Alex Hepburn

We had to wait until 2018 and the EP « If You Stay » to hear her penetrating soul again. Her genuineness is intact and her values, stronger than ever. In her new record «Things I’ve Seen», she speaks open-heartedly -as if it could help her heal from her wounds and wishes to cut out all the most superficial aspects of the industry. Let’s talk with a gifted and uncompromising artist.

On The Move: Hi Alex! Thanks for having us. You’ve been relatively quiet since the huge success of «Under» and your following debut album «Together Alone» in 2013. Why 2019 seems like the right time for you to come back at the front of the scene?

Alex Hepburn: It is not specifically a right time. I’ve probably exhausted the recording budget if I’m honest (laugh) I just think it was too late anyway. It was too late because I should have come back a long time ago but I had personal reasons why I couldn’t. Because I stopped music for two years. But I feel like «If You Stay» was the right song to come back with.

You should never be ashamed of life and of who you are

On The Move: Indeed, you came back with «If You Stay» last year. What’s the story behind the song?

Alex Hepburn: «If You Stay» has a sample of the Wu- Tang Clan in it. It was me like paying an homage, you know! To my heritage of hip-hop and soul. I started music on hip-hop beats and everything I listen to is trap, hip-hop and soul, no rock, no pop... I wanted to come back to why I started doing music in the first place. I didn’t want to let people drag me into pure pop, stuff that I don’t listen to and that I don’t like. So, I really fought to have my sound. Well, actually, I didn’t really fight because this song was good. I was given freedom. I think when you prove yourself on the first record, for the second one, you can kind of go your true way. So, this «If You Stay» song, it might sound happy and poppy but nothing I write is really happy. I’m basically saying... It’s about a booty call, if I’ve got to be honest, and women and men can start that and the woman can say : «Oh it’s okay, it’s just sexual, it’s fine» but we always end up falling for the same bullshit. Even thought we were like, we’re so sure we’re never gonna feel anything, we just want the company or whatever. There is this expression that says: «Women give sex for love and men give love for sex». That’s kind of what the song is about. Basically, in the chorus I say, «I don’t want you to stay with me, If you stay, you’ll leave, You’re only gonna leave me» and it’s like, everything you said is bullshit but I’m still falling for it because I need this love. That’s what the song is about and I think any age women can relate to it.

On The Move: Overall, your songs are always very personal. Do you feel like there is a moment where you need to draw a line? Is there any theme or emotion that you couldn’t express in a song? That coud be taboo or too intimate?

Alex Hepburn: No, I have no reservation whatsoever. Telling people about stuff I go through or whatever. You should never be ashamed of life and of who you are! Never. Nothing is too intimate. We need people like this. Because if everyone just sits there and say «Ok, it’s great, we should party to forget this and that!» Then, what do we do with people who suffer, people who feel alone? What do we do with them? 90% of the people on this planet are darker than joyous. Because all of us struggle in a way. So, no, I think it’s good and important to have people who are not afraid to express themselves, no matter what.

On The Move: Can you tell what are the main differences between your new record «Things I’ve Seen» and the previous one?

Alex Hepburn: It depends on the songs but I feel like what I tried to do is to make them more about the vocals and less about the production. Unless you have a very good producer, I think it’s like a dick fight between who has the biggest sound. And then, a lot of the time, you lose your voice in it. So, this time, I really wanted my voice to be the strongest element. Kind of how Adele did where her voice was like «boom!», on top of the mix. I can imagine she had the same problem but she just found the magical people because I mean, songs are important . If you need to throw everything at them from the kitchen sink, they’re not that good. You just need something which is like a craddle to the song, who holds it, supports it but not overpowers it. So, we did that! The sound is much more soul, hip-hop. It’s an homage to Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Etta James, Alicia Keys... I tried obviously, this was my vision from the beggining. I tried to make the kind of music that pushed me to become a singer in the first place.

On The Move: Your voice is your best weapon, a beautiful tool. Do you work on it a lot?

Alex Hepburn: I don’t work on my voice. I should but I don’t. Now, I do warm-ups before I perform but I kinda don’t know because I didn’t do any school for music. And I kind of guess or I go on Youtube and I type «vocal warm-ups» and I pick something and I just go from there. But besides from that, no. Maybe I should. I think it would probably be a good idea (laugh)

On The Move: We know you write a lot. In which conditions do you prefer writing?

Alex Hepburn: I just need to be in the studio. I think that’s it. But «If You Stay», I wrote it in my bedroom when I was singing in bed with no music. I just literally started singing the melody and my ex was sitting next to me. And he was like: «Oh, that’s fucking good that hook» so I took it to a friend of mine and said: «Look, I’ve got this and I wanna do a sample of this» and that was it. It depends I guess. There is no rule for me.

On The Move: What triggers creation?

Alex Hepburn: Well, I don’t write about stuff that I don’t know about because then, I’d be full of shit and I think some people are good at acting and talking about other people’s lives but I’m not. A lot of singers - I don’t know who particularly, whatever -, they get writers that send them in tracks and then, they can act and sing something. If it’s just full blown party music, there is nothing much to it, right? No one really cares about the lyrics. This is just dancing, I guess.

On The Move: Lyrically, there is a song that caught our attention: « Good Woman ».

Alex Hepburn: Yes, it’s my favourite song on the album! That’s the first one I wanted to put out. Because I thought it had the same spirit that «Under» with more soul. But still, the same vocals, the same darkness.

On The Move: You sing those words in it: «In this place, in this world, in your eyes, it’s hard to be a good woman». Who is this «good woman» to you?

Alex Hepburn: I mean, I’m never good enough in anyone’s eyes. Not independant enough, not a good enough mother, not this, not that. It seems easier to be an asshole than to be a good person. And that’s what the song is about. It’s about relationship and how women... It’s not femen, or feminist or anything like that. I work with a lot of men and I love male company. But I feel like it’s typical: we’ve been working on equality which it’s great now because you think you’re equal but really you’re not. You don’t get the same pay, and there is this crap about you don’t employ women because they get 9 months off with the pregnancy... Cardi B is a beautiful example where she proved people that wasn’t true actually, she was able to have her baby and then still work till the last minute, and come back quickly and be like «fuck you!». I think that’s so important because we can do everything! Now, we work, we’re mothers, we are this, we are that and marriage is going down the toilets so, ultimately, we get lumbered with more shit and I just think it is hard to be a good woman. It’s just that, yeah. It’s a beautiful song, I love it, it’s my baby!

On The Move: Is there any other track that feel special to you?

Alex Hepburn : I love «Solid Gold» but it’s probably the one I love to sing the most. I think it’s quite fun! «The Things I’ve Seen» is probably something really dark for me. The one that means a lot to me is the James Arthur song «Burn Me Alive» because it’s a subject he helped me write about. It’s about my little sister and her suicide and basically, the people left behind and the feeling that you will never be able to get over it. Because you can’t... I can’t even express how it feels. But he helped me be able to do it and he insisted on not being worried about talking about it. I just didn’t know if I could talk about it and not cry... I’m still on the edge everytime but yeah, it’s a really important song.

What I tried to do is to make this album more about the vocals And less about the production

On The Move : «Under» met a great success in France, in Germany, in Belgium, in Switzerland, in Poland, in Greece… but not so much in the UK, where you come from. Is it important to you to kind of conquer the British public with this new record?

Alex Hepburn : Yeah, that’s why I wrote it. I am signed in France and there is always a problem with the French and the UK getting along, as usual. I find it really important you know, it is written all in England, produced in England, everything is English so hopefully... But it is also political stuff.

On The Move : You’ve got such a special link with France? You speak French very well... What’s your story with the country?

Alex Hepburn : Well, when I did «Under», I lived here for a while, and I have an ex whose French so, that’s how I learned it. But I mean both my parents are from Scotland, and I’m born in London. That’s pretty much it. But I love speaking it. It took me a very long time to learn it. It’s a beautiful language but it’s very very difficult. [Then, she says it all in French] My writing is bullshit! (laugh) The only thing I really struggle with is spelling, I’m like «Oh my god, what the?» and I get corrected all the time. But I was told a lot of French are not that good at spelling (laugh).

On The Move : Do you already think about how you will transpose that album to the stage?

Alex Hepburn : Yeah, I already have that, I want a DJ scratching hip-hop stuff onto the stage, just something fresh and simple, and two backing vocalists. No big band, it’s too complicated. I really want something stripped, fresh, two vocalists and the DJ. Super cool, a little family!

What’s the most important? Artistic creativity and integrity

On The Move: Which advice would you give to a young artist that would like to make music as a living?

Alex Hepburn: To not sign with a major. To go indie. I think it’s really important to be careful with people surrounding you, with managers. I think you’d better wait and be sure your producer is on point. You can also trigger your own buzz. You’d better take a PR company and do your own buzz. All you want is for people to find you and your music. If you can do that independently, do it. Because with streaming and all the internet tools, you can do that easily and make more money. You have freedom. What’s the most important? It’s artistic creativity and integrity, you know. But, it’s my vision!

On The Move: Who are you listening to at the moment?

Alex Hepburn: I listen to a lot of hip-hop at the moment, I’m fond of hispanic stuff such as Arcángel. What else did I buy recently? I love the collaboration between Travis Scott and Tory Lanez. I really love Tory Lanez!

Alex Hepburn’s debut album «Together Alone» (2013)

Alex Hepburn’s returning EP «If You Stay» (2018)

Alex Hepburn’s new album «Things I’ve Seen» (2019)

INTERVIEW BY CORALINE BLAISE

PHOTOS BY NAZYM HERMOUCHE