Artist Advent Day 30: Alex Tierney

Written by: Keyali Mikaela

Welcome to the grand finale of Next Wave's Artist Advent Calendar, where we conclude this musical journey with the talented Alex Tierney. Today, we delve into the intricate world of a musician whose inspiration and creativity have carved a unique path in the industry.

Alex Tierney's musical roots trace back to a childhood immersed in the melodies of his father's band, sparking a lifelong passion for creating heartfelt and genuine music. In this exclusive interview, Alex shares the influences that have shaped his sound, highlighting the profound impact of artists like Justin Vernon from Bon Iver. His journey from playing instruments to crafting soulful songs, coupled with an introspective perspective on the challenges of breaking into the music industry, paints a compelling portrait of an artist on the rise.

As we bid farewell to 2023, we're excited to introduce Alex Tierney as Next Wave's January Artist of the Month. His dedication to authenticity and connecting with audiences through social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok has not only defined his approach to promotion but has also set the stage for a promising year ahead.

Join us in this insightful conversation with Alex Tierney, a musician whose commitment to his craft and down-to-earth approach to online presence has resonated with fans across the digital landscape. As we transition into a new year, let's celebrate the vibrant sounds and stories that will undoubtedly shape the musical landscape in the months to come. Cheers to Alex Tierney, our January Artist of the Month, and the beginning of a new chapter in the Next Wave journey!

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Next Wave: What inspired you to pursue music?

Music has always been part of my life. My dad was in a band when he was younger so naturally my brother and I started learning guitar when we were kids and I moved onto piano too shortly after. I think the itch to take that into a creative route was always there too, I would be more fixated on making up my own melodies on the piano rather than learning covers then later when I had the confidence to sing I started writing songs with lyrics at around 15/16. I have the kind of personality where I get super obsessed with whatever my current hobby is so when I got hooked to songwriting it never felt like it was just going to be a casual hobby. it takes over your life a bit.

Next Wave: Who are your musical influences or role models?

Justin Vernon from Bon Iver has always been a huge inspiration for me. I love everything he's been part of. I also love the way he speaks about his craft, it's super inspirational and helps keep the magic of creating alive for me. You can also tell that everything is instinctual and is really him which makes it all feel so personal.

Next Wave: What's the most challenging aspect of breaking into the music industry?

I think trying to get noticed among the thousands of artists trying to "make it" at any one time. Just knowing that people are actually hearing your music can be so important for keeping the confidence and motivation there to keep going. You want to feel like all the time, money and effort you put in is actually leading somewhere and that progress is being made.

Next Wave: How do you go about promoting your music and building your fanbase?

Social media has been the biggest tool for me, particularly Instagram and TikTok. At times I've been overwhelmed by the support people have given me online, from people I haven't spoken to since school sharing my music to large artists who I look up to sharing it. As time goes on I've began sharing more of my personality online too which has been received well thankfully. It can be so easy to fall into the mysterious songwriter trope and not post anything at all but I think fans react better to the real you.

Next Wave: How has technology and the internet impacted your music career?

I found that I actually had the opposite experience to a lot of people when it comes to the internet affecting my music career. There is so much discussion online about adjusting to the digital age of music promotion but I released my first single during covid when live music shut down and online was the only option I had. After covid I had to reassess and think oh there's actually more options than I thought. But it has been amazing for my career. The majority of the gigs I've played and most of the producers I have worked with have come out of relationships which began online. It has its downsides though, for example it can be tough to understand what online engagement actually means in reality if that makes sense. I saw Tony Cantwell who is one of my favorite Irish comedians sum it up in a really interesting way. He said something along the lines of if you made candles as a creative hobby and a few of your friends said to you in person "wow your candles are great!" you'd be delighted with yourself but yet there's certain creative outlets, especially those which center around online engagement leading to career success, where people are obsessed with their viewer statistics reaching numbers bigger than the populations of whole countries before they begin to feel proud of what they made. At times it can feel like being consistent with online posting is the only game in town but I think you just need to find a balance that works for you because realistically not everyone is going to have the same proclivity for making daily TikToks.

Next Wave: Do you have any advice for other up-and-coming musicians trying to make it in the industry?

Try not to be too hard on yourself. The songs will come, the gigs will come, nothing happens for everybody in the same way or at the same rate. You just gotta stay true to what fulfills you creatively, work hard and trust the process.

Next Wave: What are your long-term goals and aspirations?

Long term I would just love to make art that I love which has an audience so I can do it full time. Anything on top of that is a bonus.

Next Wave: Can you share a memorable moment from your musical journey so far?

Looking out at a full Olympia Theatre in Dublin while opening for Lewis Capaldi was extremely memorable. When you play instruments on stage it can be so easy to just look at them for the whole show but before I went on I had to remind myself to look up because who knows when I'll be playing in a venue that beautiful again. It was magical.

Next Wave: Can you share a little about your creative process and how you come up with new ideas for songs?

Inspiration can come in many forms but a lot of the time it feels like there's an itch to scratch, whether that's because there's something I'm currently thinking about a lot or maybe I'll be watching a movie or I'll hear someone say something and I'll be affected by that enough that I get inspired. I'll usually sit down with a guitar or at the piano, try not to overthink and see what comes out. Sometimes 3 hours pass in what feels like half an hour because you're just hyper focused but in a slightly trance-like way. Over the following days I usually play the song over and over again and refine it.

Next Wave: What song, EP or album of yours would you recommend to someone who is listening to your music for the first time?

The song I usually show people first is Over The Maybes. I think as a first single I wanted it to be quite straight to the point, no minute long intros only for someone to not like my voice after all that build up etc. so it can give someone an idea of my vibe in like 30 seconds and hopefully they want to keep listening. I also think it's a nice balance of being chill but you can bop your head to it and it shows off my melody style with heartfelt intimate lyrics so it makes it a palatable opener for people who haven't heard anything of mine before.