Alex Cameron (Interview)

“I started writing poems and singing them over instrumental songs I’d made, and I realized that the melody was coming to me as I read them, and I was like, ‘Oh, there’s music in the words!,” says Alex Cameron, recalling how he first discovered his preferred method of songwriting. “The lyric had the melody in it. I didn’t have to come up with the melody and think about which words would fit, I just had to press record and sing the words while listening to the music and the melody’s in there. That’s why I love writing words first.” In episode 144 of the LSQ podcast, the Australian singer-songwriter discusses his impressive fifth studio album, Late To Set, an elevated showcase for his signature style of brooding, witty, character-driven songcraft. Cameron shares insights into his creative philosophies and the evolution of his approach to music. He also reflects on the artists he loved as a kid: Buddy Holly, Nina Simone, Dire Straits, Outkast, Aphex Twin, Lou Reed, Joni Mitchell, the Strokes and more. Alex is on tour in North America in September, and opening for The Strokes in Europe in October. Get tickets here.