Standing at the bar with your cash out

Alex Niedt takes a shot and pours us a hit...By Bella Harris
Photographs by John Eastlund, with video stills by Zac Eubank Sitting in a rebelliously quiet room, burgeoning pop/R&B recording artist, Alex Niedt, lounges with satisfaction at the thought of his "Don't Forget To Tip Your Bartender" music video release that hit iTunes on June 10th. "It feels like a huge load has been lifted off my shoulders." He stammers humbly, his tone reedy and slightly groggy from a long night of after parties."I'd always wanted to make a music video, so it's wonderful to have that creative outlet finally realized."
Rubbing out the shadows of his baby blues, his scruffy nice-guy sweetness is anything but bubblegum. And while he's riding on all six cylinders towards a spotlight basking in lime, Alex isn't quite convinced that he's serving up a sex-appeal to the masses like a dinnertime platter. His fans disagree.

Aesthetically, what are your objectives for your genre of music?
I like to balance the genres I love, which are darker, slower, atmospheric, and more acoustically-based indie music, alongside the slick, modern production and hard-hitting beats of pop, R&B, and hip hop. Sometimes I think of it as pop with more musical and lyrical substance.

In five years, what can audiences expect to see from you?A steadier stream of output and constant musical growth. I love to venture out of my comfort zone and five years from now, I'll still be challenging myself and staying true to the music I love making.

The overall theme of the song and video seems to meld a haunting, intentionally ugly 80's, and almost David Lynch ambiance.The video was absolutely intended to convey ugliness. Zac [Eubank, the video's director] and I wanted a sense of realism and imperfection, and of course, the song's intention was to convey the ugly side of nightlife, which is typically glamorized to the point of insanity in popular music. In nearly every club oriented video you see, everyone's perfect and beautiful, and everything plays out like a fantasy. I wanted the opposite of that. However, I do love the style of Hype Williams' videos and his slick editing style, but balanced that out with the Lynchian darkness you noticed.

What designers and brands are you wearing in the "Don't Forget To Tip Your Bartender" music video?
A Kris Van Assche pinstripe blazer, Express Men's shirt, pants, and tie, and Dior Homme boots and belt.

Largely, one of the most appealing aspects of being a writer is having the opportunity to interview my boyfriend. Obviously, it has its perks. So as I wrapped things up, I probed Alex once more before deciding to head out for an afternoon together.

Any final thoughts? And do you really remember to tip your bartender?Thank you for all your support and for this interview, I love you so much. And to everyone who takes time to read this, listen to my music, or watch the video... thank you! And after releasing the song, there's no way anyone will let me forget!

Support Alex at the following site:Download available on iTunes
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