Singer, songwriter, and travel enthusiast Alex Kolo has already made a lasting impression with her cathartic debut single, "One Of These Days." Striving to resonate as universally as possible, Alex aimed to create a track that's "simultaneously a love song and a heartbreak song," as she described on social media. The song poetically organizes her mess of thoughts about an unrequited crush, an experience that almost every listener can relate to in some capacity.
Alex is balancing her growing music career with her education at Belmont, as well as her interest in learning about other languages and cultures. While well-rounded passions bring refreshing qualities to her artistry, "One Of These Days" adopts a timeless and radio-friendly sound. Ahead of its release, Playlists & Polaroids got to catch up with the rising star - keep reading for our full conversation with her!
Image credit: Fadwa Ward, graphic created by Karly Ramnani
YOU'LL LOVE ALEX KOLO IF YOU LISTEN TO: Taylor Swift, Alice Merton, Laura Tesoro, Lauren Spencer Smith, SZA, Zach Bryan, Elton John, Tate McRae, Jessie Murph
What were some of your earliest introductions to music? How long have you known that this was what you wanted to do professionally?
My earliest introduction to music was honestly being 3 or 4 years old and jamming out to music on the radio. I’ve always loved singing, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it professionally until junior year of high school.
How do you balance being a full-time student at Belmont and pursuing your dreams as a professional singer-songwriter?
Being a full-time student at Belmont and pursuing my dreams as a professional-singer songwriter can definitely be overwhelming at times. I feel like time-management and prioritization is key in juggling my busy lifestyle. I have gotten pretty good at learning how to organize my day so that I can give my all to both studying and building a career. However, there are sacrifices I have to make in order to be able to stay on top of everything I do. When all of my friends are out on a Friday night, I can be found in my dorm coming up with song ideas on my ukulele.
What is your favorite place you’ve traveled, and what stood out to you about your experience there?
That is such a difficult question, because there are so many places I’ve traveled to and completely fell in love with. However, if I had to choose one place, it would be Germany. In 2021, I decided to take a gap year after graduating high school and relocate to Munich, Germany for a few months to attend an intensive language school. It was such a fascinating experience because my school was made up of students from all around the world. I was lucky enough to make a couple incredible friends from different countries who I stay in contact with to this day.
What were your favorite and least favorite languages to learn? Which one is your favorite to sing in?
My favorite language to learn was definitely Dutch. I started learning Dutch when I was fifteen after discovering an artist from Belgium named Laura Tesoro on Youtube. I became a huge fan of Laura Tesoro and that eventually led me to listening to other Belgian artists. It might sound a bit silly, but I was so touched by the lyrics of Laura Tesoro’s music (written in English) that I wanted to watch her interviews and learn what inspired her to write songs such as “What’s the Pressure” and “Higher.” I did find a few interviews in English, but most of them were in Dutch. I remember feeling so frustrated with myself, because I really wanted to understand her interviews. That was the point that I decided to start learning Dutch. About a year into learning Dutch, I realized that I had a real passion for learning foreign languages and understanding other cultures. My favorite language to sing in is definitely French, because of how melodic French already is.
When did you write “One Of These Days”? What kind of headspace were you in at that point in time?
I wrote “One of These Days” a little over a year ago. At the time, I was completely head-over-heels for a close friend of mine. I had already confessed my feelings to him, but he told me he couldn’t imagine us being more than friends. It was a super confusing situation for me because we’d text each other every single day and talk about places we wanted to travel to together in the future.
When I listened to “One Of These Days,” I was so tempted to send the song to my crush. Have you ever released a song in the hopes that someone specific would find it and hear it, or did you just hope to capture a general feeling?
This is such a great question! I originally wrote “One of These Days” because I had such a complicated relationship with my crush and all of my thoughts and worries started to take a toll on me mentally. For me, songwriting feels like the most natural way to express and process what I’m feeling. It was actually after I finished writing the song, that I realized how universal the lyrics were.
Your sound is the perfect combination of soul and angst. How has it developed over the years, and what artists inspire you the most?
From ages 9-16 I took singing lessons on and off, but didn’t take music too seriously. My senior year of high school was when I realized that I needed to dedicate more time to singing and performing if I ever wanted to be able to be a professional singer-songwriter. Luckily, I landed a spot on Idol Time Academy’s competitive singing troupe. Being coached by Kayla Cafferey was an invaluable experience that gave me the skill and confidence to decide that I wanted to study and pursue music as my full-time career. In August 2022, I moved to Nashville where I was able to take my voice to the next level with my current vocal coach, Benny Meza, from Singing Success.
At the moment, my biggest inspiration is definitely Alice Merton. I first heard her music a couple years ago, and I was immediately hooked. I think that a lot of the time, artists feel like they have to write their music according to what they think is “trendy” at the moment, and in turn limit their own creative expression. Alice Merton is one of the only artists I know that is both incredibly successful and 100% authentic in the songwriting process. I also admire how she released songs about the struggle of anxiety such as, “Learn How to Live” and “Vertigo”. Her authenticity has made me feel comfortable in sharing my complete truth in my music without worrying if I’m “oversharing” through the lyrics I write.
Image credit: Fadwa Ward
Tell us about your experience collaborating with Lydia Laird! What aspects of her songwriting speak to you the most?
Collaborating with Lydia Laird was an incredible experience. The authenticity and depth of her songwriting speak to me the most. The level of vulnerability and bravery it takes to write and release songs such as, “Hallelujah Even Here” and “I’ll Be Okay” is something that all of us can admire. Lydia is also a master at telling as meaningful of a story as a 300-page-book through a 3 minute song.
What are your goals in music for the new year? At the moment, do you have anything in store that fans can look forward to?
My biggest goal in 2024 is to perform as much as possible. I spent 2022 and 2023 really solidifying the craft of songwriting and recording music, and now I feel ready to step on stage. I am super excited to share that I’ll be releasing two more singles after “One of These Days” as well as a bonus track that will make up my first EP.
What’s a lyric from "One Of These Days" that stands out to you? Walk us through the process of yourself writing it, and how does it speak to you personally?
One of my favorite lyrics in "One of These Days" is "calling the sky green when it is blue is like saying you're not meant for me and I'm not meant for you." I wanted to use a metaphor to describe just how ridiculous it was for my crush to deny our connection, because our bond was extremely strong and we'd text nonstop almost everyday. For over a year, we were basically the center of each other's worlds.
After years of honing her sound - both in Nashville and a plethora of European cities - Alex Kolo has hit the ground running in 2024. The resonant "One Of These Days" is a powerful way for her to kickstart her solo career, and we can't wait to see how she grows from here. Now's the chance to claim your spot as a day one fan! Here's a playlist we've curated that we think captures her vibe.
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