Alex Arlotta chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about his new music and show at The Green Room 42 in Manhattan on Monday, February 2nd. His upcoming studio album “Gotta Start Somewhere” will be released this Friday, February 6th via Joy Machine Records.
Arlotta is looking forward to performing at The Green Room 42, where he will be joined by such performers as Diego Enrico (“Book of Mormon”), Sydney Quildon (“Book of Mormon”), William Maus, Lauren Taylor, Samantha Gibbs, and Shiloh Bennett. “I can’t wait to play The Green Room 42,” he exclaimed.
With a recent collaboration with Joy Machine Records, Alex brought some new life into an album he recorded himself on a shoestring budget with a hope and a dream. Partnered with some new standalone material, and some songs from his upcoming musical.
On his desire to pursue music, he said, “I come from the most tone-deaf, untalented, music-less family you’ve ever seen. Somehow, through some divine intervention or baby Mozart in the womb, I was the only one who ended up pursuing anything artistic in my family.”
“Growing up, there wasn’t a ton going on socially,” he noted. “I had some close friends, but making new friends was out of the question. The shy, weird music kid wasn’t very popular. I was always leaving lunch to go play piano in the music room, but when I did, it was “a sweet escape” (Gwen Stefani).”
“Throughout college, I was able to make some more friends through music. I even had to write a musical with my entire class, which was the first full show I’d ever written; and luckily one of the songs from that show (Darlin’) made it into the album,” he elaborated.
“In a way, music is my first language,” he underscored. “I’m fluent in English, but am terrible at using it. Making new friends, wooing my girlfriend, or making new connections in the city is the craziest uphill climb. But, if it’s me, or I’m with a band or writing partner, I feel so comfortable “speaking” with music that it’s like we’re all playing 4D chess.”
Regarding his new album, “Gotta Start Somewhere,” he remarked, “It is not only my introduction to the world, my resume, and a culmination of songs that help me express myself, but it’s a story of persistence. It originally was done with a shoestring budget, many favors, and happened on top of when I was getting a master’s degree.”
“My professors told me not to pursue this album (even though I was in school for musical theatre writing, how ironic), and the budget was becoming a concern. Even when the album was getting remastered with Joy Machine, I had to record part of it in Omaha, Nebraska for some ADR because I forgot to do it initially in NY (long story, I’m not even from Omaha),” he elaborated.
“Despite many challenges to get this done initially, it happened. And I feel that way with myself: there have been and will be challenges with my life, my work, and my writing, but I can overcome those to put things into the world; things that would otherwise be some Voice Memos and Logic Demos to rot away in a hard drive for all eternity. But with my desire to speak music to those around me, that will never happen,” he explained.
To learn more about his forthcoming show at The Green Room 42, click here.
His new album “Gotta Start Somewhere” is available for pre-order by clicking here.
For more information on Alex Arlotta, follow him on Instagram.
