Singer-songwriter, Alex Johnson, is a new uprising star that has caught the nation’s attention with his soulful, deep and meaningful songs that he has written himself. At the age of fourteen Alex started to cover songs that are currently in the charts at gigs and friend’s parties until he got spotted by a record company after posting one of his live gigs on YouTube.
“I was completely in shock when I got the phone call, at first I wondered if it was one of my mates messing around, but when they said that they would like to set up a gig for me so they could see me sing and the audience’s response I knew that I actually had a chance of making my dream become reality” says the 19 year old. Luckily I got the chance to ask Alex all the questions that I know readers will want to hear the answers to, so I met up with him for a chat about his dream so far.
Q. How does it feel to know that you have achieved something in five years that people could never dream of achieving in a lifetime?
A. Well I never thought I could achieve this before it happened to me, I suppose you just don’t know what’s round the corner! It feels absolutely amazing to be where I am now and to look back at how much my life has changed and I am so grateful for it.
Q. What everyone wants to know is who are all your songs written about?
A. Not all of them are about someone in particular sometimes I write about other people’s relationships that I see or just people I know but most of them are about ex-girlfriends!
Q. Where do you start when you are writing your songs?
A. I usually make a tune first on my guitar and the lyrics usually come after that, sometimes the next day or sometimes a few weeks later. I have to experience something to write about it, it’s not like making up a story, the lyrics are all personal to me in some way.
Q. Which, out of all the gigs you have done, was your favorite?
A. Definitely the one in my home town after I had been away to London making my album for a year, it was so good to be home and to see the support that I had from the people I know and love. It was awesome.
Q. And what was your family and friend’s reaction like when you told them that you had been signed to Kerbstone Records?
A. Everyone was absolutely ecstatic, I only told my dad about the progress and he went through everything with me to make sure it was all sorted out but I didn’t tell anyone else till I had put pen to paper, when I got home there were lot’s of champagne corks popping everywhere!
Q. Now we all read this celebrity gossip magazines and you have made a few headlines after being spotted with Pixie Lott…tell us more?
A. There isn’t much to tell apart from the fact that we get on great because we are a similar age and we have been through a similar experience and we can relate to each other. We have great nights out and she is such a character but we are just friends.
Q. Okay, so if Pixie isn’t on the scene in the relationship way then is anyone else?
A. No, definitely not. I have too much on at the moment to be trying to manage a relationship as well, I think I will let work settle down first and then I can.
Q. So where are you living at the moment?
A. I have a flat in London which is where I live most of the time because the studio is down there and everything work related but I do often come back up north to my real home to see my family.
Q. Does it feel normal yet when you see yourself in magazines, or your album on the shelf in a store or when screaming girls are calling your name?
A. Absolutely not! I still take a second glance when I see a photo of myself, it is so strange! I try not to read the gossip magazines or the tabloid newspapers though because you can guarantee they have always got something negative to say about you or portray you in a bad image. I think when artists or other celebrities start reading about themselves that’s when things start to go wrong.
Q. When is your next album, Solo, due to be released?
A. A date actually hasn’t been set yet, probably around June time, I still have a few finishing touches to add to make it perfect!
Q. How do you know when it’s ready to be published?
A. When I listen to it and I feel really proud of all the hard work that has gone into it from everyone, and when I know that we have squeezed everything possible out of each other to make it the best it can be.
Q. What are your plans for this year then?
A. Well after the new single and album is released then I will probably do a few gigs and to give something back to my fans for being patient and waiting for Solo. Then I think I will have a rest and give everyone else I work with a rest, they are exhausted!
Q. Any news on a tour?
A. Tour dates are looking to be around January time, which I am really looking forward to!
Q. Have you ever seen fans more than once?
A. Absolutely! You can guarantee that you will recognize a face in the audience even if you are at the opposite end of the country from when you first saw them, that’s when you know you have dedicated fans which is really special.
Q. Do you think you will ever go across the pond to America?
A. Not at the moment, I think to do that you have to have a lot of experience, and plus I don’t think I am confident enough to do that yet, America can either love you or hate you and if they hate you then that’s your career down the drain. I’m getting all the satisfaction I need from the UK right now, no place like home.
