribly' is an anagram indicator.
'new' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation eg NT for New Testament).
'alto' is an anagram of 'tola'.
'or'+'tola'+'n'='ORTOLAN'
(Other definitions for ortolan that I've seen before include "Bird" , "European bunting" , "Bobolink" , "One flying" , "Small songbird" .)