| At the age of just 14, Alex Roots teamed up with producer Ryan Laubscher (who is best known for writing and staging three operas by the age of 19) and began working on songs which would later make up her debut album, 'Adrealine Rush', which is now due for release this year. The songs have a similar fired up sassy pop-rock sound to Kim Wilde's 'Kids In America', though 16 year old Alex probably isn't too familiar with that particular pop classic. Her debut download-only single 'Fake' is out on Monday (11 May), with a full scale release, 'Don't Stop Looking', out later this summer ahead of the album release. We asked Alex our Same Six Questions.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
I absolutely knew that I wanted to be involved in making music and singing the first time I went to see a live concert I found the buzz of live music and performance so exciting. When I was 14 a friend of my dad introduced me to writer/producer Ryan Laubscher and we just clicked. I sang to him, he asked me if I wanted to make an album with him and BAM, everything just took off from there.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
I have co-written all the songs on my album 'Adrenaline Rush' with Ryan. The inspiration was mainly just teenage life, like things that happen to me, things my friends tell me and things that I have seen or read. 'Dizzy From The Ride' (one of my favourite tracks) is all about how clumsy I am and how this affects my life. My current single 'Fake' is about someone who I had a row with and, even though we made up, our relationship was always a bit fake afterwards. We've all got fake friends you smile at them face to face but in reality are thinking something completely different! My next single is called 'Don't Stop Looking' and is about fancying a guy but never having the courage to go over to him. But as long as he looks at you and no one else you're happy for the moment.
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
Ryan usually comes up with some musical bits and then we work on the melody and the lyrics together. Ryan produces it and then we work on the mix for as long as it takes for us to both be happy. But as I write this it all sounds so serious! It's actually great fun and far less technical than it sounds. Sometimes, we have such a laugh when we are together, it takes Ryan forever to get me to concentrate on our work.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
My music seems very 80's influenced, though it just kind of came out that way. I was born in 1992 and didn't know much about the likes of Kim Wilde and Toyah, but it's been great fun learning about the music people have compared me to. I was aware of Queen, Blondie and Cyndi Lauper when I was growing up and my music has definitely been influenced by some of their greatest hits. Current artistes who I like include Gwen Stefani, MGMT, Mika, Katy Perry, Cage The Elephant, Paramore, Glasvegas, Ting Tings and Avril Lavigne. There are more, but I don't want to make the list too long and bore you!
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
Don't over analyse it or take it too seriously, just let yourself go and enjoy the music!
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
I hope that people love my download single 'Fake' and my launch single 'Don't Stop Looking' and ultimately I hope that my album is a success so that I can carry on doing what I love doing the most. Performing my music with a live band is just so much fun! Who wouldn't want to do that for as long as they possibly can?
published may 2009 |
