In the whirlwind of his dynamic journey as an independent artist, Alexander opens up about the highs and lows of his life and career with us. The conversation delves deep into the emotional tapestry woven through his upcoming EP, 'if you only knew', where he candidly shares the trials of love, friendship, and the challenges of mental health. The EP features six tracks, each co-written by Alexander, showcasing his vulnerability and artistry.
Alexander reflects on the roller coaster that defined this year, emphasizing the relentless hustle of being an independent artist. As he prepares to release 'if you only knew,' he expresses his excitement and satisfaction, describing the EP as a poignant snapshot of this chapter in his life. With infectious enthusiasm, he anticipates sharing these heartfelt stories with his fans.
The interview sheds light on one of the EP's tracks, 'he never will', a testament to Alexander's ability to merge anthemic pop with his soaring vocals. Exploring the complexities of friendship, the song narrates a friend's tumultuous relationship and the struggle to make them realize their self-worth. Alexander unveils the personal touch in 'he never will,' marking a creative departure and building on the success of his previous hits.
The artist's journey is punctuated by viral successes, such as 'I wish you cheated' and 'blame's on me', amassing an impressive 130 million streams combined.
From a viral TikTok campaign to a standout performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Alexander's trajectory is a testament to his growing influence in the music industry.
Having recently concluded a North American tour with K-Pop sensation Eric Nam and headlining his 'Blame's On Me' tour, Alexander's global impact continues to grow. As he looks back on his achievements, including the breakthrough single 'Backwards', which soared on Billboard's Top 20 chart in Canada, Alexander's story unfolds as a captivating narrative of talent, resilience, and a rapidly expanding fan base reaching over 300 million global streams, 300 million YouTube views, and 120 million likes on TikTok.
What has been the highlight of this year for you?
It must be playing on Jimmy Fallon. This was in October, so it happened 2 months ago. It was an absolute dream come true, despite being the most chaotic day of my entire life. We only found out we were doing it 36 hours before the performance. However, after I got off stage, I was speechless.
How do you prepare for something like that?
Well, typically, there's lots of time to prepare. This time, though, we had about 24 hours, so there was no real preparation going on. Literally, we got there, somehow got the whole band together, did our rehearsal during soundcheck. After sound check, I ran out to get an outfit because I didn't even have one for it yet. I got back, played the show, and then I also had a performance that night in New York. So, after getting off that stage, I got into a van directly to the other venue to play that show. The whole thing was so wild, but it all went seamlessly too because I was on tour at that point, so it felt natural.
So, you were prepared?
I was a little prepared because of that, but there's a lot more that goes into a TV performance than just a regular show.
Do you get nervous before a show?
I get nervous every single time. I wish I didn't at this point. Before any show, no matter what it is, I'm petrified. But I think "petrified" might be a little extreme; I'm nervous. It's the same thing every time. I'm not nervous until a few hours before, and then, as the time approaches, I'm like, maybe.
I go on stage and do it. About 2 hours before, I'm like, no, there it is. I get a sore tummy sometimes, but I think it just means I care. As soon as I go on stage, it all goes away. But the lead-up is what gets to me. And it's probably the best thing to do anyway because, again, you can just give all your energy when you're up on stage 100%.
When did it all start? Why music?
I started singing when I was around seven in my little church choir. I would just sing "Oh Canada" for all the elderly women in the crowd. After that, I discovered that I loved to sing. I moved on to other choirs, like this touring choir that was amazing for vocal technique, travel, and other things. But then my voice dropped because I was a soprano at that point. I had all the solos, and it was great, but then my voice dropped. Suddenly, I didn't have all the solos, and I thought, I don't even know if I want to be singing classical music anymore. I spent a year, my ninth grade in high school, figuring out how I wanted to pursue my love of music. At the time, people were posting covers on YouTube, so I thought, why not? I was just some random kid from Toronto.
So, it's always been the plan?
Yeah, for sure. I didn't have, nor want, a backup plan. I started doing covers on YouTube, gained enough traction, moved to Los Angeles, and just said, screw it. I'm just going to try to do this. And it's been a very wild ride.
What has changed so far?
I think probably just the confidence in myself. When I was growing up, I was the opposite of a confident person. I was so shy and timid. Now, you talk to me, and I'm such a chatterbox. I talk to anybody. I just love it. I love being extroverted and get my energy from other people. But it wasn't that way when I was younger, and I don't know where it came from or why it was that way. But throughout the process of getting into music and doing what I love, I found myself. I think I've settled nicely into who I am today, mostly because of music.
Your new EP "if you only knew" is out. What is this project about?
It's a combination of the last year of my life. It's a lot of heartbreak and relationship stuff, but it's also much deeper than that, especially with a song on it called "if you only knew," which is about some dark stuff, some of the darkest stuff people can go through. It got to the point this year where I've had so many different experiences than just heartbreak. I will always write about heartbreak because that's such a huge core feeling for so many people. But it got to the point where I was like, especially with mental health, I've experienced so much in my lifetime regarding this topic, I almost felt guilty that I hadn't talked about it yet. I just think I wasn't ready.
Does it become some sort of therapy for you to write songs?
I've been writing songs for so long now, and every time I go into a studio or come up with an idea in my bedroom, it's like I'm getting every single feeling out into this little song. It's like finding a journal. My life, with the songs that are released and unreleased, is literally like a timestamp journal of my life since I started releasing music six years ago.
And you mentioned that this is a pre-album kind of thing. Yeah, because I talk online all the time about working on my album. These six songs are coming out, and I just love them so much. I think they work beautifully together. But soon, there will be lots more music.
What inspires you the most?
I write almost all my songs from heartbreak, whether it be heartbreak from a relationship or heartbreak from what I've created myself, or heartbreak in my mind. It's the most powerful feeling for me. I'm a human being with big feelings, is what I've always said. I needed a way to get them out, and it just happened to be song writing, of course.
And you mentioned mental health before. Do you feel the pressure of being an emerging artist? Does mental health affect you?
I think, honestly, any artist would be lying if they said it didn't. There's an immense amount of pressure to make sure that you're posting all the time and everything's perfect and things are getting views. Last year, I made a distinct choice. I was on the phone with my mom where I was letting it consume me too much. I just decided that I had to at least try to be done with that. So now I post and do my thing, but I try to keep it somewhat separated mentally from just my own self and well-being. I don't let myself get so involved in it because I do this because I love music, not because I love posting or anything like that. On the flip side, social media as a whole is just the most perfect, incredible way to keep in contact with the people that support your music. So it's like, of course, I'm going to do it. I think it's just finding a healthy balance.
Speaking about the EP, how is it different from the rest of the music you’ve released so far?
It for sure is. It's just much more honest. I think I'm at a place in my life right now where I'm so much more willing to talk about things going on in my life that I've always wanted to talk about. But five years ago, little Alexander wasn't so comfortable talking about mental health. So that's why when I listen back to this project, I'm so excited and fulfilled hearing it back because I'm like, oh, my gosh, there's just so much personal growth that I've done over the last few years that is directly reflected in the music.
What is the message that you want to deliver with this EP?
I think what I love about music and what I love about my music is that it's just personal experiences about heartbreak that people seem to relate to. I just want people to feel a little less alone, whether it be from a heartbreak or maybe they messed up and left the love of their life, or maybe it is about mental health. I would just like someone to listen to it and feel like they're heard a little bit.
You're playing a very intimate set tonight in London. What can we expect?
Oh, my gosh. I mean, I'm so excited for tonight. I'll play the whole EP and a few oldies, but it's going to be cool because I get to talk in between these songs and give a deeper understanding of what the song is before I play it and what it means to me and why I wrote it. It's something that I really can't do when you're on stage performing on tour because people are like, what the heck? Why is he talking for three minutes between songs?
Is it more nerve-wracking to play a smaller venue? Interviewee: 100%, a million percent. It is so much harder to play, maybe not harder, but just more nerve-wracking to play for a small, intimate group because you can look at every single person and see what they're feeling. And it brings me back to my roots, playing at church.
What do you wish for yourself for next year?
Oh, my gosh. Well, I wish for happiness, and I wish for a successful tour. I would love to go on tour next year. I really hope that people like the music I put out. I hope that I get to spend more time with my friends and family, too. It's a lot of things I'd love, but probably just honestly, I think the main thing would be I hope that I get to get some really good quality time with the people that I love in my life.
Words by Sal F.
Photos by Gianmarco R.
Follow Alexander's journey on @alexanderstewart