Perth-born, Melbourne-based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Alex Elbery takes an exuberant leap via his brand new single Ripcord. Releasing today with an accompanying whimsical music video, Ripcord is a warm and dynamic ode to falling in love, coated with billowing pop hues, driving alt rock undertones and an endearing Aussie tinge alongside heartfelt lyricism. Alex was kind enough to drop by for a quick Q + A
Hi, thanks for taking the time to chat with Hear 2 Zen, what have you been up to today?
Happy to do it! I love talking about myself (kidding. Kind of.) Today is a day off for me, so I woke up, went to the gym (this is a recent development in my life,) played with my pet birds for a while and now I’m watching wrestling and answering these questions.
Tell us about yourself, how long have you been performing/creating music for?
I’ve been making music for as long as I can remember. I think I was 5 when I started playing violin and 12 when I started my first rock band. Nowadays I write and release music under my own name and also play guitar in the bands Overthinker and Damaged Goods Club.
Who are your greatest inspirations? Why?
Bruce Springsteen – longevity, connection to audience
Cyndi Lauper – authenticity. Just unapologetically who she is.
Bright Eyes – for their vulnerability.
My big sister, Lucy. For lots of reasons.
How do you create music? Are you lyrics/story driven, or does the music/melody come first? Explain your process.
Man, I wish I had a satisfying answer for this but it rarely happens the same way twice. Sometimes I imagine a story I want to tell, or an emotion I want to communicate. Ideally, and when I think I’m at my best is when a melody comes to me and it already has words attached to it. Sometimes I’ll write 90% of a song in my head before I even pick up an instrument. Those are always the best songs because it feels like they already exist, I’m just plucking them out of the ether.
What has been your greatest challenge so far in performing/creating music?
Self doubt, I think. It took me a long time to realize that I needed to double down on who I am and what it is I do. Not to care about what others might think or what other people are doing,
Tell us about your new release Rip Cord, how did it come about?
I wrote Ripcord when I was involved in this program that involved me writing 100 songs in two months. Ripcord was one of them. The idea behind this was to break down the preciousness around songwriting and really hone your process. It really worked. Looking back now, I can connect Ripcord to things that were going on in my life. I was falling in love with my partner while secretly struggling with my mental health and addiction. The song was kind of a hypothetical look ahead at the life I wanted.
What advice do you have to artists who are just starting out?
Make the music you want to make. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing, do what makes you happy and what feels good. People will respond to that.
Tell us your favourite Zen practice.
I’m happy any time in nature. I love hiking, I love exploring. Is that Zen? I think it’s Zen. Feels Zen.
