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We’re happy to have some time today with acclaimed R&B singer and songwriter Alex Ko; greetings and salutations Alex and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A musical pathway, how is the back-end of 2024 treating you and yours?
Hello, and thank you so much for your warm welcome. 2024 is proving to be a blessing. At the beginning of the year I set a goal for myself to really explore my artistry and push myself creatively. It’s been a lot of fun, but a lot of hard work too. My first single High On You is a product of the whole experience and I’m so excited to finally share it. —
Major congratulations on your freshly-minted new single High On You! Starting at the top, can you talk about what inspired this gem of a ditty?
The song came about so organically. I wrote it in Cove 17 on Angel Lane, which is a barbershop owned by one of my closest friends. You’ll find me singing there a lot on my IG stories. He kindly lets me use it as a creative space when it’s closed since the acoustics are incredible. There was something about the instrumental that just felt right to me. I came up with the melody first and just let the words fall into place. The lyrics are inspired by my partner. I really connect with my creativity when I’m in a peaceful state, and that’s a space he’s always created for me. He lifts me up in a way that’s so beautiful, and that’s the feeling the track explores.
Who did the producing honors on High On You and what did the collaboration between artist and producer look like while in the studio fashioning and shaping the new track?
The track was created by Berlin-based producer 30HertzBeats, and I recorded the song in Essex, which is just outside of London. The beat has a really understated but soulful quality that I wanted to accentuate with lush vocals. Soul music is one of my first loves, because it’s a canvas for raw emotion, so the instrumental really spoke to me. The vocals are rich and layered, but not over-produced. The end result is really emotional, but still understated. I just let the message of the song do the talking.
In your humble opinion, what differentiates High On You from the Distinguished Competition on the 2024 music scene?
I think the fact that it’s not sonically perfect is a major differentiation to a lot of music on the scene right now. I wanted the track to sound live and not overly produced — there’s a realness and honesty to it that can be difficult to find nowadays. The track’s momentum is built on a foundation of effortless melodies and poignant lyrics. I wanted it to be emotional and raw, it definitely delivers that.
You hail from Manchester in the UK and can boast dual Chinese and British roots. How do those seemingly disparate roots inform you as both an artist and as an everyday person?
I love my dual heritage and I’m so grateful to see life from two perspectives: it’s honestly such a privilege. It’s made me a more worldly person and definitely helped to fuel and shape my work ethic. It’s very clear that there’s a severe lack of representation for British-Asian talent in the music industry — and especially on the UK R&B scene. There have been times when it’s felt like an uphill climb. I’ve had a lot of push-backs from not fitting the mould, but in retrospect, it’s only made me more resilient. The hardships I’ve experienced because of who I am only make my passion, drive and fire for music stronger. I was made to do this.
Who are you inspired by, musically-speaking?
Musically speaking I’m inspired by the greats: artists who are amazing song creators. People who come to mind would be Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Bruno Mars and Michael Jackson of course.
In the wake of the release of High On You, can fans look forward to catching you on the touring/performing circuit?
I actually just finished a performance in Shoreditch, where I gave the audience an exclusive listen to some of my upcoming new music. I’ve got some more gigs and shows in the pipeline, and I’ll be announcing them in due course on my social channels!
Word ‘round industry campfire has it that you’re hard at work on even more music; congrats! Can you give readers a hint or three as to what they can expect and look forward to from you as far as even more new music in the near future?
YES! More music, more visuals and more performances are all in the works. I can’t reveal too much at this point, but I will say that High On You is the first track from an upcoming project that’ll be released in its entirety just after New Year. I have a follow-up to High On You that’ll be dropping in a few weeks, so keep your ears peeled!
When working on new material, what does your creative process generally tend to look like? Is there rhyme and reason to the creative madness, or is it a bit more freeform than all of that?
I always give myself one rule with new material: if I can’t hear a melody, or feel excitement on the first listen of a beat then it isn’t meant to be. I have to connect with the music I create. Songs these days might only get 15 seconds to make an impression on a listener, so if a track doesn’t speak to me straight away I tend to move on. As far as my own creative process, I tend to create melodies first and lyrics after. When I connect to a melody, it’s like opening up a book in my mind – the words just fall out and fit seamlessly.
At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a-spin to your beautiful new single High On You?
I try not to overthink how people might respond to my music, because the end result is always so much more unexpected and beautiful than you can imagine or plan for. If anything, I hope that people appreciate my voice and hear something in it that they’re not getting elsewhere. A friend of mine in Atlanta told me that he sent High On You to his boyfriend because the lyrics perfectly capture how he feels about their relationship — that was honestly such an incredible moment for me. All I can ever ask is that people enjoy what I’m creating and let it into their lives and journeys. That’s the gift that every listener gives me in return.
