Alexander Stewart: "I have two weird fun facts about myself"

Alexander Stewart is a very modern music artist. Blessed with a charismatic personality and a golden voice, Stewart started his singing career as a choirboy – the kid certainly has the looks for it. 

Aged 13, Steward bought a copy of Sam Smith's seminal album In The Lonely Hour and heard his own future when he listened to it. 

"It is an incredible piece of work. I believe it inspired a lot of why my music sounds the way it does," says Stewart. "It was the first album I’d bought that showed me pop music is really what I wanted to do."

YouTube offered a perfect platform to showcase his talents. His covers of the likes of Dua Lipa, Camila Cabello and  Billie Eilish have racked up millions of views – and earned Stewart a dedicated fanbase. 

With new single Blame On Me and an upcoming London show, there's plenty for Stewart to shout about. 

Life

What upcoming projects are you most excited about?

I have a bunch of stuff that I’m really excited about coming up. A bunch of songs, I’m extremely excited about the Blame’s On Me tour, which starts in London in about a month. I have never put out an album before and I think the music that I’m working on now is exciting and elevated and just from a different perspective that I’ve never written from before. I think it’s going to really connect with people, maybe in a deeper way than any music has before.

In general I’m extremely excited about everything coming out, and just to have people see me in a different light that they haven’t before. Maybe a little bit more mature! I’ve lived a little more life than I had when I was seventeen and the experiences, I get to write about I think will connect with people on a deeper level. I am extremely excited just to put out the new music, hopefully put out an album this year, and to just continue writing!

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

It’s probably the tour that’s coming up. Since I was a kid, I’ve dreamed of going on my own headline tour, and I’ve worked towards this moment for my entire life. To be able to announce a headline tour and have some of the dates already selling out (at this time, so far London and Amsterdam have both sold out!) is absolutely my biggest accomplishment and the thing I’m most proud of.

If you could change one thing about your career, what would it be?

Honestly, I’m such a believer in everything happens for a reason’ and ‘things will work out the way they’re supposed to’. I don’t think I would change anything! Obviously, I’ve had my ups and downs and some things haven’t been the easiest ever and some things have been absolutely incredible. I really wouldn’t change anything.

I’ve gone through life for a very long time now with my entire heart believing that ‘things happen for a reason’ and whether it be ‘lesson learned’ or even ‘butterfly effect’ - there’s a plan and I’m just so grateful right now for everything that’s happening. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t gone through everything I’ve gone through before.

What do you hope to achieve that you haven’t yet?

I would really love to put an album out. Also, to follow up this nine-stop tour with hopefully a bigger tour. A world tour, or a bigger North American tour or a bigger European tour. Those are two absolutely massive goals of mine that I’m so excited about and would really really love to achieve by 2024!

Outside your family, who is/was your biggest inspiration?

I would have to say the people I’ve looked up to in music when I was growing up. One of the biggest ever is Sam Smith, their album In The Lonely Hour was the first album I ever bought. It is an incredible piece of work. I believe it inspired a lot of why my music sounds the way it does. When I was thirteen it was the first album I’d bought that showed me pop music is really what I wanted to do.

Listening to that album Lay Me Down was the first song I learned on the piano to play live, I auditioned with that song to a vocal coach, Elaine Overholt, she’s in Toronto where I’m from. She was Shawn Mendes’ vocal coach. I remember when I auditioned and she took me on, that was the first glimpse of ‘oh my god someone believes in me’. It’s kind of all stemmed from that album [In The Lonely Hour]. I would say Sam Smith is for sure my biggest inspiration outside of my family.

Tell us something nobody knows about you...

Oh my gosh! I don’t even know! So much of my life is shared online, I tell people just about everything. I have two weird fun facts about myself that I don’t think I’ve ever shared online, they’re kind of gross and weird!

First one is I have a teeny tiny bladder! I pee like every 30 minutes which gets annoying – everyone makes fun of me for it. But what can you do?

The other one is that I don’t really sweat. I’m burning hot all the time; my body is just bizarre and I don’t really understand it. But you know, so be it! It makes me unique, I guess (laughs).

Style

What’s your favourite item of clothing and what does it mean to you?

This is interesting. I love fashion, I think it would be really hard for me to pick a favourite item. You know what, I won’t gatekeep it, my favourite item of clothing is the pair of pants that I wear every single day. They’re Dickies, workwear pants. They’re 20 dollars a pair and I put them on with every outfit, I do not wear any other pair of pants.

I don’t know if they necessarily mean anything to me but they’re just my absolute favourite item of clothing ever. It’s all I wear, it’s all you’ll see me in. And they go with everything! There we go, I’ve given away my secret.

Favourite accessory (watch/jewellery etc) and why is it special to you?

So, I have a ring that is really special to me, it’s sterling silver and it has stars and moons carved into it. I thrifted it with my Mom and the reason it’s so special to me is because whenever I look at the moon, it’s the same reason I have a bunch of tattoos of the moon, it reminds me of my Mom.

When I was growing up, she told me the moon reminded her of her Dad. So, I have this ring that I wear all the time and it’s of the stars and the Moon and it reminds me of my Mom. I just absolutely love it.

What items do you take on holiday and why?

I take everything, I’m a serial over-packer. I can’t live without such stupid things. The one I would say is an absolute must (this is so basic) is my computer. So much of my life with content or making music or emails or just anything is online. I cannot go through a day without having my computer or phone on me. My computer is on me 24/7 to get work done. Even on vacation, you still gotta work! At least I do.

What else? I’m hugely into cologne, I think smelling good is one of the most important things ever so I take a ridiculous amount of cologne and different scents. Kind of ridiculous. I always bring my own shampoo and conditioner because I never trust wherever I’m staying to have the kind to make my hair look good. I have ridiculously curly hair that I’m only now figuring out how to manage, twenty-three years into my life.

Is there an item you’ve thrown away or lost that you really miss?

I mean, this question is giving sentimental energy but I’m going to answer it really shallowly. I lose my AirPods all the time! I keep losing my AirPods I can never keep track of them. I lose things all the time, I lose my wallet a lot. I really miss my AirPods when I don’t have them because I have to keep going out and getting more. If I could stop losing my AirPods that would mean a lot to me!

What’s next on your shopping list?

Probably just clothing, like I said earlier I’m so into fashion. I love clothing so much. Or production gear! It’s one of the two. Anything music gear or clothing. Realistically, I shop a lot. Retail therapy is one of my biggest downfalls. You’ll probably catch me buying an entire new wardrobe soon.

What would you buy if money was no object?

This is such a good question. A house? I would buy a house. A big house that all of my friends could move into. One thing about me is that I don’t love being alone, I really like having people around me that I care about, that I love.

If I was able to have a house with enough rooms for all my friends to move in, I think I’d be the happiest person on the whole planet. If money was no object, I think I would go out there and buy an absolute mansion and have everyone that I care most about move in. It would just be one big fun house!

Alexander Stewart’s single “Blame’s On Me” is out now. Tickets for his London show are on sale now at LiveNation.co.uk.