Meet Alex Wong | Songwriter and producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Wong and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
A lot of times as a creative you find yourself in the midst of trying something that is hard, or unfamiliar, or painful, or scary. I may not “feel” like continuing in the moment because of fatigue, fear of failure, FOMO or whatever, whether it’s practicing, or writing a song, or working long hours on a project you don’t know will pay off yet.

In those moments I like to give myself permission to ask my inner being, ok would you rather “not” do this thing? And then actually give myself permission to stop if the answer that comes back is truly “no.” Sometimes simply asking this makes me realize that my heart isn’t actually in the thing I’m doing… maybe I’m doing it for the wrong reasons like an ego stroke or to earn the approval of others… so the answer that comes back is that I would rather invest my energy in something else. But usually I realize that I really do want to reap the end results of the thing I’m working on, whether it’s a new song, a successful performance, or developing a new skill, and that motivates me to CHOOSE to keep going even when it feels hard. I try to stay in tune with what my inner being truly wants at all times, and use that as my north star for whether to keep pursuing something or give up. I think the most important thing for me is to always frame it as a deliberate choice that I am making either way.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. I strive to create music that helps people remember who they are and show themselves to the world.

I really believe I got to where I am today by (slowly) learning to trust my inner voice and pursue the things I am truly passionate about instead of what the outside world, music industry or “experts” told me to pursue. It takes constant work to listen to this quiet voice and I am still learning how to do it every day.

When I was 21 and just starting out as a musician, I had a “music biz dude” tell me that if I wasn’t successful by 25, I should quit. Others would tell me I needed to pick just one lane and stick with it, or else I wouldn’t be successful at anything.

I didn’t write my first song until I was 26. I didn’t produce my first record until I was 28. I didn’t release music under my own name until I was 43. Now I’m 47 and I’ve been a full time musician for 15 years. I’ve been nominated for a Grammy, gotten to travel the world, play in arenas, festivals and on TV, and learn to express myself in the truest way I know how, all of which happened after 30. If I had listened to him none of this would have ever taken place.

I’m also lucky to get to do a lot of my different “dream jobs” in music… perform as a solo artist, tour with others as a musician, and produce records for myself and others. I wouldn’t have a career that truly suits my particular passions if I had listened to those who said I needed to pick one lane and stick with it, even though my heart desperately wanted to express itself in multiple ways.

It took a long time to free myself from the conditioning to put other’s opinions above my own but it was and is the best thing I ever did. Honestly I think it takes as long as it takes for everyone to learn this very personal lesson for themselves, there is no rushing this process. There is no “correct” timeline, there is only your timeline.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Percy Priest Lake – many beautiful secret spots for swimming and life breaks

Shelby Greenway – over 20 miles of greenways to get lost in, right inside the city.

Dino’s, East Nashville – favorite spot for day drinking or post show beer and Joe’s hot fries

Turnip Green Creative Reuse – incredible non-profit that takes hard to recycle materials and repurposes them for artists

Museum of African American Music, downtown Nashville – beautiful monument to the inescapable contributions to American music by Black musicians. A must see.

Red Headed Stranger, East Nashville – awesome breakfast taco spot, make their own fresh tortiillas daily

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would not be where I am without the many mentors I’ve had along the way. Composer/producer Drew Kapner was one of my first, and set me on the path to do what I’m doing now by empowering me rather than tearing me down, and encouraging me to believe that I had the talent and ability to step out on my own.

Website: alexwongsounds.com

Instagram: alexwongsounds

Twitter: alexwongsounds

Facebook: alexwongsounds

Youtube: alexwongsounds

Other: patreon.com/alexwongsounds

Image Credits
ALEX BERGER KAREN SHIH EHUD LAZIN