Music Q&A with Alexandra Lockhart of Cumulus
Photo by Bradley Lockhart
Cumulus is the project of indie singer-songwriter, Alexandra Lockhart and she is getting ready to release her upcoming album, Something Brighter via Share It Music! In this Q&A, Alexandra talked about the album, who she would love to see in concert, how she keeps it posi, and so much more! Something Brighter will be out on October 21st and is available for pre-orders HERE.
Congratulations on the announcement of your upcoming album, Something Brighter! What does it mean to you?
This album represents a lot to me - it represents personal growth and gratitude for all the people in my life and all of the versions of myself that I’ve witnessed and transformed into and from. It represents the power of collaboration, because the record would not have been possible without the people behind the music (Producer Andrew Vait, co-writer/bandmate William Cremin). It also represents for me, that no matter how much my life changes or my career changes- at the end of the day I will always be a musician and I can still come back to that, find peace in that, and take pride in that. This record literally allowed me to have "something brighter" to look forward to and to work on.
When you made the announcement of Something Brighter, you released the first single, which is titled “Sunbeam”. How was it decided that this song would be the first single?
For me, the process of writing an album always starts with a song. In my last record, Comfort World, I had a title track that was the first thing I wrote and then I knew it was going to be a record. The same thing happened for Something Brighter, and that song was “Sunbeam”. Once the lyrics started hitting the page, I knew it was something special, and thematically it was exciting to write about feeling good and feeling loved. It set the tone for the whole record. It also just happens that when we finished it, it was almost exactly 3 minutes long, and the drums are so epic- it was just kind of meant to be.
What is one artist or band that you haven’t seen in concert, that you hope to see someday?
I feel lucky to have witnessed so much amazing live music in my life, but a few of my all time favorites I still have not seen. One that immediately comes to mind is Paramore (and close second - Sheryl Crow).
What's the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?
I think more about concepts than actual pieces of advice, because I have a horrible memory for exact statements! But the concept of “use what you have” has always stuck to me, as a general ethos. I’ll never forget when I was just starting out with a band, and I felt really self conscious about going into a studio or arranging songs with a band when I didn’t feel like I was a very knowledgeable guitar player. I lived in a house full of musicians, and singer/songwriter, Tomo Nakayama happened to be practicing in my living room. I spoke with him about this fear, and he said- if you can sing melodies, you can write guitar melodies. You can write a lead guitar part and not be the one who plays it. That kind of blew my mind, and really shaped my approach to collaboration as well. Find people that are good at the things you are not, and work together to fill in the blanks. You don’t have to be good at everything!
We all have our days where it may not be going as well as we’d like. People deal with their worst days in different ways. What helps you get through the bad days? How do you stay positive?
I feel very fortunate to have developed some amazing friendships in my life, so I surround myself with people that can lift me up when I need it, who are proud of the work I do even when I’m being hard on myself, who bring out the best in me. I also just think about the magic of music, and the magic of being able to write a song from nothing and share it with the world. The magic of listening to a beautiful song is both the source of inspiration and overwhelming anxiety when I start comparing myself to others. Then I have to remember what is most important. Did I make something I’m proud of? Do I like it? Alright then. (Easier said than done- says the highly anxious mood shifting songwriter).
Thank you for taking the time for this Q&A. Any last words or final message for the readers?
Thank you for listening and spreading the word about my songs! Last word for the readers - remember that life is not a straight line. There are ups and downs, highs and lows, and all of it is still moving forward and getting to try again another day. In a world that tells us creativity is only valid if it makes money or is loved by everyone- it’s just not true. Make things that you love just to remind yourself you can do it. It doesn’t have to be your whole life, it doesn’t have to pay your bills, it can just be a thing you love to do. When you find what that thing is, find ways to fit it into your life as much as possible. Making things is valuable and I’m proud of you, whoever you are!