With talents ranging from a star role in Glee as “Unique Adams” Alex Newell will take you through experiences of his melodic style. His debut EP, “Power” is out now.

Interview by Montana Rain
Photography by Mike Greene

Montana: What is the first couple of words that come to mind when you think of the characteristics of an artist?
Alex: The first couple of words that come to my mind when I think of the characteristics of an artist is, uniqueness. I think every artist has their own unique style, their own unique voice, and their own unique anything. It’s one of those things of, you have to know your own self-worth to even become an artist.

Montana: Since being cast in the hit TV series “Glee”, do you think in any way that shaped you or had an influence on the way you create your music today?
Alex: Being on Glee shaped my work ethic. Working sixteen hour days every day or just long hours gave me perseverance, tenacity and all those other things that you have to preserve yourself for. I can do what would take someone maybe a couple days to do like three songs; would take me maybe three hours, an hour each in the studio.

Montana: Being a transgender on the show, do you feel you paved the way for people to be more comfortable in their own skin? And what was your perception when you were first cast for the role?
Alex: Playing a transgender on a national television show, I don’t feel like I “paved the way” for other people to be comfortable in their own skin but I definitely shed light on people being comfortable in their own skin. People learn things by viewing, reading or watching, and if you see something that inspires you, you want to be more like it. When I first found out I was going to be playing this role, I never really thought of it as trans, I just thought of it as a human with a story.

Montana: The visuals for your latest single “This Ain’t Over” had a very mysterious vibe, how do you think the video and lyrics combined came to create the meaning of the overall song?
Alex: The visual for “This Ain’t Over” was mysterious because it was more or less focusing on the voice and not knowing what the voice looked like or who the voice was. I wanted it to be more of, you hear and you see this pretty visual and by the end, you gradually see my face and you hear the story of it not being over yet, of my career just starting to blossom, even just a problem in life that I wanted to be relate-able .

“The first couple of words that come to my mind when I think of the characteristics of an artist is, uniqueness… It’s one of those things of, you have to know your own self-worth to even become an artist.”

Montana: Tell us a little bit about the process of working with other musicians and artists? Is it fun to collaborate with other musicians and feature on their tracks?
Alex: It’s always fun to collaborate with other people because everyone is so unique and they’re so different. They have their own ideas and their own vision. When you can come together and find something very cohesive and so different but it works together and it meshes; it’s making history, it’s making magic, it’s making a difference, and it’s always fun.

Montana: How was music perceived in your household growing up? Is there any specific musician you or your parents listened that affects how you create?
Alex: I was only allowed to listen to gospel for the first ten years of my life, and I guess Earth, Wind, and Fire, and anything else my mom deemed worthy of me listening to and then it moved on to musical theater and then pop. I guess it affected me in the way which I can sing all day and never get tired, because that’s what you do in church; you sing and you sing and you sing because you’re doing God’s work. But, everyone in my family is a musician, so that’s always nice.

Montana: Everyone has that one thing in their life that motivates them and keeps them going to pursue what they want in life, what would you say yours is?
Alex: My family motivates me in life. I was an only child, and my mother is that giant voice behind everything; my father died when I was six. I feel like I have to over extend myself and work even harder because I’m the sole provider for her and she’s the sole provider for me, so that motivates me to work even harder.

Montana: Throughout your journey to your success today, are there any defining moments of time that specifically stick out?
Alex: My most defining moments obviously are being on Glee. Coming off of a reality TV show, The Glee Project and being the only one from my season made from a series regular, it gave me that extra umpf to continue doing it. But really, getting cast on this pilot called, “Imaginary Friend” on NBC; I always knew I could sing, but to solely get a TV show with literally just one audition, no call back, straight up just acting, really defined my career more because it showed that I can do more than just sing.

Montana: With your new EP, Power, recently released what’s the reaction you wanted your fans to take from it?
Alex: My fans love this EP and I’m really happy they do. It’s so nice to just have music out there and to see a reaction and it be a positive reaction and people actually liking it.