An Interview With Arden Alexa
Emerging pop artist Arden Alexa doesn’t just make music, she builds universes to share with her fans.
What first made you want to get into music?
I don’t know that I ever really chose to get into music, it’s just something that has always been present in my life. Growing up in an incredibly musical household, I was always singing, dancing, and putting on performances for my family members. It’s been one of the most consistent things in my life, something that has accompanied me through the difficult and wonderful moments. As I got older, making music started to become more than just a hobby for me, but it wasn’t until I was getting ready to graduate high school that I realized I wanted to commit fully to a career in music.
How did your background in theater shape your artistry?
Musical theater has had such a large impact on my life, both as a person and as an artist. I have always loved the storytelling aspect of theater, how each song creates a world and paints vivid pictures for the audience. With every song and video, I strive to do the same; to create a story so detailed that the listener feels like a part of it. Musical theater also has an aspect of drama that I love incorporating into my music. I tend to be a pretty dramatic person in my everyday life so I love incorporating theatrics into my music because it brings such a sense of fun and silliness, even to the darker songs.
When did you start developing your cinematic pop sound?
The cinematic pop style is something that I began experimenting with during the creation of this album and have continued to delve more deeply into with recent songs. I’ve always loved movie scores and been in awe of composers like Hans Zimmer and John Williams who create such iconic musical moments without ever using words. Movie scores always seemed to capture a level of drama that other styles of music don’t, so I was inspired to start incorporating some of those cinematic elements into this album. As I continue to write and create songs, I find myself exploring more avenues to incorporate movie score-esque elements into my music!
How would you describe your evolution since your 2021 debut?
I started releasing music when I was about 16 and now, my debut album is set to come out a few weeks after my 22nd birthday so unsurprisingly, there’s been a lot of growth. I think my music has evolved parallel to how I’ve grown as a person, matured and grown deeper as I’ve experienced more of adult life. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also gained confidence and felt more comfortable taking risks with my music.
When I started releasing music in high school, I was still figuring out who I was as an artist and what kind of music I wanted to make, so a lot of my earlier music was emulating artists that I liked at the time. However, as I’ve figured out my own style and who I am as a person, I’ve been able to experiment and create music that feels more unique to me. I’m sure that as I continue to grow as both an artist and a person, my music will similarly continue to evolve and change to reflect the different points of my life.
What inspired the concept behind HOPE YOU’RE WATCHING?
I never actually sat down and thought “I want to make an album.” All of these songs were just ones that I’d written organically about my life and it wasn’t until I’d written about 30 songs that I realized an album was forming. When my producers and I went through the songs to pick which ones would be on the album, I chose the ones that felt the most real. Ultimately, I think that honesty and authenticity were the founding pillars of this project as each song is a snapshot of a moment in my life across the three years that I was writing this album. Each song shares an experience that I hope gives a listener an idea of what life is like as a young woman growing up and navigating the world.
How personal was this album for you to create?
Songwriting has always been such an emotional and therapeutic outlet for me. I write songs when I can’t find another way to express my thoughts and feelings or when I’m too afraid to say something out loud. That’s true for every song on this album. Each song, even the fun, upbeat ones, describes a moment when I needed to write, when I needed to have that emotional outlet.
What was it like working with Simon Jay and Luke Shrestha?
Working with Simon and Luke on this project was truly such a pleasure. Not only are they incredibly talented producers and songwriters, but they are also two of my closest friends. They did such a wonderful job of creating a safe space for me to be vulnerable and explore new sounds without feeling judged or insecure. As a young woman, I’ve been in many studio sessions where I didn’t feel like I had a voice or had space to share my ideas, but Simon and Luke always made me feel heard and valued. I feel so lucky to get to create music with them and call them my friends!
How do you approach building a full “world” around your music?
The world building around each song and around the project as a whole is one of my favorite parts of being an artist. As an avid music listener, I’ve always loved when artists would create a vivid and elaborate world surrounding their projects, so when I started forming this album, I knew that was something I wanted to do as well. Because the concept of the album is based around my experiences as a young woman, I wanted the Arden Alexa universe to feel like a realization of my imagination. Each song, video, and photoshoot was a chance for me to showcase the things that make me excited, to channel my inner child and create a universe that allows the fans to have fun and interact with the album.
What influences—from film scores to pop—show up most in this project?
The biggest influences for this album were Reputation by Taylor Swift, When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go by Billie Eilish, Back to Black by Amy Winehouse, Electra Heart by MARINA, and the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.
What was the vision behind the “Crush!!!” music video?
The idea for the crush music video stemmed from a scene in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” with Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn’s character wakes up wearing a luxuriously goofy night mask with her cat purring next to her, before meeting her very charming next-door neighbor. I immediately knew that I wanted the music video to reference the scene because it so perfectly captured the fun and lighthearted feeling of the song. I am a proud cat lady and not ashamed to say that I’ve always wanted to include my cats in a music video.
Why is it important for you to stay so hands-on in your creative process?
I am a bit of a type-A control freak so it’s partly because I like to be in control but mostly, I genuinely enjoy being hands-on throughout the entire creative process and playing with things like fashion, color and branding. I view each piece of the project as an extension of the songs and an opportunity to elaborate on the stories told in the project. My goal is ultimately to create a project that fans and listeners feel that they can interact and have fun with!
As you step into this new era, what do you want Arden Alexa to represent?
With this album and any future projects, I hope to represent authenticity and honesty! Everything I make comes from a genuine place of feeling and passion, so I hope that listeners are able to connect with the honesty in each song and feel inspired to be more authentic in their own lives!
Featured Image Credit: Maya Blakemore