An Interview With The Florida-Based Singer-Songwriter ALEX DI LEO!

Alex Di Leo began his solo career after his reputable rock band Wyld Fly parted ways in 2014. Spending the next year writing and recording music, Di Leo gathered most of his inspiration from traveling, using his songs as an uplifting way to share new experiences and journeys. Di Leo explains, “I’m constantly thinking of how short our lives are and how important it is to experience new things, take risks, and to not be afraid of what could go wrong, but what could go right. Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about the destination”

In 2016, Alex and his new alternative sound, inspired by indie, pop, and folk, made its debut at the For The Love Music Festival, followed by an appearance at the Undertow Jam Music Festival, garnered attention from notable outlets such as BalconyTV. With influences ranging from Coldplay to Vance Joy, Arcade Fire and more, Alex Di Leo and his band bring their fans uplifting songs that get fans singing along to enchanting, hook-filled melodies.

“Alexander Di Leo’s music has a refreshing sound and is a musician’s total package. Alex and his band look like they are having a great time on stage, it’s infectious. His set at the ‘For The Love Music Festival’ was one of the most attended and one of the most enjoyable sets from the festival.” -Josh Miller, Founder, C&I Studios & For The Love Music Festival

At the end of last year, Alex released his first solo EP, “So We Go.” After performing at Florida’s SunFest and wrapping up the west coast leg of High School Nation’s Spring Tour featuring the Plain White T’s, Di Leo made his way through Los Angeles performing at the local venue, The Mint.

Learn more about Alex Di Leo in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time! So where does this interview find you today? Is there music playing in the background? If so, what is it?

Thank you for reaching out All Access! At the moment I’m at home figuring out the next 4-6 months and I’m currently listening to some new ideas. I’m excited to release my new single “Strange Open Land” this Summer!

How is 2017 treating you so far? Did you approach the start of this year any differently then you did last year?

So far 2017 has been one of the greatest years for me. I’m really thankful for all the opportunities that have come my way and that I’ve created. This year started off with me on a broken foot..which only recently came to heal. I had bronchitis for a couple weeks as well which my immune system to go down which has caused me to get sick quick quite frequently. It’s caused me to cancel some shows as well. So it didn’t start the exact way I had intended but I’ve managed to maneuver around all of it lol.

Growing up, did you always want to be a musician? Can you recall your first musical memory? Could you see yourself doing anything else today? If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing?

For my 10th birthday my grandma randomly gave me an acoustic guitar as a gift and that’s what started it all. I couldn’t picture myself doing anything else today and if I wasn’t a musician I might be a cook as lately I’ve developed a real interest in cooking and getting creative with it.

Do you think that your sound has been influenced at all by being from South Florida? What is the music scene like there these days?

South Florida has many different cultures of people that I think it has influenced my sound slightly. I think it’s important to bring in different elements in production and that’s where it’s played in for me. The music scene in South Florida is heavily focused on the Hip-Hop and EDM scene. It’s not too great for an alternative/pop artist like myself.

What was it like releasing your first solo EP, “So We Go”? Did anything surprise you at all about the process? What was the overall inspiration for this collection?

Releasing my first solo EP was one of the greatest feelings yet. I’d been through so many different recording productions that’s was anxious to release something I was proud to call true. I think I was really surprised at the fact that after those 6 months of recording..everything ran smoother than I thought it would. As far as agreeing and being on the same age with my producer as I didn’t experience that before.

How much fun did you have on the High School Nation Spring Tour with Plain White T’s? Where some of your favorite places to perform at? How have your recent west coast dates been?

Being on the High School Nation Tour as my first time on the road was such an awesome experience! I enjoyed every city we visited and every school we played..one of my favorites was Seattle as it’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit. The reaction we received from the kids was incredible and it was great seeing them sing along to the songs. We finished the tour with my first time playing a show in LA at The Mint.

Can you talk a little about what High School Nation is all about and why you decided to be part of it this Spring?

High School Nation Tour is all bout giving back to the schools and communities they visit. They have several sponsors on tour and this year a couple of them were Sparkling Ice and TRUTH. High School Nation basically sets up a little festival with about 6 artists on the main stage including the headliner which was The Plain White T’s this year..they also have a side stage with a few acts. It was great playing for each school as each had their unique thing to themselves. After the festival HSN announces that they’ll be giving the school a $30k studio. I think the overall concept is incredible and it was so great to be a part of it this year.  

I’m curious to know what you think you learned from your previous rock band, Wyld Fly? What experiences and knowledge did you bring over to your solo career?

I learned a lot in my previous hard rock band, Wyld Fly, and I brought a lot of it with me as a solo artist. I realized it wasn’t the sound I wanted in the end. I learned a lot about the fact that it’s really important as an individual to do what’s true to you and to be with people you want to be surrounded by.

Are you currently working on new music? Do you have plans to release a full-length album anytime soon?

At the moment I have a new single called “Strange Open Land” I’ll be releasing it this summer and I’m excited to see the reaction. I’d love to eventually release an album but as of right now I’m focusing on some singles and another possible EP..maybe an album after the second EP.

What artists have continued to inspire you and your music? Who would you absolutely love to work with in the future?

There’s many artists that continue to inspire me..I like to take a little bit from everything. Coldplay has always been my biggest inspiration and to work with Chris Martin someday would be a dream. I’m also inspired by One Republic, Phoenix, Andrew McMahon..I find new music almost everyday that inspires me in some way.

At the end of the day, what do you hope your fans take away from your music? What do you hope is the message of your songs?

So far I’ve written a lot of up beat and positive songs. I hope that when people listen to my music, they walk away feeling refreshed and inspired.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself or your music?

If you like what you hear please subscribe to my site at www.alexdileo.com then send me an email at info@alexanderdileo.com letting me know what city you’re from.

If you’re on Spotify please be sure to follow my page and share it with your friends as my new single “Strange Open Land” is coming out this Summer!

I hope to see you in your city soon!