After a three-year journey of highs and lows, dedication to his artistry, and an unbridled love for music, Alexander Stewart proudly premieres “bleeding heart.” The Canadian singer-songwriter is already a force in the industry, with over half a billion streams to his credit, featured in Rolling Stone, and numerous late-night appearances. Now, he sets his sights even higher with the release of his highly anticipated debut album.
“3 years is a long time… when I wrote the first song on the album called “said so” it was in 2021. After I wrote it, I KNEW it had to be the first song on my debut album whenever that happened to come out…I didn’t think it was going to be 3 years later, but here we are! Still keeping my word to my younger self.
Since that moment I wrote in every session, and used every emotion I had and poured it into hundreds of songs over 3 years. While I was carefully curating my album, I was also releasing singles and EPs. The whole experience was as exciting, self-fulfilling, and beautiful as it was painful and gut-wrenching. Now that it’s finally done I can officially say I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Being a Toronto native, how does it feel to see your work appreciated worldwide?
“It feels unbelievable! My whole life I’ve made music simply because… I love to make music! To have 100 people let alone millions now relate enough to listen is a feeling that’s truthfully really hard to describe.”
Did you ever imagine that making YouTube covers could turn into a full-blown career, or did it happen naturally?
“I actually went into making those videos with the complete intent of trying to build a name for myself! Did I know if anything would come of it…? Of course not! But my goal was always to TRY and get people to listen to the original music that I so badly loved to make.”
Congratulations on the success of “Blame’s On Me” going gold! What do you think it is about the song that connects with people on such a deep level?
“I think for that song in particular, it’s the fact that it was SO honest. It was a breakthrough for me writing that, where I finally took accountability in a big way for the reason a relationship didn’t work out. I was experiencing heartbreak from a new perspective, and as embarrassing as it was to admit, it was really important for my own personal growth. I think that honesty came across in the music and that’s why people have seemed to gravitate towards that song.”
Alexander Stewart recently kicked off his “The Bleeding Hearts Tour”, spanning 31 dates across North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Stewart is no stranger to the stage, previously touring with artists like Charlie Puth and Eric Nam, and now, his international headlining tour.
You’ve previously mentioned how you’ve never toured with an album before. How does it feel this time around?
“It feels like the most full circle, incredibly insane feeling. I’ve watched my favourite artists do this every few years, and it’s what I’ve wanted to do more than anything for my whole life. I toured most of last year, but it wasn’t off the back of my own album. I think this feeling is gonna be like nothing else.”
As you’re hitting the road again soon, what is your favourite road trip song?
“Haha this is a good question. I have SO many! I’ll be actually on the road with my earbuds in for hundreds of hours over the next few months. It’s impossible to pick just a few, but I still say a genre that I absolutely love that might surprise some people is dance music! If you see me on the tour bus with my headphones in, I’m probably listening to dance!”
With a new album and tour along the way, what do you expect for the coming year?
“I expect a whole lot of happiness! these are things I’ve been wanted to do for my whole life, so I’m trying to focus on the positive and give myself a pat on the back. I want to enjoy every second of it.”
What songs on the new record do you think will stand out most for your fans?
“I think reflection will be the stand out for the people that support my music. If you know me, you know I’m a HUGE advocate for mental health, and it’s something I write about a lot in my music. reflection is the newest song I’ve added to this collection and it’s about my struggle with my body. I hope that it will help a few people feel a little less alone.”
What do you want your fans to get out of bleeding heart?
“I want them to just feel a sense of community, and to know they aren’t alone in whatever they are going through. I’m VERY open about my own struggles with relationships, mental health, my body, and relationship with myself, so that it can helpfully help others know they aren’t alone in this beautiful chaos that we call life.”
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