Introducing the Canadian singer behind the hit Alone Again
Canadian singer Alyssa Reid is climbing the UK charts with her debut single Alone Again, which pairs an infectious pop melody with elements of soul and R&B.
The 18-year-old singer scored her record deal after her YouTube cover of Justin Bieber's One Less Lonely Girl - which she rewrote as One More Lonely Boy - went viral.
Read below as we chat with the rising star about the break-up that inspired her debut album The Game and Justin Bieber's reaction to her video cover.
Plus, she gives us the dish on her early days as a tomboy, her creepy marriage dream about One Direction's Zayn and why she feels "ghetto inside."
She may be an ordinary teenage girl, but it seems she's no ordinary pop star.
For new listeners, how would you sum yourself up as an
artist?
I would sound myself up as a pop singer with more of a
soulful, urban edge.
Which of your songs shows you at your best?
There’s a particular song on my album called Burnt, and it’s
just a song that I wrote in my bedroom after a breakup. It’s really
embarrassing, but it’s one of my favourite songs on the album, and it means a
lot to me. And it shows people who I am - not only as an artist, but a person.
And I think that would connect me to people.
Do you put more emphasis on lyrics or the music?
I think it’s all about the lyrics. A lot of people right now
are focusing on beats and having music that people can dance to. To me what’s
important is people connecting to your music, and people aren’t going to
connect with your beats. They’re going to connect to you through what you are
saying and how you’re delivering it.
This breakup that inspired the song – has your former
boyfriend heard it?
Oh yeah. Yes, and not only has he heard it, he knows that
the entire album is about him. And he tried to come back.
And what did he say about the lyrics?
He tells me that every time he hears my voice on the radio
he shuts off the radio. But I know he secretly jams out in his car to it.
So is the album – The Game - going to be a big break-up
album?
I think it’s more of a diary-type album. It’s not just about
love. Some of the songs are actually written about my family as well.
I think it’s just an all-around good album for no matter
what you’re going through. I think you can connect to at least three of the
songs, no matter what situation you’re in.
In your early days you participated in televised music
competitions. How has that shaped your music?
I did a lot of contests when I was little, because I didn’t
understand how to get myself out there and I thought that that was the only
way. Looking back at it now I think that show, as well as all the other
contests that I did, were just that – they were just contests.
I think what actually shaped me into becoming the artist I
am right now has been just writing and playing piano and getting to work with
other writers and performing. Because all that is the experience that I needed,
the other stuff was just… It was TV – it’s two completely different worlds.
I definitely don’t want people to think that being on that
show is what got me where I am, because it was a lot more work than just that.
Your YouTube spin on Justin Bieber – One More Lonely Boy – got
you lots of attention. How did that come about?
It was just supposed to be for fun, to be quite honest. I
wasn’t expecting anything from it, I had no expectations for the video. Justin
Bieber was a new artist and he was just getting his name out there and it was a
really fun song. So I wrote a female perspective on it because I couldn’t find
any on YouTube. And it actually became viral and has hundreds of thousands of
views and actually got me my record deal. So something that, in the context of
doing it in the moment seemed like nothing, actually became one of the biggest
things of my career.
Has Justin Bieber seen the video?
Yeah, he’s seen the video. I heard he likes it. I’m friends
with his guitar player and musical director, and he told me that they all watched
it. And now that seems really embarrassing for me, ‘cause he was sitting there
watching me sing this song for him. I was going to serenade him at some point
in my life, and I just felt that YouTube was not the place.
A lot of big acts have come out of Canada. As a Canadian
artist, how has that musical heritage influenced you?
I think people have lower expectations from Canadian
musicians than we actually deserve... And their thought that we’re going to be just that – Canadian
musicians – has actually helped me a lot in pushing myself and wanting to
become more than that and show what Canada actually has to offer. Because I
feel like people definitely take us for granted, so it’s pushed me to become
the next Justin Bieber and the next Drake and show what Canada can do. And try to take off that label that they put on us.
How do you think your music will sit in the UK?
From what I’ve heard, it’s sitting pretty amazingly. And I
don’t want to jinx anything… but so far everything is going great.
What do you think about the British music scene?
I’ve been listening to a lot of Adele lately; I think she’s
extremely talented. And this is going to be a little bit embarrassing,
considering everybody already knows that I’m a closet Justin Bieber fan, but One
Direction. I have to admit, I kind of had the creepiest dream about them. I
married one of them.
Which one?
I can’t tell you that.
Yes you can. It was just a dream!
His name rhymes with Bayn.
Good choice.
Thanks, I go for the bad boys.
There’s been millions of views of your video on YouTube. Is it surreal that so many people have watched you do your thing?
I think that’s the only word I actually have to describe it.
It’s very, very surreal. It’s amazing, but it’s like... I still haven’t
actually had a grasp on what’s happening.
Do you feel subconscious about having your image out there
for everyone to see?
I think everybody does. It’s hard enough being a teenage girl in school - I’m pretty fresh out of school - so it’s going from having 300 girls in your school looking at you and judging you, to having the world look at you and judge you. So it’s going to be hard, no matter who you are - whether you’re female or male.
But at the same time, you’re putting me in a place where
I get to reach out to millions of girls who are that girl at school. And help them with what they’re dealing
with. So the fact that I get to do that
in return for being the one who’s being watched by everyone, I think it’s
definitely worth it.
What’s your message for that girl - for girls your age?
I’m not really trying to be like… this perfect person. I
just want to be a realistic teenage girl that people can relate to. And I want people
to not try and be that perfect girl they see on TV – ‘cause I’m not that
perfect girl. And I’m not going to go in front of millions of people and lie
and say that I am. So I just want people to be themselves... and see the difference between someone who’s acting like a pop star
and someone who’s just a person living their dream.
So speaking of images, let’s talk about your style. Is that important for you?
It wasn’t for a long time. I was a tomboy – I thought I was
a guy until I was, like, 11 years old. And then, I started getting out there,
and like the most expensive pair of jeans I had were $15. And then I started
working with stylists and they started showing me clothes, and then I became
obsessed. And then I became a girl and it was all downhill from there.
Getting back to music, what artists have influenced you?
I grew up on jive, blues… So I grew up listening to Etta
James and soulful artists. In today’s music it’s kind of hard to find that. But
I think the only people right now that are keeping that in their music is
really Adele and Jessie J, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys and Beyonce. They’re
the only really soulful artists I can actually relate to.
And this urban edge to your music – where does that come from?
I’m just kind of ghetto inside. I look white, but I’m not
actually white. I know it’s confusing, but once you get to know me...
And what can we expect from Alyssa Reid in 2012?
For 2012 here… I would love to have my album released this
year… I’m very excited for the second single, The Game, and I would love to do
another Canadian tour. And I have a European tour coming up very soon.
Watch the video for Alone Again
