ALEC COLE ON ELVIS DURAN AND THE MORNING SHOWJune 26th, 2017
We are here with Elvis Duran in the morning and we have a very special guest! I can't even call him a young boy anymore because he's grown into a young man. Everyone, please welcome Alec Cole to the studio!! *Laughs* Thanks Elvis! *Alec touches his facial hair on his face and chin* Yeah, I have a little peach fuzz now, I actually think I'm turning into a man. *laughs once more*. Glad to be here though, it's been a long while.
The last time you were here I think you released your E.P...when was that? Back in 2015 correct? Yup! You got it. I was 16 years old and I came here, it was like a few minutes or something like that but it was a huge opportunity. I remember freaking shaking walking in here but you were really cool and I felt comfortable.
See? I'm getting old but my memory isn't completely done yet but wow, it's only been two years since you made your debut? It seems like so much longer. Yeah, I know, it definitely has. I always think it's much longer than it actually is because I've done many, many things in the span of two years um..that it just seems longer you know
Most definitely. But how rude of me? I'm talking about my memory but I forget to ask you, how are you? How has life been treating you?I'm actually doing really good. After the tour I got a chance to really sit back and relax, go on vacation and spend time with family, and it really helped me realize how... exhausted... I... was. Sometimes when you're constantly working you don't really have a chance to think about your self and little simple important things like sleeping goes out the window because you always got stuff going on, and your mind is always running since you've always got something to do. But it was a really good moment just vacationing, catching up with family and friends..SLEEPING, writing and recording and I really needed that you know? So that's what I've been doing on my time off. I think we all need that every now and then and when you feel ready, sometimes it may be a few months, or many years until you get back to it. But me, I love working so here I am..*smiles*
In two years since your debut you definitely have achieved many things people twice our age probably haven't. It all started with that debut E.P named 'Just Me' correct? Yeah. It didn't really start there completely because I was on you-tube many years actually but then I decided to take things to the next level and I was able to network and meet some great people. And I began recording the E.P. And I released it independently and I even had a chance to record a duet with Dylan Shaw who was also starting out which was really fun. Releasing that E.P really taught me the ropes of the industry I think. There were many bumps in the road, and what I thought would be really easy turned out to be real hard work *laughs* but I learned a lot, so I'm real real thankful for that.
Fast forward two years and now at 18, did you think you would get here and accomplish the things that you have in such a short amount of time? I didn't. But I'm glad to be where I am today. I still haven't accomplished half of the things that I do want to accomplish in my career but of course I didn't think I'd be here. I really started out from nothing. Not even kidding, but I'm thankful for the opportunities I've been given. Really am.
What do you think has been the hardest thing about it all? We have artists all the time say all different types of things. What would you say has been the hardest for you? Just finding that middle line between that you want to tell people and what you want to keep private. That's the hardest part for me. Because I'm a really private person, and when you kind of live in the public eye it gets hard to go through your own problems, which we all have, in the public. So I try super hard to keep my personal life, personal and that's one of the toughest parts for me though. Um..another hard part for me is to be a public figure and seeing all the horrid, horrid things that go on around the world. As a singer, you see these things, magnified, and it puts you in a tough situation because you want to be outspoken but sometimes being outspoken gets you in trouble. And since the world is so divided, you start being judged. So it's like, do you stay quiet and make it seem like you don't care, or stand up for what you believe it and get crap from it or even run risks of being hurt. And it isn't to say that everyone has to be outspoken because not every one is like that. But as a celebrity, you sometimes feel the pressure.
I do want to commend you on one thing though, out of many young artists, about 99.9% go through this...how do I say it? "Rough patch", where they essentially go crazy, get arrested, are homeless, go missing, get into drugs...you know the whole rundown. Not to say any of this is a joke, but you Alec, you've had a smooth upbringing in the public eye and haven't been the centerpiece of a "he or she has gone crazy" story on Culture Uncut which is, sadly, all too common. How have you managed to do that?Like I had said before, I think we all deal with our own personal problems in all types of ways. Some people rebel, others shut down. For me, I am blessed to have family around me who really care about me and I am just lucky to be in a place where I can deal with my personal problems in a healthy manner. Trust me, I've gone through things myself, but I just choose to kind of put that energy into my writing and music. That's why I think my last album was so dark in many ways because I was going through a rough time in life and I kind of put my energy into that. I don't want to be one of those artists who have one of those stories because it lingers, and you kind of have that over your head for the rest of your career. I rather be remembered for something positive and I hope it continues to be that way for me because I'm not gonna sit here and say, I'm a saint and nothing will EVER happen because you never know in the industry but on the other hand though, I want to try and make sure I take myself at all costs. But, any artist going through anything like that, I do wish the best for the them because sometimes it really isn't our fault and it gets tough, it really does. My mom actually always goes "I'm just waiting for the moment when you go crazy" and I just give her this ruthless side eyes! *laughs*
Do you think you could be the next great role-model for children? I think we need more of those! Well, see, that's a little more complicated because no matter what, we're all role models. Even people who deny it. We have young individuals who look up to us every day, every minute, every second and every hour. Now, it's up to us on whether or not we choose to care. Me? I care about it because sometimes we don't realize how important our actions and words are to many people and how much we really can make a different. But here's the thing, I won't let that effect the music that I make. When you have to be a role-model, musically, you have to water down your music, you can't really speak on certain subjects and it really puts you in a box and you know, I'm 18, there's certain subjects I like the write about that are mature and aren't role-model-like you get what I'm saying. I have a song called "Effed Up", of for example which kind of proves my point.
Speaking of that song. In late 2015 you released your full length album "INTO:" which featured that record, along with Too Cool To Care and Fix Myself which was a collaboration with Banks, the album was a big success and really solidified you.Shout out to my friend Banks! Thank you, INTO gave me a chance to understand who I am as an artist and that's where I found my core sound that I'm comfortable with sticking to. Sometimes for many people that's found so much later in their career but I was lucky to really come into one with a specific sound, you know, find that niche musically and when I was writing and recording INTO everything just came together so smoothy, and it's loads better than my E.P.
What was the difference in sound from the E.P to the album? There was a lot of growth, for sure. I think the E.P was just an entrance for me, I was testing waters. In 2013, 2014 I found most of my inspiration from Austin Nimmo when I first recorded that EP. You know, the acoustics and instrumentation that he's really mastered and made his essentially. There's definitely others who do it nowadays, but back then, he was one of few who took the guitar and classed it with big pop hooks and I think that inspired me to do the same. But after, I realized I wanted to be myself and kind of have my own sound. It's bad enough that they compare all of us all the time, so I just wanted to be able to stand out on my own so I really just listened to tons of music, experimented with my different sounds and found myself falling completely in love with synth-pop and electro-pop side of things and that became my initial sound. I was able to grow and change my music and I'm thankful for the producers who sat these long hours really experimenting with me in all these types of sounds from R&B, to pop rock, and I even have some demos of me dabbling in dance music! We did everything and it took a while to get it but when we did, the ball REALLY started rolling.
Did you feel nerves when you first released the album? Take us through that. Of course because people hate change. So I was going from guitar driven pop songs to synth and electro records so I was nervous but I knew it was right for me. It was just an E.P so it wasn't a HUGE change as opposed to if I released an entire studio album but in the end, I was proud of what I did and what I discovered for myself and I said, hey, people will either love it and it'll go over well or they'll hate it.
One thing that people don't know about you is that you write and produce a lot of your music, correct?*Smiles* I think it's so important for me to be involved in the writing and production process of all my music. But I'd be getting carried away if I didn't say I didn't have help and didn't have other producers give me a helping hand or work with songwriters, but lets not get carried away I don't have 30 writers and what not, it'll be me and maybe a few others possibly? I've written a large handful of my songs completely by myself and there's others with co-writers and yeah, people probably don't know since in pop music you kind don't HAVE to write yourself and it not be frowned upon like in others genre's like rap and stuff where writing your own rhymes are vital or you kind of look weak? In pop music you are the vocal, so people pay attention more to your performance as a whole then then what goes on behind it.
I have to ask this question, do you think that you're underrated compared to many of your pop contemporaries? Ummm underrated, no. Not controversial, yes. I think sometimes when you're controversial, it might seem as if you're standing out more because people are interested in what you are going to do, and when you're someone like that, you start making a mockery out of yourself and you constantly have to keep raising the bar of what you'll do because that's what people are expecting, controversy. And you become predictable. And in the mist of all of that people start not caring about your music, and they care more about your antics. And when it gets to it, it becomes hard for people to take you seriously as a musician.
I don't want to be that type of artist. I want people to remember me for my music not the headlines. I want people to remember songs that I made, not comments I've said. And to each's own, because there's really controversial artists and their quite interesting and then there's people like me, who care more about the music and not about the next way to get people talking. And those are the artists I really have respect for because they care more about the art and not the shock value. But that isn't to say "shock value" artists aren't talented because some truly are, but you would never really know because it's more about the headlines and not the talent! *laughs*
Yeah, absolutely. After the album release you spend most of 2016 actually touring on your first world tour. Tell us about that? How was your first world tour?It was a thrilling experience! It's just like so much going on and you see so many different people coming out to see you. It's like wow, you really appreciate being an artist and performer because you see the dedication of people every single night. When they sing along to your songs, you really feel like you've made a difference. But it's SUCH hard work, Elvis. You have to PREPARE for tour. Like eating correctly and forming a sleeping schedule because you'll be miserable if you're not seasoned and ready for it.
I'm definitely getting tickets to see you next time you go out on tour. Mark my words! How about I get you free tickets on me! *laughs*
Now we're in 2017, of course and how has the year been treating you?It's been really good. I've spend most of the year writing and recording. It's great to be back, I missed doing this, Even though I never really went anywhere. But I really needed a break, or I'd probably make a headline from exhaustion, and that's a serious thing. But I'm all rested up, working on my new album. I really can't complain. Thank you for asking *smiles*
How has recording the album been for you? It's been almost two years since INTO: came out. MUCH smoother than how the recording of my E.P and album was. And that's because previously I didn't really have a sound for myself, so I spent most of the time kind of finding it and working with all different types of sounds until I stuck to something. Now, really know myself musically, but still learning of course, but the difference is I know the sound I am going for more than anything. So producing and what not has been so much easier and it's going very well.
Do you think it'll be much different than INTO, or will it be the same in many ways? In what ways will be the same, or different?I think it's different than INTO in the initial emotion of the album. I think INTO was really dark for the most part, I think the upcoming record will be more uplifting, the sounds, more exciting but it's still very much so...me. I can't say it's going to be a 'jolly' the whole way through because there's going to be songs on there that are vulnerable but I think this new record will have more of a spark to it. And more diversity, all the while sticking to my formula.
Well you're here today because you'll be premiering you're new single Fade in just a few moments! Let's applaud this young man! *Laughs shyly* Thank you Elvis, you guys are always great company.
What can you tell us about the new single? It's my first record in quite a while and I recorded this song with Jack Tarrant in the U.K in February of this year and I instantly fell in love with the result. The song is about unconditional love and It's pretty fresh in sound for me while sticking to my roots. And I think what makes the song so special is the simplicity of the production and the construction of the song. It gives me a chance to show off my vocals a bit more too. I don't think 'Fade' is the typical pop record on radio but it's swift, and has this airy production, but also has this rhythm that's perfect for radio. So I think it offers so much while still being Alec, simple, but special. You know? *laughs*
We cannot wait to hear it! Before the single premiere's we just have one last question, what can your fans expect to see from you for the remainder of 2017? I'm hoping to have my album out later this year and go on a tour early next year. One thing that fans can look out for really soon other than my new single is my contribution to The New Heroes soundtrack. I cut a record called "Not On Your Own" that's going to be on the album that was really interesting to record and I hope to see everyone soon for a meet and greet. I've missed all my fans so that'll be fun.
Thank you so much for being here Alec, want to do the honors of premiering your brand new single right on Elvis Duran right here on z100?Thank you for having me Elvis! Always great to come here. So.....here's the world premiere of my new single 'FADE' and it's available now on iTunes!
SINGLE PREMIERE 
Artist: Alec Cole
Song: "Fade"
Songwriters: Alec Cole
Genre: Synth Pop
Producers: Jack Tarrant
Release Date: June 23rd, 2017
Album:TBA
Label: Safe Haven Records
'Fade' is a new single released by synth-pop recording artist Alec Cole released on June 26th, 2017 as the leading single from his upcoming soon to be titled tudio album. 'Fade' will be distributed through Cole's current label Safe Haven Records and serviced to radio stations on Tuesday, June 27th as an official single. Fade was produced by producer Jack Tarrant in the United Kingdom following a short break that Alec Cole took following his album and tour. 'Fade' also is the start of a new album era following Alec's previous album. Into... which was released in December of 2015 under the same label, Safe Haven Records. The album featured "Fucked Up", was released November of 2015. Fucked up became a hit, peaking at #3 on the Top 20 and #2 on the Hot Digital Charts. Following F*cked Up, Alec released single, "Too Cool To Care" shortly after and it has become Alec's most successful single to date and went on to give the singer his first #1 single on the top 20 charts and also was met with positive reviews from critics alike.
Prior to the release of "INTO", Alec released an EP entitled "Just Me" which came out in April of 2015. The EP was met with mixed to positive reviews from critics and and positive reviews from fellow artists. However, Alec has expressed many times that he was unhappy the initial sound of the E.P the music he had released which officially prompted him to take time off to figure out his initial sound and saw Alec disappear and releasing a moderately successful single "Restraints" some months after. Fast forward and Alec has grown into a formidable artist and "INTO" saw him come into one with himself. Following the release of "INTO", Alec took a much needed break from the industry to spend time with family and loved ones but it didn't take a long time for him to get back in the studio throughout the latter half of 2016, following the tour which ended in May of 2016. After the the the break, Alec spent time where he began writing and recording new music for an upcoming album in the U.K, becoming inspired by the sounds of the U.K and really honing on his craft to give yet another enjoyable album for his fanbase. 'Fade' was finalized in April of 2016, and sent to mixing and such which lasted a few weeks. On June 24th, 2016 Alec stated via Instagram and Twitter that he had new music on the way prompting fans to get extremely excited following the news. On June 25th, 2016 Alec unveiled the artwork for 'Fade' and announced that the single would be released on June 26th, 2016, where Alec had a sit down interview with Elvis Duran before dropping the new song.
'Fade', is a synth pop record that speaks about one-sided unconditional love. Through deep lyrics, Alec explains a story of star deep, where he questions his antics and tries to understand why he has this unconditional love for an individual who doesn't feel the same way about him. He explains that he begins to fade, and lose himself in the love that he has, and tries to find a way to get away from it all by leaving, but still finds himself stuck. Production wise, "Fade" is very slick and smooth in production and is the essentially 'glittered' pop gem. 'Fade' serves as a proper first single, pairing Alec’s breezy vocals with a slick electronic backdrop. It’s not a distant stretch from his previous release but the record does show a clear and distinct sense of direction for the new album and shows that Alec is even more polished as "Fade" seems like the perfect summer single as it oozes a smooth synth pop aura as the synths twinkle along the minimal production. Alec's vocal production is smooth throughout the verses, packed with emotion, but he clearly lets his vocals roar for the chorus when the song breaks into a breezy, zippering synth excursion that sees Alec unleash his vocals over the production values. The dreamy-esque production only seems to get bigger as it starts off slow and reserved but continues to grow, and grow into the final big chorus where Alec gives us a wondrous final chorus where soaring adlibs.
FADEEverything I say, everything I do
Is just because I want to be with you
Everything I think, everything I dream
Includes taking you away from him
We've been friends for a long time now
But I started falling for you and I don't know how
What should I think, who should I blame?
Every day my pain worsens and I fade, yeah I fade
It's been one year but you still don't know how I feel about you love
Why are you with him? Don't you remember he's once broken your heart?
What's that, that makes me fall so bad
Is it the magic in your eyes? The smile you try to hide?
When I call you late at night to ask you if everything is alright?
Is it the shy girl you are, I don't know, I don't know
What is it that makes me fall more and more
Knowing you'll never be in love with me
So every day my pain worsens and I fade, yeah I fade
You must be an angel or something like that
But why are you breaking my heart?
I would learn if I could talk to you right now
But I can't, no I can't I'm leaving now
Please don't cry when they tell you I'm gone
I can't see you in pain standing all alone
I'll live throughout you so don't be sad
Your every breath will be for both of us
It's been one year but you still don't know how I feel about you love
Why are you with him? Don't you remember he's once broken your heart?
What's that, that makes me fall so bad
Is it the magic in your eyes? The smile you try to hide?
When I call you late at night to ask you if everything is alright?
Is it the shy girl you are, I don't know, I don't know
What is it that makes me fall more and more
Knowing you'll never be in love with me
So every day my pain worsens and I fade, yeah I fade
It's been one year but you still don't know how I feel about you love
It's been one year but you still don't know how I feel about you love
I still love you although I’m not there
You’ll never know it but I'll take care
I'll take care, I'll take care
You’ll never know it but I'll take care
And I fade, And I fade, And I fade, And I fade,
And I fade, And I fade, And I fade, And I fade,
And I fade, And I fade, And I fade, And I fade,
And I fade, And I fade, And I fade, And I fade,
What's that, that makes me fall so bad
Is it the magic in your eyes? The smile you try to hide?
When I call you late at night to ask you if everything is alright?
Is it the shy girl you are, I don't know, I don't know
What is it that makes me fall more and more
Knowing you'll never be in love with me
So every day my pain worsens and I fade, yeah I fade
