Alexz Johnson Interview — AhmedBakhsh.com
Check out this great interview with Alexz Johnson!
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It’s hard, looking at the current flock of Disney’s tween queens, to imagine them as they once were, shy, wholesome and a bit awkward, the type of girls teens were more likely to relate to, as opposed to the glitz and glam of Hannah Montana. Well, there was Lizzie McGuire, Raven Baxter, and the overlooked Annie Thelen from Disney’s most daring show, So Weird. Annie was portrayed by Alexz Johnson, a fresh-faced Canadian who was dubbed the “West Coast Celine” due to her incredible singing voice. Since then, Johnson has been in several TV movies (the criminally underrated Stranger With My Face, and Devil’s Diary), garnered praise for her role in Final Destination 3, and went on to portray Jude Harrison in Instant Star, a fictional show about the career of the winner of an American Idol-like talent show, arguably her most famous role to date. She also released some music, 2009’s Voodoo, an incredible alternative album that has more in common with Bob Dylan and other ’60s music personas, than her other Disney counterparts. I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Alexz through her manager, Stephen Stohn (thanks Stephen!), about her experiences working on So Weird, as well as the upcoming re-release of Voodoo. Check it out after the cut!
AB.com: You’ve been in singing competitions when you were little, and according to Wikipedia, you were known as the “West Coast Celine,” so it’s obvious you were interested in singing since you were young. Were you also interested in acting at the time, or were you mainly focused on being a singer?
Alexz: I was really solely focused on singing when I was young. I stumbled into acting when I was about 11. I walked into an acting agency and told them I wanted to sing. They set up auditions for me with singing roles involved and the rest is history!
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AB.com: How was it like working on So Weird? That’s one of my all-time favorite shows.
Alexz: It was so much fun. I was living a completely different life from friends my age, working full-time and being schooled on set. You tend to gravitate to other kids in the same industry as you because it’s such a different world.
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AB.com: What exactly happened with Epic Records? I remember being so disappointed when you were dropped.
Alexz: The head of the label who signed me ended up shifting to a different company. It led a lot of artists on Epic astray at the time because when a new head takes over, the acts that are still under the roster aren’t their personal signings, so it becomes a bit of a messy situation.
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AB.com: Will the songs you recorded during your time with Epic ever see the light of day?
Alexz: Absolutely.
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AB.com: You’ve been in a handful of horror movies, i.e. Final Destination 3 and Devil’s Diary (which was amazing). Is that something you want to pursue more? Or are you looking for more dramatic roles?
Alexz: I will always love darker roles.
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AB.com: Your music with Instant Star is quite different than your own music, even the songs you wrote for the first soundtrack were much darker and personal. Which style do you like more, and feel more comfortable singing?
Alexz: When I wrote songs for Instant Star, I was writing songs for Jude. So, naturally I prefer singing songs that reflect my journey and feelings.
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AB.com: My favorite song off Voodoo is “Look At Those Eyes.” It’s such a beautiful song. What was the inspiration behind it?
Alexz: That song completely reflects where I was at that time in my life. My inspiration was knowing that when dealing with pain, there’s always someone who can help you through.
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AB.com: What are your favourite songs you ever recorded, and why?
Alexz: Good question. I loved recording a song I wrote called “Shout”. It was so fun for me because I feel like that song came from my soul.
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How was it like working with:
Toby Gad: Just wrote with him last week! A lovely man, great family and super talented.
Demo Castellan: In the studio with him tomorrow! Wicked talented, and one of the most brilliant producers I’ve met in awhile.
Greg Wells: Genius, dear friend, on the same page musically, always.
Rob Wells: Lovely, talented and a sweetheart.
Amanda Ghost: Driven.
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AB.com: What was the reason behind remixing Voodoo? What sound/genre are you going for with these remixes?
Alexz: The reason was to get Voodoo to more people. The songs on Voodoo were produced the exact way we wanted them – indie, different, simple. To get them further known, I feel it’s time to bring in masterminds who know radio better than Bren[dan James Johnson] and I [to] get the songs heard, because, personally, I don’t listen to radio much, so I wouldn’t know!
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AB.com: Stranger With My Face is one of the best movies I have ever seen. You’ve called the role “emotionally and physically demanding.” How so?
Alexz: Having to play two different people was tough, but so much fun! I knew what I was in for when taking the role. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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AB.com: Will you be releasing a second single from the Voodoo album?
Alexz: Yup.
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AB.com: Any news on a second studio album, aside from Voodoo Reloaded?
Alexz: I’m already writing songs for my second album.
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AB.com: Are you going to continue with acting? If so, any TV Shows or Movies coming up?
Alexz: At this point, I can only go by auditions I get, and a lot of auditions I get I turn down because I think the writing is crap. I’m hopeful for an amazing role that I believe in! Send good vibes!
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AB.com: Do you miss working on Instant Star?
Alexz: I miss my Epitome Family.
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AB.com: How do you feel about the support your fans have given you?
Alexz: Amazing. I love my fans so much.
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AB.com: Did you record a song called “It Isn’t Like You”? If so, is it gonna be released?
Alexz: The song was leaked, unfortunately. It’s actually called “Shianne”. It may be released someday. I write so often it’s hard to say where certain songs will find their home.
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AB.com: If you could cover any song, what would it be and why?
Alexz: That’s a tough question. I’m interested in covering a Skeeter Davis song called “The End Of The World”.
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