Today we bring you an interview with Ali Robertson. Ali and the Parade is a new artist from Glasgow (Scotland)
Scottish alt-pop newcomer Ali & The Parade has announced the release of his latest single Losing Sleep, out Friday 8th October.
This exciting new material from Glasgow-based singer and multi-instrumentalist Ali Robertson is written about the early stages of a new relationship and is an infectious slice of alternative pop rock with flashes of funk and soul – think Bruno Mars meets Prince.
Having amassed support from the likes of BBC Introducing this year with previous singles Love You Yet and Infatuated, this latest offering is the title track from Ali’s forthcoming EP and promises to be another jewel in the 24-year-old’s crown.
Robertson’s beginnings, like many, started by playing in bands and getting involved in the vibrant Glasgow jam scene. This honed the songwriting skills Ali needed to go it alone and the Parade is that culmination of focus and passion to make something colorful.
What would be the ideal food to have cooked for you on a date night?
Honestly anything. I’m so easy to impress when it comes to cooking food. If you cook anything without following a recipe, you’ll blow my mind.
Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life?
Will Poulter. The guy who plays Kenny in We’re The Millers. I’ve been told I look like him quite a lot. He used to be in that School of Comedy show and I had a teacher at school that called me School of Comedy for the whole of high school. Still triggers me tbh.
If you were a member of the Spice Girls, what would your spice handle be?
Tired Spice.
What makes you nostalgic?
I moved home during the pandemic for a bit, which is the longest I’d lived at home with my parents since I left school. I got into a seriously bad habit of walking round my old village listening to Scott Street by Phoebe Bridgers to make myself feel painfully nostalgic because I had nothing better to do. It was so ridiculously emo; I’d sometimes burst out laughing at how emo I was being.
If you were captain of a ship, what would you call it?
Bob.
What first got you into music?
My mum put me through piano lessons from maybe about 6 or 7, and I definitely mean ‘put me through’, it felt like a chore at first, Mum will testify. But then my sister got a guitar and I just kept stealing it from her room and making up my own songs on it with the open strings as I didn’t know how else to play. That was enough for my parents to send me to guitar lessons with my sisters’ guitar. My guitar teacher soon gave me a book of the tabs to Dookie by Green Day and Experience Hendrix. Something just clicked and I was hooked.
Who inspired you to make music?
It just seemed like the obvious thing to do if I’m honest, thinking back to it now. I can’t remember ever hearing a particular band or artist and thinking “I want to write songs like that”, it just happened naturally. I was fortunate enough to be getting piano and guitar lessons, so that led to me pulling friends together at high school and starting a band. We covered songs by Muse and The Killers and Rage Against The Machine etc, but it wasn’t long before I was coming up with my own riffs and ideas and bringing them to the band. To be honest, I think from a really young age I’ve always felt that music makes the most sense when you’re writing and creating your own thing. That’s just always what I’ve done when picking up an instrument.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
It’s definitely pop music. It’s funny, when I was younger and getting into playing in bands etc., the concept of making pop music was frowned upon, when now I think it’s definitely changed. Intelligent, thought provoking pop music is definitely in the mainstream with the likes of Charli XCX, Jack Antonoff & Lorde being played daily on Radio 1 and the likes. If you’re a fan of the music of those artists, you’ll hopefully be a fan of mine.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Annie Clark aka St Vincent. She’s an absolute icon, I love everything she does. Every interview I’ve read with her she provides such incredible wisdom and insight into writing and creating music and art. “All you need are ears and ideas.”. That’s my favorite inspirational quote from a musician ever and that was her.
Where was your last song recorded?
The majority of all my songs were recorded in my bedroom in Glasgow. The only parts that weren’t were some of the vocals that were recorded at a local recording studio facility that has recording booths. You can rent them out by the hour at any hour of the day, which is actually a pretty incredible thing to have on my doorstep. It was ideal when I needed to record vocals in the middle of the night, and I didn’t want to annoy the neighbors any more than I already do.
For more information, please go to: Facebook @aliandtheparade / Instagram @aliandtheparade / YouTube @aliandtheparade / Twitter @aliandtheparade
