GRAMMY®-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Alexander 23 releases “The Hardest Part,” a somber track that grapples with loss and heartbroken nostalgia. Opening with gentle keys, “The Hardest Part” finds Alexander at his most vulnerable, remembering a friend he lost touch with, then lost forever. “I guess the hardest part of getting old,” he sings on the moving chorus. “Is that some people that you love don’t.” The song is a showcase for Alexander’s distinctive songwriting and his ability to transform heavy emotional moments into intimate, relatable pop songs.
Co-produced by Dan Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo, Carly Rae Jepsen, Conan Gray) and co-penned with Amy Allen, “The Hardest Part” is the latest taste of Alexander’s forthcoming full-length debut due out later this year. On an Instagram post the rising artist shared more insight behind the track, “I didn’t want to put it out. It felt wrong to commoditize grief, especially as so much of it wasn’t my own. I began to slowly send it to close family and friends, and the response was overwhelming to say the least. It made me reevaluate the song’s potential place in the world because it reminded me of what I have turned to music for countless times before, to feel understood when words and actions weren’t enough.”
Throughout 2022 Alexander has previewed his new sound – he shared eclectic, genre-expanding songs like “Crash” and sensitive moments like “The Hardest Part,” and “Hate Me If It Helps” co-written by Olivia Rodrigo. Alexander shared these tracks live while on John Mayer’s Sob Rock Tour 2022 tour and will continue to share new tracks next month as he heads to the UK and Ireland for shows supporting pop upstart Tate McRae. Later this year, he’ll play sets at festivals including Lollapalooza in Chicago and Life Is Beautiful in Las Vegas.
