Alex Apolline Talks New Music, Growth, and Creative Process
Interview by Ev Fauss
Photo by Coco Widauer
Alex Apolline is a Scottish singer-songwriter currently based in London, UK. She has been writing music for as long as she can remember, though she began formally establishing herself as an artist in 2022, leading to the release of her debut single, “inevitable,” in 2023.
In 2025, she released her debut EP, Tales Of An Eldest Daughter, a soulful, atmospheric body of work that offers an intimate glimpse into her emotional landscape. As her musical career continues to evolve, Alex remains deeply engaged in her creative journey, with plans to release another EP by the end of the year.
I had the opportunity to speak with Alex about the creative forces that shape the vividly imagined worlds within her music, discussing what compels her to build them, inhabit them, and invite listeners inside. Our conversation also turned toward the future, exploring the ideas, sounds, and stories she hopes to bring to life as her artistry continues to evolve.
Ev: What inspired you to pursue songwriting and begin creating your own music?
Alex: For me, songwriting was completely a form of therapy. I had actually started psychotherapy, and I’ve always been a journaler, but I think it got to a point where I didn’t want to journal about things so literally anymore. I started just writing poetry after therapy sessions, which then turned into songs.
I went to Goldsmiths and studied psychology, but I met a lot of friends studying pop music and art. That was my first time being exposed to people who took their creative work seriously as a career, because it hadn’t even seemed like a possibility to me before. It wasn’t something that was really supported or felt like a viable path. Being around them really inspired me to start doing it, because I was so drawn to what they were creating. I was always asking them questions, and one of my friends downloaded me a cracked version of Logic, which I still have to this day. That’s really what inspired me to start producing a bit, writing songs, and really delving into the craft of songwriting.
E: Do you think there were any specific artists or people in your life who drove you to create music, or was it mostly through your own forms of self-expression?
A: I was definitely inspired by lots of different artists. A huge inspiration for me was London Grammar. Their sound and the way it transports you to another place feels very cinematic, and that really inspired the kind of sonic world I wanted to create, as well as the feeling and emotion I wanted to evoke.
Photo by Nat Traxel
I’d also say artists like Florence + The Machine, AURORA, and Kate Bush. They are all really powerful female vocalists and incredible songwriters, and they have all been big inspirations for me.
E: When I listened to the EP, it felt completely cinematic. It almost felt like I was watching you paint the story of the songs as they played.
A: Yeah, I love world-building, if you will. It’s really important to me. I love the visual aspect of music. Whenever I write, I think about it visually. Every song sort of exists in a landscape to me. I really wanted to get that across in the production and the sonic palette.
E: I feel like that completely comes across in the project. What emotions do you typically find yourself drawing from when you write?
A: That’s a great question. I wouldn’t say there’s one particular emotion that spans everything, but for me it’s really the extremes, both the highs and the lows. My first EP was definitely rooted in feelings of hurt, anger, and grief, processing a sense of loss, whether that’s of self, of people, or of a future that couldn’t exist. But with more recent stuff I’ve been writing for my upcoming EP, there have also been lighter emotions. There are feelings of joy, freedom, and strength.
I think I’ve been trying to tap into how, even through darker or more destructive feelings, there can also be a sense of resilience and strength coming through. It reflects a kind of personal growth, from feeling like a victim to moving past that and having more agency, stronger boundaries, and a clearer sense of self. I’ve also been trying to tune into my anger more. I’ve always struggled with that, and I think it’s a very common thing, especially as a woman, to feel like your anger is suppressed or not something you’re allowed to connect to. That’s something I’ve really been trying to express more through my work.
E: Do you think that anger is something you come back to a lot, even when you’re not trying to write about it?
A: Yeah. I think before I wouldn’t have labeled it as anger, but looking back, feelings like self-destruction or self-hatred are really just anger pointed in a different direction.
Even in a song like “The Museum,” it’s yearning, with a lot of longing and grief, but there’s also anger underneath. It's that feeling of someone making you a promise and then taking it away. There’s that question of why they didn’t want to fight for you. And in “Hit Me Where It Hurts,” while it’s about being hurt by someone else, there’s also that anger and defiance. There’s a bit more of a backbone there than in some of the earlier songs.
E: If someone could step inside one of your songs, which one would you want them to experience first?
A: I think “Downfall.” I imagine it in a stormy landscape. You’re on a cliff, the wind is blowing, and the water below is raging. The sky is really dark, but the sun is still breaking through in this strange way. It feels like a kind of space between two worlds.
That’s where I imagine it being. It’s in the depths of that emotion. It’s a big song. But then there’s also that shift, like “I miss you, but I miss me more,” where there’s strength and change coming through.
E: How would you describe your creative process? Do you have any rituals when writing and recording?
A: Whether I’m writing on my own or going into a session, I always bring a concept, whether that’s an idea, a title, or some lyrics. I love going into sessions with lyrics, often something I’ve written in my notes app on the train or bus. Those in-between moments, where you’re just sitting with yourself, are really inspiring for me. If I’m writing with other people, it often starts with a chord progression. I’m very melody-led, and once I find a melody that feels true to the emotion, the lyrics tend to come naturally on top of that.
I wouldn’t say I have specific rituals. My life is quite busy, so when I do get time to write, it feels like all this pent-up creative energy just comes out. I haven’t really experienced writer’s block yet. Recently, I’ve also been enjoying writing more on my own, playing with production as a starting point and sometimes working from a sample rather than chords. I also paint, and for me, making music feels similar. It’s like working with colors and throwing things onto a canvas to see where it goes. That’s something I’m excited to spend more time on.
Photo by Coco Widauer
E: I saw you played some live shows lately. What’s your favorite part of performing live, and what do you hope to do more with your live shows?
A: Performing live is just incredible. I’ve only done one headline EP launch so far, so I haven’t done a full headline show yet, but even doing support slots has been so special. Having people connect with your music, whether they are singing your lyrics or just being there with the songs, is one of the most meaningful experiences. I think live music is such an important space, especially now when people can feel quite disconnected. It feels really sacred. On a personal level, it’s when I feel the most myself and the most free. Singing these songs, which are so close to me, is really cathartic, and I always feel lighter afterward.
E: I know you’re working toward another EP. Would you be willing to share anything about it?
A: Yeah! The EP is called The Sun from Both Sides. I was really interested in exploring the highs and the lows of emotion, and it marks a new chapter for me, stepping into a sense of strength and freedom that I hadn’t felt before. There are actually some of the first happy songs I’ve ever written on it. It reflects moving away from home and letting go of some of the control I used to have over my life. I used to be perfectionistic, and it’s taken a lot of work to let go of that and allow myself to experience good things.
The EP is also quite romantic, both in terms of relationships and in the sense of romanticizing life. But with that comes both beauty and pain. I have a complicated relationship with both love and identity, and opening myself up to that has been both really beautiful and really difficult. Overall, I wanted it to capture a sense of freedom, rebellion, and breaking out of old constraints. It feels more self-assured and more dynamic. There is more drive and more life in it.
Alex’s new EP will be released September 18, 2026. You can keep up with Alex on various social platforms and join her mailing list for updates on releases and upcoming tour dates.
