Rolling in from the “Windy City” of Chicago, Alexander Glantz, better known as Alexander 23, has established himself as the go-to bedroom pop musician generating soothing, acoustic love and heartbreak ballads for the masses. The MouthSoap had a chance to speak with Alexander 23 about his rocketing music career and it’s evident he is only just beginning.
The recording artist, who accumulated millions of views on YouTube with his hit record “Dirty AF1s,” experienced a whirlwind of success that allotted him monumental moments any rising artist would be ecstatic for, such as performing as an opening act for Omar Apollo’s tour in 2019, playing Lollapalooza, collaborating with Selena Gomez on a remix for her track “Rare,” and garnering over 130K followers on a fairly new Instagram account.
His latest addition to his indomitably growing catalog includes the insertion of his sophomore EP Oh No, Not Again!. The writing’s on the wall — adding 23 to his name to recognize the day he was born and the symbolism of the number in sports for Chicago, Alexander 23 is shooting for the moon and there’s no slowing down.
Before Alexander 23 became a solo artist, he learned the ropes of the music industry as a member of a band. The experience gave him just enough of the fundamentals for him to branch out on his own later on.
“When I dropped out of college and was playing in a band, it kind of felt like college for music,” Alexander 23 told The MouthSoap’s Gloria Altonnia. “I just learned a lot about the industry and kind of what I wanted to sound like and be like. It was honestly, for me, a really safe space to kind of find myself and my own voice — full songwriting and production wise, and just everything music.”
When asked about the difference between being a solo artist and being part of a band, he laments, “I’d say the biggest difference I think — when you’re a solo artist sometimes the highs are higher and the lows are lower. When you’re in a band it’s like a little bit more comfortable because you have that kind of diffusion of responsibility, which goes both ways.”
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He continues, “The accomplishment of doing something yourself is just so fulfilling for me. But, similarly, when things are not going well or I don’t achieve something that I was really looking to, there’s no one to kind of like blame in a certain way, I know it’s just fully on me. It’s different.”
Even if Alexander 23 has felt the anxious emotions of being a solo artist, he certainly makes the conquest look easy. In 2019, Alexander 23 released his debut project I’m Sorry I Love You, leading with hit singles, such as “See You Later” and “Mars.” Filled with galvanizing production consisting of melodic drum and guitar loops and svelte vocal arrangements, Alexander 23’s debut EP showcased his unmatched talents as a producer, singer and songwriter.
The global pandemic of 2020 didn’t stop Alexander 23 from releasing single after single, cementing his arrival with “IDK You Yet,” “Nothing’s the Same,” and “Brainstorm,” all of which are being rolled out from his 9-track EP, Oh No, Not Again!. Cool fact — He chose the name of the EP as a strategy to deliver heavy topics in a light-hearted way. Alexander 23 is very much aware of his genre in which he labels as “sad but hopeful” and uses it to his competitive advantage.
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The music video for his single “Come Here and Leave Me Alone” premiered on the same day of the EP’s release. Alexander 23 sings about the angst of desiring a relationship but not wanting to get too close. He sings, “Love me, but don’t get too close / Touch me from a mile away / Get out, oh baby won’t you stay / Stay near and give me some room / Hate me baby, I love you.”
The chorus is equally perplexing, yet oddly understandable, as he sings, “Go away and kiss my face / Come here and leave me, leave me alone.” The mid-tempo song certainly gives the impression that it has potential to branch out into the EDM and hip hop spaces with impactful up-tempo remixes.
“IDK You Yet” is a soft, acoustic song reminiscent of an Ed Sheeran track. The lyrics talk about missing someone even though the person singing hasn’t met them yet. The lyrics recall the same essence used in Carly Rae Jepsen’s huge hit, “Call Me Maybe,” where she sings “before you came into my life I missed you so bad.” Alexander 23 masterfully delivers as he utilizes the endearing and sincere sentiment of tenderly longing for someone who is not in one’s life yet.
“Nothing’s the Same” with Jeremy Zucker is another acoustic slow jam that delves into the complexity of a relationship that was once good and fun, and now things have changed as “it gets hard to remember” the good times. Full of soulful introspection, “Nothing’s the Same” comfortably aligns with heartbreaking storytelling that easily paints a vivid mental picture. Imagine someone exclusively listening to the record after midnight in a deserted shopping plaza parking lot while the fog rolls in, capturing the translucent storefront lights.
Alexander 23’s single, “Cry Over Boys,” follows the familiar formula of the other tracks on Oh No, Not Again! with a prominent acoustic guitar pairing with emotionally inspired lyrics. The music video further complements the lyrics as it shows Alex singing in a dry cleaners, and then singing out the window while driving a car under a setting sun.
The climax of the video is when he is laying on top of said car wearing a suit singing up towards the night sky while the vehicle is in motion. More of a montage of aesthetic visuals, the music video perfectly embraces the intricacies of the song.
Other records on the album include “Brainstorm,” “Caught in the Middle,” “She Loves Me,” “Good to See You Again!,” and “Track 9.” With Alexander 23’s growing discography under his belt, it is apparent that he has a clear vision and artistic direction for his music — a very rare trait to find in upcoming artists. For Alexander 23, his gifted ability to capture his emotions in pockets of “music-telling” is destined to go the distance — it’s only a matter of time before the world takes notice.
Oh No, Not Again! is available now on major streaming platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Music.
