Artist Interviews
Interview with UK Pop Artist Alfie Neale on New Single ‘Electric’
MuzicNotez: First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us.
What motivated you to start creating music? What age did you begin?
Alfie Neale: To be honest I kind of fell into it. I always loved playing guitar, and me and a few mates started playing instrumental covers of Rock and Indie tunes when we were about 15 or so. Loads of ACDC, Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines, Ozzy Osbourne that kind of thing. We did it for a while until we decided we should probably have a singer, all gave it a crack and I was just the best at the time haha! So that started it really.
Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musician you are today? Or helped mold the music that you create?
Alfie Neale: Whenever I get asked this I always think about the CD’s that were in my dad’s car when I was younger. He had an old Rover car with a couple of CD’s – In Between Dreams by Jack Johnson, Demon Days by Gorillaz and You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby by Fatboy Slim. That was the first time I really started to resonate with music when I was younger I think – I was probably 9 or 10 or whatever. I still think those guys are pretty heavy influences of mine and my music sounds a lot like a mish-mash of them. A lot of the new Alt Pop coming out of America is influencing me at the moment though, artists like Remi Wolf, Still Woozy and people in that scene.
What’s the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve, or for you to achieve in your career as a musician? Any particular message you wish to send?
Alfie Neale: I’m already doing exactly what I want to be doing for the most part – making music that I love and having people listen to it. Personally though (and financially I guess haha), I’d love to be able to live solely off my original music. I’d really be living the dream from that point onward but it’s so f***ing hard to even get to that point haha! Message-wise, I really want people to be able to take my music when they’re on top of the world to take them into the stratosphere haha. Or music to pull people out of a pit when they’re in there. I just want to lift people’s moods as much as possible with the vibes of the music, and if they want to look into the deeper messages and subject matter that might be hidden in songs then that’s class too.
What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever been to or performed?
Alfie Neale: Simply, I want to make music. I want to perform and just find success while having a great time making music.
What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever been to or performed?
Alfie Neale: The best I’ve performed personally have honestly been all of my headline shows. There’s nothing like people singing your tunes back to you and they’ve honestly all been sick from London to Brighton to Bristol and Manchester. Strangely, the best I’ve EVER felt watching and listening to music is still Two Door Cinema Club at Reading festival in probably 2016 or 2017 or something. Probably something to do with the whole vibe of the day haha! From a technical standpoint though, Little Simz a couple of years back at Brighton Dome blew my mind – she’s ridiculously good.
You just released your final single before your upcoming EP drops, and it’s called ‘Electric’! What inspired this track? What’s it mean to you?
Alfie Neale: I did! Electric is a pretty heavily funk-influenced tune. I’ve been loving throwing a load of percussive stuff over a track, bongos and congas and cool guitar chops. It’s about trying to keep things exciting in life – I wrote it after being a couple years out of uni and just thinking ‘wow, this is really it now I’ve just gotta make something of myself’. Yeah, just about keeping stuff absolutely buzzing in your life!
Speaking of the new EP, ‘Songs To Dance To’. When is this set to release? What inspired this EP and what can you say about it?
Alfie Neale: The EP’s out on the 8th of August! I’m buzzing for it, absolute prime Alfie Neale weather for another month or two so hopefully people can play it on the beach or in the garden for a bit haha. That’s where it should be played.
The EP came from me playing my last EP on stage – the last one was a really cathartic project about relationship stuff and anxiety. It was slower and more solemn. I played it live the first time and honestly thought ‘wow I really don’t wanna be reminded of all this stuff every time I play’ so I started writing a project that just brings pure vibes instrumentally, even if some of the subject matter isn’t as euphoric. That brought Songs To Dance To out of me!
With millions of streams, you’re finding a lot of success as an independent artist. What advice would you give to other artists to succeed?
Alfie Neale: Haha yeah it’s funny to hear that. I never think of it but it’s cool to hear. One thing I’d say is just make decisions quickly and trust your gut. I think the biggest killer of independent artist’s careers is analysis paralysis and procrastination. Do things quickly and you’ll learn much faster! Then you’ll be able to do things WELL, quickly, and that’s when things happen I guess.
What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?
Alfie Neale: Honestly just a load of music. I’ve got a dance music vocal alias which I’m going to launch later in the year which has been a cool side project that I’m really just treating as a bit of fun. I’m just going to keep getting music out there though, make some cool visual stuff to go with it and hopefully be rich and famous in a year. Then I’ll move all my money offshore, buy a yacht and come back for a big one at Glastonbury in 2027. I’m joking about the money stuff. Glasto would be class though.
Anything else you wish to say about yourself or your music? Any message for your fans?
Alfie Neale: Not massively! I guess just check my music out if you fancy – it’s way more interesting than me as a person hahaha.
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