Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chloe Alexander. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Chloe thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?
My first dollar earned from music came when my YouTube channel went viral.
I started my channel in 2019 to begin my journey as an independent artist. Until then, I had only pursued music through classical theatre. An “a-ha” moment made me realize my true passion was in rock and becoming an original artist.
Before I could start writing and performing my own music in a new genre, I had to teach myself guitar and re-learn how to sing. I did this by creating covers of the songs that inspired me.
At that time, launching a YouTube channel seemed like the best way to share my new voice and solidify my identity as an independent artist.
When creating my channel, I had to teach myself every aspect of developing an independent artist, as I had little help or guidance in the beginning. Much like starting a business from scratch, I began with nothing but belief in my idea before it became a reality. I became the entrepreneur of my own music career.
I recorded and produced my own covers, shot and edited the videos, developed marketing strategies to build my brand, and eventually attracted an audience.
The video that first captured viewers’ attention was my cover of “Creep” by Radiohead, featuring my adorable pet parrot, who hilariously sang along with me. It currently has 5.7 million views, but it gained traction in 2021, two years after posting. I remember checking every day as the numbers gradually grew into the thousands. I celebrated when I saw my first video hit 1,000,000 views.
Luckily, many viewers commented, “Came for the parrot, but stayed for the girl’s voice,” which helped drive traffic to my other videos featuring just my singing. As a result, my channel became eligible for monetization and grew to over 54,000 subscribers.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a singer/songwriter based in Nashville, TN. Originally, I grew up in Rockford, IL. My father, born in India, was a gifted classical singer and guitarist. He later moved to the United States and pursued rock music. He married my mother and set aside his career to start a family, but music remained in my blood. My mom, my biggest supporter, recognized that my voice carried the same gift as my father’s and made sure I nurtured it with purpose.
At 13 years old, I began formal voice lessons and found my outlet in musical theatre, which was the most accessible way for me to perform in high school. I became a competitive operatic vocalist, landing lead roles and winning talent shows and county fair singing contests.
Around college, I knew I had to go my own way—writing my own music and stepping into the world of indie and alternative rock.
Beyond writing, singing, and playing guitar, I built a viral YouTube channel to showcase my music, taught myself recording and production, and launched my own solo gigs. After a couple of years of building this experience, my goal was to move to Nashville.
The reason I sought out Nashville is because it has always had this down-to-earth type of glam. I’ve always been heavily influenced by musicians who started as pioneers, and Nashville’s history is rooted in them. As an independent artist, I started with little to no guidance or connections. I just knew I wanted to do it, so I sought out my own path to write my own story through music, much like a pioneer. I think I realized I am too much my own person to march to the beat of someone else’s drum—believe me, I’ve tried. I love that writing my own music lets me stay true to myself as a singer.
My sound carries a nostalgic essence of ‘90s and 2000s rock, while my writing is rooted in the introspective spirit of Laurel Canyon’s ‘60s and ‘70s legends. I’m not trying to recreate those eras—it’s simply where my soul feels most at home.
After years of growth and discovery, I’m finally set to release my debut music this spring (2025). While I previously self-released singles with other developing musicians and producers as I explored my sound, these upcoming releases have been years in the making. They mark a new level of maturity in both my writing and production—aligning with the style and quality I’ve always aspired to create. I can’t wait to share them!
As a preview of the exciting year ahead, I recently released my cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” through Dog Brother Records, with Greg Young serving as my producer and engineer. It can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and all other streaming platforms!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn my obsession with being perfect.
Transitioning from classical theatre to contemporary rock was like stepping into a different world. I had always been told that my voice was my greatest gift, so the idea of “starting over” as a vocalist felt overwhelming.
When I first pursued rock and original music, I had never practiced singing outside of opera and theatre. You might assume that if you can belt opera notes, you can sing anything—but the voice is a muscle, and the singer is an athlete. Being a star quarterback doesn’t mean you can hit a home run; different skills require different training. I had to retrain my voice, be patient, and allow myself to grow.
Growing up, my voice instructors looked down on modern music and discouraged artistic freedom. I was taught there was a “right” and “wrong” way to sing and felt pressured to compete rather than create. My sense of self-worth became tied to having the “best” voice, leaving me afraid to explore beyond what I already knew. I worried that stepping outside my comfort zone would diminish the reputation I had worked so hard to build in theatre.
But you only get one life to follow your path. At 20, I already felt like I was starting too late. I had to unlearn the need to always be the best if I wanted to pursue something truly aligned with my passion.
Even though I poured my heart into every song, I was blocked from the creativity and soul that makes music feel alive. Looking back, I realize that true artistry comes from setting yourself free. That freedom—allowing myself to be imperfect—was the only way I could truly find my voice. I believe that shift was my intuition guiding me toward my gift’s greater purpose.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
The world often doesn’t see what goes into our creations—the depth, the obsession, or process it takes to bring an idea to life. It can be frustrating when a non-creative offers advice or criticism because creation is more than just effort; it’s innovation laced with uncertainty. Unlike traditional careers, the path of an independent artist comes with no clear roadmap, no guaranteed outcome, and no five-year plan ensuring success.
That very uncertainty is often why non-creatives look down on choices like pursuing music. Sometimes, they can even come across as “dumbing our work down”—whether they realize it or not.
But it’s not their job to believe in us; it’s ours.
It’s important not to compare our lives to those of non-creatives because our experiences—and our work—are fundamentally different. Many non-creatives will not take you seriously for being an artist until you have some shiny token of success. That’s just the superficial nature of the world, and unfortunately, it means a lot of talent goes unnoticed simply because the process isn’t widely supported. However, that doesn’t mean we should shut out non-creatives entirely. They are, after all, the audience who may one day support our work.
To see our dreams come true, we must have patience with non-creatives—
and in turn, for our creations to one day serve them, I hope they have patience with us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/chloealexandermusic?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=fa986011-1bcb-48bc-95d8-bfcac5cc2a5c
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloealxander/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chloe.e.alexander/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-alexander-b04a15147/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChloeAlexander
Image Credits
Marissa Schneider, Chelsea Erica Smith