Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alex Mazzucchelli. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alex , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
In 2022, I released my debut EP “Rise” and performed all over the NYC metro area at some of the biggest live music venues on the circuit- Rockwood, Mercury Lounge, Bowery Electric. It was a jam packed and exciting time promoting this EP and getting to experience all the thrills that come with releasing new material! After being on the go for the better half of the year, I decided to take a little pause from performing to reflect. However, I never stopped writing. That never slowed down. The in-between period was very valuable and served as an incubator for new ideas and a fresh approach to songwriting. During this time, I had the opportunity to work with The Recording Academy’s Grammy Museum on a collaborative songwriting intensive. Through this experience I was able to gain a new perspective on my creative process. The feedback and guidance I had received inspired some of the best material that I’ve ever created. So many songs and concepts came flooding in.
It was a jumping off point to get really clear on what it means to be authentic in my artistry and a catalyst for some important realizations about my relationship to songwriting that I share in this piece.
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, born and raised in New York City. I fell in love with the arts as a kid, getting my start in local community theatre. That really became a way for me to express my creativity and channel that onto the stage. As I entered my teens, I fully leaned into my artistic path. One of my first notable achievements was becoming a finalist in AOL’s nationwide singing competition, “American Dreamz”. It was also at this time that I was asked to be the opening act for American Idol’s, Kimberly Locke and Nina Sky. Afterwards, I attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, which opened up a lot of doors for me. After graduating I went on to work professionally in tv, film, theatre and the music scene, respectively. I’ve been fortunate enough to work on some really cool projects with great collaborators. I’ve poured my heart, soul and mind into my career. One of the biggest highlights was hearing my new single, Hot & Bothered, played on the radio for the first time this month! There’s more music on the way after just dropping another single, All In (Dealer’s Choice), this week! Super laid back, pop indie vibe going on. I attribute a lot of my perseverance to my family, friends and mentors who have been so supportive and encouraging over the last decade. I am lucky to have wonderful people in my life.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
My single, Hot & Bothered- is a sexy, fun, pop/dance tune. Very tongue and cheek. A different sound than my previous album. I really am so in love with it! It’s also the shortest amount of time I have ever spent writing a song- 20 minutes tops. It’s the first single I have put out since releasing Rise, last year. My approach to songwriting has changed over time- it is freer, more vulnerable and not as precious as it was before. I have found the freedom in not putting so much stock into what people think about my music, which is a 180 from my perspective going into making the EP.
It was really important to me to develop a better relationship to songwriting this go around; one that wasn’t so focused on “perfection” because the perfect song doesn’t exist. I used to fixate on making the “perfect sound” , writing the “perfect lyric” etc., and it wasn’t until I dived deeper into some of my work that I was able to release myself from that impossible standard. An artist is seldom satisfied in the moment. We feel we can always be tinkering away at something to improve upon what came before. That is useful, for sure, it helps us to get better and never stop striving to make something magical or songs that resonate to an audience. Meaningful art. However, when it starts to stifle your creativity and no longer serves the craft, then it’s time to let that go. Cut yourself a break. Be kinder to yourself. It takes guts to put original music out there in the first place. So I try to be mindful of that when writing.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Recognizing and acknowledging that the artistic journey is not linear is integral. Finding appreciation in your trajectory as an artist is important, as well. The up’s and down’s come with the territory. I think non-creatives can sometimes limit measuring success of artists to what would be universally recognized as “big moments” only. Awards, metrics of streaming music and social media presence are just a few examples of things people place a heavy amount of emphasis on. What they often don’t see are the tireless efforts behind the scenes that build up to milestones; and sometimes fail to realize that milestones don’t always have to be “big”. You need to possess an unwavering dedication to your art in order to have any chance of success. For me, as an artist I take pride in every step, big or small, for it has helped me achieve certain goals and contributed to the momentum of my productivity. It takes a lot of work to get projects off the ground and into the world. It takes time, money and resources that many artists do not have at their disposal, especially in the developmental phase or when they haven’t seen a return on investment, just yet. All those gigs you see me performing, there are many elements that go into making it possible…marketing, rehearsals, promotion, the preparation list could go on and on, and the funds are not limitless. When you are an independent artist, you have to be crafty and find ways to output quality on a budget.
So, I guess what I’m saying is the best way for your audience to be supportive and truly go along on the ride with you is to relish in and celebrate all those little moments too, for they are just as noteworthy as the other ones.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/alexmazzmusic
- Facebook: facebook.com/alexmazzmusic
- Spotify: https://spotify.link/JTac9DvNnDb
- Other: https://linktr.ee/alexmazzmusic
Image Credits
Photo Credit: Kiera Wood