Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I grew up outside of Philadelphia in a household surrounded by the arts. My dad is an actor and director, and I come from a long family lineage of artists and musicians. I remember tinkering (probably banging away) on my grandparents’ upright piano as a little boy, and I was thrilled to start taking piano lessons when I was 8. My teacher was very old-school classical, and I learned a lot from her over the years, but we started to butt heads when I started bringing her jazz tunes to work on. Admittedly, I was a bit of a punk, but I didn’t like being told what music I had to do and was pretty dead set on learning jazz piano. By the time I reached 10th grade, I was determined to attend Berklee College of Music. Thank goodness I got in because I didn’t have much of a backup plan. My parents were always incredibly supportive of my decision to pursue music as a career.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Alex Hartley”?
A: I’m currently in a release cycle leading up to my 2nd EP that comes out on 9/25. We just launched a national non-comm radio campaign for “I Believe” and “A Little Burned Out,” so hopefully, you’ll be hearing my music over the airwaves in your local market real soon! As an independent artist, I’ve been like a sponge of late, trying to absorb all the ways to get my music out there. I’m constantly learning, experimenting, and humbling myself. At the moment, my band has been primarily performing in Austin, TX, and the surrounding areas, but the goal is to start touring regionally and hitting some festivals within the next year as we build upon this EP release.
As far as a message for the folks about to discover my music… hang on! Hopefully, it’ll take your ears for a ride. I absolutely love working in the studio, and I definitely take pride in my arrangements. My goal is always to provide enough little ear-worms and special moments that you’ll hear something fresh with each listen.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: Madison Cunningham has been my favorite songwriter for a few years now. She’s simply the complete package as a brilliant lyricist using left-field grooves and harmonies and just so happens to absolutely shred it on vocals and guitar. Her last record had such a unique sound with the lush woodwind layers. It’s been on repeat for months.
Inspiration usually strikes from recent lived experiences and interactions. Over the last couple of years, I’ve found songwriting to be quite therapeutic as I’m processing strong emotions. It may sound cheesy, but there’s something so beautiful about channeling vulnerability into art.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “I Believe”?
A: I wrote “I Believe” as both a reflection and a sincere apology to my wife about a dire situation that unfolded during our IVF journey. While I was out of state visiting family for the weekend, my wife suffered a mental health crisis upon learning our second round of IVF was unsuccessful. At the time, I severely misjudged the support she needed and continued my visit before flying home. The following weeks were a serious test on our marriage as we picked up the pieces and I truly learned what it means to by my partner’s rock. This is a song is about what we felt, what I should have done, and what should happen in the future.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Personal
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “I Believe”?
A: “I Believe” has lived a few lives before its release. I had originally written a completely different song and ended up scrapping the lyrics. I always thought the chord progression was interesting, so I held on to that and penned the lyrics to “I Believe” a couple of months later. The production took a fair bit of experimentation and finessing to find its way. Things started to really click once we added my friend Pablo Trujillo’s signature pedal steel lines on the chorus and hooks. The last big hurdle was finding a vocalist that could sing some soaring harmonies over this challenging set of chords, and I think Lex Land really knocked it out of the park.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I want people to feel something when they hear my music. Either with the storytelling or with my harmonies and instrumental hooks. I really try to find a happy medium between the two. The other night I played a songwriter swap, and following the show, one of the other songwriters told me my song had brought her to tears. She said the emotion was a little too real, and she felt like a character in the song. That was really cool.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Oh man, this is always a tough one. Stevie Wonder is the first that comes to mind. But honestly, I think collaborating with someone like Chopin would be wild.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: It’s an admirable profession, and it can be done! One of the real challenges is striking a balance of musical fulfillment and work that will pay the bills. This is me speaking as someone who has been a bit jaded over the years doing gigs that I wasn’t entirely passionate about. It’s so important to remember why you entered the music business in the first place.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Start taking vocal lessons and write as many songs as you can.
