Alexz Johnson: "(..) no matter how many doors are closed to me, I always have my fans behind me who I can rely on" [Interview]

Alexz Johnson talked to us about her upcoming album Seasons and her future concerts in Poland.

Alexz Johnson returns with her newest album Seasons, which will premiere on April 7, 2023. As part of the promotion, the artist will visit Poland twice. The concerts will take place on May 7 and 8, 2023 at the Gwarek club in Kraków.

fot. Matthew McWilliams

The last time we spoke during the promotion of your previous album Still Alive, you said that that album was in a way the closing of a chapter in your life. Now, in April, your new album Seasons comes out. Tell me, what is this new project for you?

This album is in a way an evolution of my experiences related to the concept of life and death. The whole process of making this record was inspired by my recent experiences. Within one year, I experienced a death in my close family and gave birth to a child. The juxtaposition of these emotions was a very strange phenomenon for me. I watched how the seasons change and how they differ from each other, how they give something from each other, but also take something away. I thought the changing seasons were a wonderful way to portray life. I also hope that my listeners will find something for every season in this album. The song Hurt Me, which was the first single from the album, was created just in the period that we have now – the end of winter and the beginning of spring. On the other hand, there is a track Borderline on the album, which I associate with summer. There are songs for every season of the year.

After the tragedy you experienced, you said that you would probably never record anything again. What made you change your mind? Did the process of making this album make you fall in love with music again?

Yes, absolutely. The very process of creating this album gave me great satisfaction. I recorded it all by myself. Later, I sent my acoustic recordings to the producers, relatively finished, and they added their own magic. Recording songs, taking care of children and giving the same energy and professionalism as on previous records was quite a challenge for me. Although it was a bit overwhelming, I don’t regret anything. Especially since I was able to create these songs. If I were to work on a different kind of album, I don’t know if I would be up to the challenge. There is something in these songs that was a kind of relief for me and a cure for traumas and negative emotions. I found the strength to finish the album, plan the tour, and I hope that my fans will also find some solace in this material and it will help them with whatever they are currently struggling with.

This is the first album in your career that you created from scratch on your own. What was the hardest part about recording this album on your own?

My husband and I recently built a recording studio in our house, so that I could record podcasts on it over time, or create new music. During the recording of this album, I had not yet had a properly soundproofed place in my house. We bought all the necessary gear. I even put the towers in my closet, thanks to which I managed to create good acoustics for the recordings. Funnily enough, that’s how I used to record my early demos for tracks like Chicago, Running with the Devil, Weight, and Lost & Found. All of them were recorded in a closet, so repeating the experience with the new record brought back the nostalgia. By far the most difficult task, however, was finding the right time when the house would be quiet. I had to record when my kids were taking naps. I also couldn’t go to the neighbors and ask them not to walk the dog at a given time because I want to record. Time was dependent on what was happening around me.

On your previous albums, you usually reworked at least one of your older songs or demos. Seasons is a collection of only new tracks. Have you considered adding some older compositions to this album?

I wrote a lot during the sessions for this album. I have some new tracks that I have saved for my next projects. I treat Seasons as a whole new chapter in my life and I wanted all of this material to be new, reflect exactly what I’ve been through recently and be filled with the emotions I felt while recording it.

During the making of this album, you shared snippets of various tracks with your fans on your Patreon, like Stubborn Hearts or One-Way Call. We already know that they were not included in the new album’s tracklisting, but is there a possibility that you will release them in the future?

I already have an idea for an EP that would feature outtakes from this album. I would definitely like to release One-Way Call one day because I love that song. It didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the tracks on Seasons, but I’d like to release it one day or give it to Patreon at least.

You worked on this album with two producers – James Lewis and Paul Beard. How did this collaboration come about?

James was responsible for mixing the tracks. I had worked with him before on the Let ‘Em Eat Cake album. He is incredibly talented. One day I called him and asked if he would be interested in mixing my new album. He agreed and suggested that we should also invite Paul Beard, who is a great pianist and producer, to come on board with this project. I contacted him, played a few songs and that’s how it all started. We started creating together. We kept in touch via Facetime sharing new ideas. Sometimes I would send him completely recorded tracks and he would add his piano to it, which took it to a whole new level. Hurt Me was originally recorded with only an acoustic guitar, and Paul added his magic to it and something amazing came out. It was a really collaborative and authentic process.

Could you say something about the album cover? Was it your idea? Is there any symbolism behind it?

“Seasons” album cover

There are some symbolic elements here that I really wanted to capture. Behind me there are 3 quilts – 2 belong to my children and the third belonged to my late sister. They represent the 3 people who inspired me the most to record this album. Behind me you can also see my backyard, which is supposed to represent where I am at the moment. Here I gave birth to my children, here I have my garden where the plants I planted grow. This place represents a certain evolution in my life. I’m black and white for a reason too. It’s like watching old black and white movies. It captures me in the moment with the world around me at that time. It’s like looking at this photo in the future and seeing myself from the past. I am very happy with the end result.

You are going on an international tour to promote Seasons, during which you will also visit Kraków on May 7 and 8. What inspired you to tour Europe and the UK?

After I launched my Patreon [a platform where independent artists offer paid subscriptions for their followers], I was very amazed by the support and loyalty of my fans. It was thanks to them and this platform that I was able to continue making music. I also looked at the places where my fans order things from my online store or play my music on streaming portals. I knew that planning an international tour would not be easy and would be very expensive. I hope some of these costs will be recouped, but it’s not really about the money. I really wanted to show my gratitude to my international fans who have been with me for so many years. I hope we can also schedule some shows in South America later on. I would love for this tour to be the first of many that will take place in the future. We’ll see how tickets sell. I only take my brother with me, who will accompany me on stage. No band, just us and guitars. I’m still thinking about the setlist, but I’m sure I’ll play some older songs in addition to the new material. There will also be songs from “Instant Star”, because I know how much my fans would like to hear them.

You take your brother Garrison Cade on tour as a support. His music genre is more rap and folk. Have you thought about writing a song with him?

It’s very possible that we’ll create something on this tour. I really believe in his talent. First, he did rap, and now he went a little more into folk. It’s a rather rare combination and probably not many artists do it. He is currently finishing work on material that he will sell on tour. He’s leaning more towards folk music these days. Art has no barriers. You can combine different genres of music and each of them will make the listener feel something.

Are you planning to record a live album or any documentary from this tour?

I think I might be able to record a documentary. I’m a person who loves to take footage, so it’s possible that something can be glued together. I also have an idea for a music video that I would direct myself. I’ve never done it for myself. I’ve only directed a video for my brother Brendan’s band Dress Black once, and co-directed a few of my videos but I’ve never done it just by myself.

Will the setlist be the same every show or do you plan to change it every night?

I plan to play about 22 songs. We will be modifying the list a bit and we will also prepare for fan requests. We want the audience to have a little input in choosing the songs.

fot. Matthew McWilliams

When I created a Facebook group for your Polish fans 3 years ago, I met a lot of people who adore you. Most were surprised to see how many other people from Poland are following you. At some point, we became like a small community where people started sharing their memories of you and stories, how you inspired them in life, etc. It was amazing how quickly we found a common language. Many of us used to think that we were your only fans in Poland.

It’s very nice to hear it. It’s something beautiful. As I wrote once on my Patreon, there are many closed doors that people from the outside cannot see. “Why isn’t she on the playlists?”, “Why isn’t she on the radio?”, “Why isn’t she in movies and TV shows?”… It all comes down to money. I could hire PR people who work for Taylor Swift, but I’d have to spend a million dollars on them. If you’re an independent artist, you don’t have that kind of budget, so you rely heavily on your fans. It is thanks to them that I continue to create. They buy my records, my merch, subscribe to my Patreon, buy concert tickets… That’s the most important thing to me. I feel very lucky because no matter how many doors are closed to me, I always have my fans behind me who I can rely on.

When you posted a photo of a sample setlist on Instagram a while ago, I did a little poll in the group. I asked: “Which song is not on the list that you would like to hear during a concert in Poland?” and titles such as Where Does It Hurt, Walking and Trip Around the World got the most votes.

I love Where Does It Hurt. I was planning to play it in Poland. Walking will also appear for sure. This setlist from my Instagram was for concerts in the States. I’ve played here so many times that people have heard the songs a million times, so I want to present mostly new material. For the shows in Europe, the set list will be completely different because I’m going to play a lot of older songs.

Do you have any acting plans?

Honestly, I don’t care. I don’t have the time or energy to keep auditioning. It’s very tiring. I feel much more fulfilled when I’m doing something myself and sharing it with the world, so at the moment I’m not focusing on acting. I give all my attention to my family, album and tour.

I have some questions from fans. The first is, from time perspective, which of your songs that you’ve released, do you like the most and which one do you regret releasing?

My least favorite song is Boogie Love. I’ve never been fond of this song. It wasn’t my choice, but my label’s. When I listen to it, I think that it does not reflect the music I identify with. I was young and inexperienced in this industry, so there are things I regret in retrospect. As for the favorite, it will be Ain’t That the Way from the new album. Although I also love Other Side and Faith. The songs from the new album are the most current for me. I also love Borderline because I wrote this song for my daughter.

This album feels like an emotional roller-coaster.

Seasons is a very emotional album. When my family heard it, everyone cried.

You once mentioned that you were working on obtaining the copyright for your debut album Voodoo so that you could release it on vinyl. Has anything been done about this?

I am in the process of acquiring the rights to this material. We’re working on it right now because it’s my only project that I don’t own the rights to. It’s possible that I’ll have to do a remaster and a new graphic design, but that’s definitely something I need to focus on in March.

fot. Jen Squires

In 2021, you mentioned on your Patreon that some people in your community had a problem with your chickens. How did it end?

In 2021? We still have chickens, so I guess that’s good. We made a big petition to change some old laws that were made back in the 60s. We believe that this is an important initiative for sustainable development. We fought for our rights to have chickens and all turned out well.

Have chickens, gardening and country life always been your passion or is it more your husband’s influence?

When you get married, the other person’s world also becomes your world and shapes you in some way. I grew up in the countryside and I think that’s why I wanted my children to be brought up in a similar environment. Children change everything. It is no longer about what you want, but only what is best for your children and how you want to raise them. You ask yourself, “Where do I want my children to grow up?”, “What kind of life do I want for them?” In a way, we repeat patterns that we know from experience. In addition, I really like to document everything we do in our garden on the Instagram profile

Wyświetl ten post na Instagramie

@oldstockgardens.

I have another rather difficult question, so if you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to. One of your fans has recently lost a close relative. You are a great inspiration to them, so they would like to know how you managed to come to terms with the loss of your sister and move on.

I made sure that I felt it. I made sure that I allowed myself to feel it all. I went to the places that hurt. I looked at the photos and videos and I still do. I allowed myself to be sad and to grieve. It’s a normal process of life and to live is to lose. It’s the darkest thing we have to experience. I made sure that I went there and didn’t just put that on the shelf. Acknowledge it, look at it, see it, breathe it, live it as long as you need to and somehow you will just let it walk beside you for the rest of time.

It’s very beautiful what you said. An artist does not need any specialized psychological education to be a therapist. With your music and lyrics you heal, you bring relief, you reflect emotional states and that’s fantastic.

When I was a kid, I liked to share my lunch with other kids who didn’t have it. Now I see it in my daughter Ryan’s behavior as well. Recently, at her birthday party, a friend thanked her for letting her play with her stuffed bunny as she left. Then Ryan asked her to wait and run to get this bunny and give it to her. She does this often and gets great joy from it. Maybe I’m like that as an adult, that I want to give something to my listeners through my music and I hope it will help them in some way.

Thank you Alexz for this interview and I can’t wait for the new album and concerts in Poland!

You can order the album “Seasons” in physical format HERE

If you don’t have tickets for the Alexz’ concerts in Krakow yet, we advise you to hurry up with the purchase, because they sell out very quickly!

The VIP ticket includes:

• M&G with Alexz
• opportunity to take a picture with Alexz
• skip-the-line access to the merch booth
• entrance to the rehearsal before the concert (17:00)
• exclusive lanyard

Tickets can be obtained from the links below:

May 7, 2023

May 8, 2023

The event is under the patronage of the Kulturalne Media portal.