Exclusive Interview with 'ALPHA PARIS'

High-energy productions and evocative vocals have made Alpha Paris one of the most prominent voices in contemporary pop music’s LGBTQ community. Work That Muscle, his infectious synth-pop anthem about grit and willpower, is the perfect soundtrack for a hot summer party or a hard workout. Songs like this have a way of capturing the attention of listeners all over the world with their catchy melodies and meaningful lyrics.

A stalwart of the underground music scene for many years, Alpha Paris has collaborated with some of the best producers in the nation while creating his own distinct brand of electro-pop. His new track demonstrates that his talent won’t be overlooked, even though mainstream radio hasn’t always embraced his norm-defying style.

Work That Muscle is a straight-friendly gay anthem that anyone can groove to. It was written and co-produced by Alpha Paris. It gives listeners an adrenaline rush, encouraging them to hustle hard for success, work extra hard, and—most importantly—get up and dance. It is a song that will stick with listeners for months on end thanks to its instantly recognizable hooks and jubilant production. In the upcoming months, expect to hear a lot more from Alpha Paris. Check out the music video & exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you ~~all~~ come from and how it all got started?

ALPHA PARIS: I was born and raised in Athens, Greece. I’d been wanting to pursue a career in music from pretty much age 2, but my academic skills sort of inadvertently drew me to a completely different direction. As soon as high school was over, I got a grip. I dropped out of engineering school like 3 weeks in the first semester and I started writing music, recording in studios and playing small gigs in Athens. I was simultaneously working in hotels, so that I could fund my musical projects. So this album has been a long time coming, but thankfully I have so much material that I could practically drop 6 albums like tomorrow.

2. Did you ~~guys~~ have any formal training or are you self-taught?

ALPHA PARIS: I taught myself how to play the piano and how to write songs, as well as production. God bless YouTube. I did have a vocal coach though, who I adore and he’s helped me very much in music in an holistic sense.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘ALPHA PARIS’?

ALPHA PARIS: I can’t really give you a straight answer to what my musical influences are, but I can tell you what my top artists are on Spotify. That would be Halsey, Lady GaGa, Kings of Leon, P!nk, Michael Jackson, Aerosmith.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

ALPHA PARIS: A lot of rockstars make hard rock music. I make hard pop music. It’s aggressive, grungy, sarcastic and unapologetic. We’ve used a lot of rock elements and we’ve deliberately trapped them in a pop environment. We’ve made a signature sound and once more music drops, people are going to be able to identify the Alpha Paris sound.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as POP?

**ALPHA PARIS**:
I’ve been a music aficionado since elementary school. I’ve been subconsciously drawing inspiration from so many different genres of music from a very young age. So when I first took up music, I was at the same time writing my own material. I never really consciously transitioned. I feel like I infused all the things “the greats of pop” gave me into my art and I have created a very unique signature sound, which has never been heard before. Not by a male artist for sure.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?

ALPHA PARIS:

I am a very opinionated person. The people that know me know that I’m very clear and loud about my thoughts and views. Even if I wanted to strictly stick to music, I don’t think my personality would allow it. So all of the choices I’ve made mean something. The arts can move mountains. And if you’re blessed to have any kind of platform, I personally think that you have a responsibility to be a force of light and positivity and not remain oblivious to the times.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

ALPHA PARIS:

I only just released my first single. Without a record label. Completely independently. I couldn’t possibly expect that all the years I’ve put into my work would instantly pay off. But the song is doing really well, so I’m quite humbled by the numbers. I am of course expecting more. Always. But that’s on me. If I keep releasing good music, I’ll have a better chance to have good things come my way.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

ALPHA PARIS:

I write 100% of my work, but there’s still no standard process. My only routine is that I write lyrics every single night right before I go to bed. Sometimes it’s terrible, sometimes it’s genius. I also play around on the piano a lot. And I come up with random melodies and I mix and match my melodies with my lyrics. And I built from there. The process is never the same, which is what is so invigorating about songwriting. I make electronic music, but every single song you’ll hear has been written on the piano. So then I turn to my Mac and I create the structure and I create sounds and I make a really great demo and then I go to my genius producer and friend, Gabriel and we make magic happen.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

ALPHA PARIS: Oh boy! I guess staying sane. And keeping my brain healthy. I’m a very black and white person. And 99% of the times I have had to deal with a grey zone. I’m not very diplomatic and diplomacy gets you places. Now on a personal level, I had producers vanishing and stealing my money, I was hospitalized twice for exhaustion, then I beat cancer twice and the list could go on.. But my music is finally out, so I hardly even remember all of that. Now we’re celebrating.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

ALPHA PARIS: Going DIY in the music business is an extremely difficult venture. Extremely difficult in every single way. May 27^th 2022 was a benchmark, as I released my first ever song and music video. I give myself a hell of a lot credit for all the setbacks I had to overcome and for being the captain of my own ship for so long.