Alex Angelo has been on a roll when it comes to releasing music, with his new single, ‘One Less Night’, the 6th track he’s dropped in 2020. You can now stream it on Spotify now.
The catchy track was written and produced by Alex himself. We wanted to know more about where Alex gets his creativity from so we got in touch. We spoke about his new song and what he plans in the future. This is what he had to say:
Hi Alex! Thank you so much for talking to us. Why don’t you start by telling us a bit about your new single ‘One Less Night’?
My pleasure! Thank you for having me. ‘One Less Night’ is the latest of my releases that has a central theme of feeling alone and missing someone. Right now, we are forced to be away from some of the people that we are very close to.
You wrote and produced this track yourself. Could you describe your writing process for us?
It’s always different for me, but usually, it starts with me trying to find some chords that I like and think sound well together for the sound I am trying to achieve. Then, I go in and try to find the right words and melodies that match up. After that- I go in and produce the track. That’s just one of the ways that sometimes works for me. But, there are several different processes that I use, and I don’t want to marry myself to just one.
You’ve toured with some pretty big names including Shawn Mendes and Jake Miller. What was it like touring with these stars? What did you pick up from them performance-wise? Also, is there anyone in particular that you want to support you at your live shows?
I love performing. I started as a dancer, and performing really came first for me in many ways. It’s one of my absolute favourite things to do. Shawn and Austin were very kind. I still connect with Austin to this day. When I toured with Shawn, it was really one of the first tours that he had been on. He was just getting started, and his show was very much just a guitar and him. He saw me going out there and sweating like crazy, running around, DJ’ing, dancing, and singing. He looked at me one time and was like, “I could never do what you do out there.” That was such a compliment to me, and I will never forget it.
You’ve also worked with Patrick “J. Que” Smith who’s worked with some massive names in the music industry. What was it like working with him? Did he give you any good advice that you can share?
I am so lucky. When these people like him talk, I listen. He has written so many hits by the biggest artists in the world. Usher, Bieber, Beyoncé, and more. And I get to work with him too? This is crazy. I will actually be talking to him during a session today (remotely via FaceTime) HE is full of advice. One cool thing I have learned from him is making each song “a movie”. Make that movie meaningful. See the movie in your head and how it plays out before you write the song. I love that. I continue to learn from him, and others as I am always trying to become a better songwriter.
You began DJ’ing at events at just the age of 10. Was there a moment in your life where you just knew this is what you wanted to do? Do you have any advice for somebody who wants to do the same?
It’s crazy. I just knew. People that don’t know me to ask how long I have been doing this, and I tell them ten years and they look at me like I’m crazy. I’m only 19. But it’s true, I started very young. But I didn’t want to just become a DJ or a dancer. I look up to people like Kanye, Pharrell, and Donald Glover that push themselves to do more. The biggest advice I could give to someone is to be humble and always be learning. I don’t feel like I am anywhere close to what I will become as an artist.
We want to know who you’re listening to right now. Can you tell us your top 3 most played songs on your Spotify right now? And why do you like them so much?
Sure. I think the music that Dua Lipa is putting out is amazing. I love the melodies and 80’s influence. I have been listening to some alternative stuff too like the 1975 and Tame Impala. The sounds are different and I appreciate what they are trying to accomplish. I also think The Weeknd has some of the best music that he has ever done. I am obsessed with his latest stuff.
What question do you wish somebody would ask you in an interview? And answer the question you manage to come up with!
I wish someone would ask me what is the biggest challenge that I am facing in the music industry. Here is my answer. I wish that it was less about followers and likes on social media. I am not a “social media kid”. I am an artist. There are kids out there trying to be YouTubers and huge on TikTok. I don’t like how you have to be huge on all of these platforms in order to get ahead. Labels are not looking for talent these days. They are looking for numbers and analytics with followers. They would rather find someone that has a lot of followers and turn them into a musician, rather than find a musician, and build them up online.
This is the biggest problem the industry is facing right now, and it is not helping. These new artists that get a “buzz” from social media might have a song that gets hot, but then…they go away forever. We never hear from them again. They aren’t musicians, and I think that the industry is using these peoples’ followings to get something quick out of them, then spit them out. Why is the natural trajectory of a social media influencer all the sudden to be a musician? It’s weird to me. I have been working at this for a very long time. I have been working on my craft, and before a label will listen to my music, they will look to see how many followers I have. It’s backward. I want to be an artist. I have nothing but respect for people making a name for themselves online, but I think the industry needs to spend more time taking risks and listening to music.
Finally, can you tell us of any future plans? “One Less Night” is your 6thsingle released just in 2020 alone! Will we be hearing anymore? Will you be doing more live shows once the COVID-19 crisis is over?
I am not stopping. By the time someone reads this, I will have likely released a lot more. Last year was a year of discovery, education, and growth for me. While I LOVE working with other collaborators, I CAN do everything on my own from writing, producing, recording. I am releasing a new song every 3 weeks. Who else has done that before? I will continue to do this to grow my audience and get the attention of people like record labels that can help take what I am doing to the next level.
It’s very hard to compete as an independent artist. The labels have big budgets and crazy influence. I submit my songs to Spotify, but I don’t have much of a shot to get on the big playlists unless I spend a ton of money, or get the influence of a label. It’s a bummer sometimes, but I believe that good music will win. I can’t wait to get back to performing live whenever and wherever will have me after this COVID 19 crisis is over.
Thanks again to Alex for having a chat with us! We love the song and can’t recommend it enough. You’ll have its smooth and addicting beat stuck in your head for weeks!
Make sure you’re following Alex on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as he has a lot more music to share with the world – and you don’t want to miss it!
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