Canadian singer-songwriter Alexander Stewart has been making waves across the globe with his soaring vocals, raw honesty, and emotionally charged pop anthems. Fresh off a surprise London appearance and gearing up for his UK headline tour, Alexander caught up with Pop Scoop from a car en route to Heathrow – energy high, and heart full.
“A Chaotic Little Trip”
“It’s been so chaotic!” Alexander laughs, speaking from the backseat of a car in London. “I love, love, love the UK. I’ve been so many times, and every single trip is so much fun. Yesterday, I got to do a surprise pop-in at Lauren Spencer Smith’s show at the Apollo, and it was such a blast – just a little taste of what’s to come.”
That “taste” is his upcoming UK headline tour in November, celebrating his debut album What If, which drops in two weeks. “It’s a production like I’ve never done before,” he grins. “All the new songs mean so much to me – they kind of tell the story of the last year and a half of my life.”
Alexander’s love of music started young, rooted in church and classical training. “I grew up singing in choirs in Canada,” he explains. “I had pretty intense classical training as a kid. Then I discovered Sam Smith’s In the Lonely Hour – the first album I ever bought – and it totally changed my life. It was emotional and vocal and powerful, and I thought, ‘Maybe this is something I could actually do.'”
That mix of technical precision and emotional storytelling still defines his sound today. “It’s like the church boy and the pop artist coexisting,” he says with a smile.
That Fallon Moment
In the last few years, Alexander’s career has rocketed forward – from award nominations to late-night debuts. “Playing Jimmy Fallon was a huge moment for me,” he says. “It was a lifelong dream. I’ve never been that nervous – I was like, “Please Lord, don’t screw this up!'”
He laughs, but the sincerity is clear. “That, my first tour, my first album – all those milestones are things I’ve dreamed of forever. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that people even come to my shows.”
Staying Real in the Digital Age
With a loyal fanbase across TikTok, YouTube, and streaming platforms, Alexander’s connection with fans runs deep. “I feel like I grew up online,” he reflects. “A lot of people who follow me have been around for a decade. As I got older and started writing music, I realised that the more honest I was, the more people connected with it. Being authentic isn’t just a choice – it’s what works.”
And while online feedback doesn’t steer his songwriting, live shows definitely do. “After my first tour, I realised how much I love the big, up-tempo songs. Seeing people go crazy in the crowd – that totally inspired me to write bigger, more energetic tracks.”
His track If You Only Knew earned him a VMA nomination – an accolade he still finds surreal. “It meant so much because that song is about mental health, which is something I really care about,” he says. “It’s one of my most honest songs. The fact that it was recognised made me feel like people really listened.”
Despite the acclaim, he remains grounded. “I’ve got major imposter syndrome,” he admits. “I’m working on that. But I don’t think anything – awards, streams, numbers – could really change the way I see my music.”
Alexander’s writing process is deeply personal. “Every single song I’ve written is about something that’s actually happened to me,” he says. “I feel things really deeply – sometimes too much – and writing is how I deal with it. It’s my therapy, my journal. The only difference is that everyone else gets to read it.”
Touring with the likes of Benson Boone and Charlie Puth has been an education in artistry and professionalism. “The Charlie tour was huge for me,” Alexander says. “Watching him and his team operate – the musicianship, the precision – I learned so much. I definitely take little bits from every tour and apply them to my own shows.”
Now stepping into his own spotlight, Alexander is relishing the chance to connect with fans face-to-face. “Touring is my favourite part of all of this,” he says. “There’s nothing like standing in a room and hearing people sing your words back. Every person in that crowd has a different relationship with each song – it’s beautiful.”
Pre-Show Rituals and Road Life
When it comes to pre-show traditions, Alexander keeps it simple – and hilarious. “My guitarist and best friend Flynn Tanner and I have this ridiculous handshake we do before every show,” he laughs. “We’ve been adding to it for years, and now it’s over a minute long. It’s so dumb but so perfect. We’ve done it hundreds of times.”
Looking ahead, Alexander is hungry for more travel, more music, and more connection. “Asia and Australia blew my mind,” he says. “Next year, I really want to go back and actually explore more. It was so go-go last time, and I want to take it all in properly.”
As for what’s coming musically? “I’ll be writing nonstop on the road – all the experiences, the people, the emotions. I just can’t wait to keep creating.”
World tour dates:
11/13 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
11/16 – Birmingham, UK @ Q2 Academy 2
11/17 – London, UK @ KOKO
11/19 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
11/21 – Hamburg, DE @ Fabrik
11/24 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg MAX
11/25 – Berline, DE @ Hole 44
11/27 – Paris, FR @ Alhambra
11/28 – Munich, DE @ Theaterfabrik
11/30 – Vienna, AT @ WUK
12/1 – Zurich, CH @ Dynamo
12/3 – Milan, IT @ Circola Magnolia
2/24 – Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre
2/26 – Calgary, AB @ Commonwealth Bar
2/28 – Seattle, WA @ Nuemos
3/1 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall
3/3 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
3/5 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Grand at The Complex
3/7 – Denver, CO @ Meow Wolf Denver
3/10 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
3/11 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
3/13 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
3/15 – Montreal, QC @ Théâtre Beanfield
3/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry at The Fillmore
3/20 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
3/21 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
3/22 – Washington, DC @ The Atlantis
3/24 – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft at Center Stage
3/26 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
3/28 – Dallas, TX @ The Cambridge Room at House of Blues Dallas
3/29 – Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room
4/1 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
4/2 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA Sidestage
4/4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Pacific Electric
Lydia is a presenter, musician and journalist. She specialises in interviewing and music journalism.
