Seneca’s Independent Music Production program is full of awesome talent. Fortunately for Fred Zumach and I, we got to sit down with one of those talented musicians, Alex Middleton, representing Newmarket and (of course) Seneca as he shows the world who he is.
“Alex Middleton is the name, music making is the game.”
Alex has been making music for a couple of years now, mostly in a chill, indie pop realm, for anyone who just wants to “bop to a little diddy”, in his own words. His early influences include Electric Light Orchestra, David Bowie, The Beatles and some rock music that his dad would put on. Over time, Alex has turned these influential sounds into ideas, which are then able to form into actual songs. There’s a lot of satisfaction that comes from making something measurable to Alex.
The choice to go into Seneca’s IMP program was an important one for Alex, as one of the most important things to him about being in the program is making connections to other artists and profs. With the connections he’s made, he’s able to get his foot in the door. On top of this, the IMP program has taught Alex on how to take ideas and turn them into completed projects, and knowing the point when a project feels complete. Ultimately, the IMP program has transformed Alex, making him sound “more professional than ever.”
Originally, Alex was actually in a business program at George Brown. Over time, though, students were disappearing from the program, to the point where there actually weren’t even enough students to continue! A strange event turned a new leaf for Alex when he eventually decided to pursue music at Seneca, which was actually the only place he applied to. Talk about confidence!
“It’s definitely not easy.”
The IMP program is a tight-knit group, but that comes from a lot of hard work. However, the people that have made it this far into the program are constantly working together on tons of different projects. For Alex, this kind of thing is a new experience for him, but the opportunities that come out of it, like open mics and making music videos, make it worthwhile.
Apparently, the IMP program has a lot of connections to Rush (not that I’m really complaining though). There have been several times in the program where Alex will meet someone or have a prof who will casually name drop the band, saying they worked with them pretty closely. One of the profs is even in a band with guitarist Alex Lifeson! If you’re gonna be in the Toronto music scene, I guess it’s a rite of passage to get to know someone that has worked with Rush in some way. Alex (Middleton, this time) owns a few Rush vinyls himself, and he makes a pretty good point to say that the music industry is so huge at times, but other times can become so microscopic and tight-knit…wait, where did we see this word before?
“If you’re hearing a sound in one of my songs, it has come from my fingertips.”
Alex produces and writes all of his own music, and he’s pretty protective of that. The IMP program has let Alex be more freeform when working with others, but he makes it very clear that his sounds are his own.
I mentioned before that Alex has a lot of musical influences. He’s able to get inspired by almost anything, but the feeling of his influences in particular are how he’s able to make his music into his own. We talked about David Bowie’s “Oh! You Pretty Things”, and to Alex, the chorus of that song gives him chills. The goal for him after listening to a chorus like that is to replicate its feeling. From that idea, everything else takes shape around it. Even certain sounds influence Alex (he called some of these sounds “ear candy”), and sometimes when he hears a sound, he has to make something with it.
“That’s where I find people similar to me.”
Newmarket’s very own Alex Middleton described the music scene there as very…local. There are a lot of indie bands and older guys playing guitar at bars, but Alex finds his own environment more in downtown Toronto. The people of Toronto appreciate his sound a lot more, most likely because of the city’s diversity and how much music has evolved just there alone.
One key difference from the Toronto scene in comparison to Newmarket is that Toronto can be more experimental. Alex mentioned that, in Newmarket, you’ll hear the same sounds and the same songs, even if you go to a few completely different places. In contrast, going to just a single open mic in downtown Toronto could introduce you to several different sounds, songs and styles. The variety in Toronto is what makes the scene so fun, and Alex enjoys not sounding like anyone else. He’s also worked with a lot of people that he’s learned from in Toronto as well, and even from them, Alex has taken some influence there too.
There was a mention of a Toronto rapper, Worldwide Nard, that Alex worked with. The two have created experimental music together, and Alex believes that he and Worldwide Nard push each other to become better artists. The two explore more avenues of music that allow them to think outside the box. With that, a lot of enjoyment comes from leaving behind what he knows and just trying something new all the time.
“Don’t be afraid to talk about the things you’re afraid of.”
One of the most important things to Alex is being true to himself. To him, music is a way to express himself in a way that he wouldn’t do in regular conversation. Putting confidence in himself is the first step into letting the world see who he really is, and Alex believes it’s important to tap into that side of himself through music. Vulnerability lets him shine, and facing that fear is important so that something really unique can come out of it, no matter if it’s something lighter or darker. Even though I asked this question in regards to advice for musicians, I feel like it’s applicable to anyone.
Alex Middleton is on most major streaming platforms! His newest song “What We’ve Made” is out now (click the song title to listen to it!). We had a great time with Alex, and hope nothing but the best for him as he closes in on graduating!
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