Alex Hartley just released a new single called “I Believe”. It sits somewhere between indie-soul and soft pop. The song comes from a real situation in his life, around a hard moment during an IVF journey with his wife. That context matters, because you can hear it in the writing. The lyrics are honest and a bit heavy at times, but not in a forced way. It’s like he is trying to say something he didn’t fully say before and now he’s putting it into music.
The vocals are smooth. His voice has that warm tone that carries the track without pushing too much. There are also female harmonies in the chorus that add a nice lift. The instrumental is well built. Soft keys, light groove and some subtle details in the background that show care in the production. The mix is clean and everything sits where it should, and you can tell time was spent on the small things.
What stands out most is the songwriting. It’s personal, real and direct. He doesn’t try to hide behind big words or complex ideas. We really enjoyed this one. There’s a lot of heart in it and it makes us curious to hear what he does next.
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Alex Hartley is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Austin, TX. He plays piano driven indie-soul and draws from his love of intricate jazz harmonies, heartfelt lyricism and clever pop sensibility to deliver his unique brand of music.
Alex recorded his 2025 debut EP and upcoming 2nd EP (due 9/25/26) with long time collaborator and producer, Kyle Crusham (Paul Simon, Edie Brickell). Together, the records feature an all-star cast of musicians including guitarist Chris McQueen (Snarky Puppy) and drummer Jimmy Paxson (Keith Urban, The Chicks). Alex’s original compositions and richly layered arrangements are influenced by artists such as Steely Dan, Vulfpeck, and Randy Newman.
Alex follows a long family lineage of artists and musicians and has been writing and performing at the piano since he was a boy. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Alex worked as a pianist aboard cruise ships before settling in Austin, TX in 2014.
Since then, Alex has become an in-demand session and touring keyboardist working with dozens of artists including Micky and the Motorcars, Jason Hawk Harris, Jon Wolfe, and Cast Iron Shoes.
