Renowned for his multifaceted talents as a singer-songwriter and producer, Alexander 23 stands as a luminary figure to the new generation, captivating audiences with his poignant lyricism and soul-stirring melodies. From the chart-topping success of his debut single “Dirty AF1s” to the platinum-certified anthem “IDK You Yet,” his repertoire resonates deeply with audiences worldwide. Yet, beyond his solo endeavours, he extends his creative prowess to collaborative ventures including his co-production on Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” as well as executive production of Renee Rapp’s debut album “Snow Angel”.
Riding the wave of his success at the Seoul Jazz Festival in Korea, Alexander went on his “American Boy in Asia Tour” which bought him to Kuala Lumpur. The KL concert was held at The Bee, Publika recently, offering a chance to catch an exclusive interview. This allowed us to delve into the creative mind behind the latest captivating release of “Brown Eyed Baby.” which extends a bittersweet message, painting a poignant picture of unrequited love.
Tell us about your ‘American Boy in Asia Tour’ so far. What’s your favourite memory?
Oh, it’s been so good and I’m not just saying this, but the best part about touring is really getting to meet and talk to everyone. It’s obviously really cool connecting with people online, but there’s a different energy when you meet people in person because it feels way more real, you know. Plus, when someone messages you that they feel connected to your song, it’s extremely meaningful. When they get a chance to tell you in person and you get to sing it together, it’s like a whole new level.
Your music has resonated strongly in countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. What do you think it is about your music that connects with audiences in these regions?
I don’t really know to be honest but I’m just grateful that it does. However, I will say that I try to make music that exudes sincerity and is close to my heart. Truthfully, I found that people in this part of the world are just exceptionally kind and open-minded as well as open-hearted. Whatever it is, I’m just happy with it.
Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind your latest single, “Cozy,” and what it was like collaborating with Jeremy Zucker and Lauv on this track?
Oh, it was awesome! I mean we’ve all been friends for years now and we’ve talked about collaborating for quite some time but we never found the right time, place or reason. So, when we knew that we would all be performing in Seoul for Jazz Fest together, we finally got the reason and the time to do it. It had to happen as we were already gathered there (at the Seoul for Jazz Fest) and it was so fun.
The music video for “Cozy” seems to draw inspiration from the movie “Step Brothers”. What led to this creative decision, and what was the experience like filming it with Jeremy Zucker and Lauv?
I think we just wanted to find something that felt pretty light-hearted and not too heavy. Something that would be kind of believable for all three of us to be participating in. Who doesn’t love having a sleepover with your friends? It was just fun. There were so many moments during filming the music video that I genuinely forgot that we were making a music video. It just felt like we were hanging out. I think it’s fun. It’s really fun. I mean the movie itself is fun. So I can understand.
Tell us more about your creative process approach to ensure you maintain your authenticity.
I think for better or for worse, I’m only really good at writing about real things that I’m experiencing and feeling in life. I guess in that way it just naturally becomes authentic to me by default and I just try to make stuff that I like. I want to make music that I want to listen to. So if I do that, then I know that it’s going to feel honest and true to myself.
Your career has seen remarkable growth since your debut with “Dirty AF1s” in 2019. How do you feel your music has evolved since then, and what can fans expect from your upcoming album “Aftershock”?
For me, when I was first starting out, it was very songwriter forward but then, as I progressed, songwriting became more important while things like the song production within my own music became slightly less important, simply because I wanted the song to be the star of the show.
Now, I’m getting to this point where they’re just as equal to me especially in terms of conveying my feelings clearly and properly. So I don’t know how to measure my growth precisely as I never really go into the studio with a plan or a distinct vision of what I think is best for myself. I’m just pretty open to being in the studio and simply going with the flow.
In addition to your own music, you’ve also been involved in co-producing hits like Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” and executive producing Renee Rapp’s debut album “Snow Angel”. How do these experiences inform your approach to your own music?
I think it’s really just inspiring to get to say all the time that I am really lucky. I get to work with the best artists and singers on the planet which is very inspiring to me seeing their work ethic and getting to be in the co-pilot spot and making their vision become a reality. In turn, it inspires me to be the best artist I can be.
How do you write for different artists and ensure that that song suits their identity?
Well, it’s made pretty easy for me because I get to work with people who usually come in with a vision of how they want to be perceived by the world and, more importantly, how they perceive themselves. I think my job is to maximize whatever that vision is, you know? I try not to imprint the vision onto myself as I want stylistically for it to be something that I’m proud of.
What’s so great about being a singer and a songwriter for others is I get to fully be myself when making music but when I’m doing someone else’s, I get to just fully support what they think is best for me. It’s nice not to be the boss all the time because it gets a little exhausting when it’s just you who always have to make the final decision. So, when you work with people you trust and they have a more clear sense of who they want to be, I’m happy to take the co-pilot role.
Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for the future of your music career? Are there any particular collaborations or projects you’re excited about pursuing?
Well, I’m working very hard on new music for myself and not sure exactly what kind of shape it’s going to take. Whether it’ll be a single, EP or album, I’m making some of my favourite stuff ever, which feels really good. I think goal-wise, I’m very ambitious, but it’s never been in a goal-oriented way as I rarely have actual goals for myself. Even if I do, it’s always more abstract where I just want to make stuff that feels really good and I just feel very lucky to get to do this. If I can just keep doing this, I’ll be really happy.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in regard to the music industry?
It’s funny sometimes as I don’t really feel qualified to give advice considering it’s hard for me too since it’s never really that simple. I think something that I’m trying to work on myself is defaulting to action instead of inaction. You can spend so long trying to make something perfect and even if you get it perfect in the end, it might not be worth it as you could have spent that time on doing the next thing.
In saying so, that doesn’t indicate you should give up on it as you need to keep it moving, especially in the case of art and music where perfection doesn’t exist. So, at the end of it all, it’s about finding balance and not giving up on something too early or not finishing it at all. Despite this, I think people still use perfection as this crutch and it’s really kind of more of a mirage.
We also tested Alexander 23 on our Maalaysian slangs. See how well he faired:
Ariani Soraya contributed to this article.
