motel void

Alex Sanders is a 17-year-old singer-songwriter currently living in San Francisco.

MOTEL VOID: How has your transition from Nashville to San Francisco influenced your music, and how do the two cities’ music scenes compare in your experience?

ALEX SANDERS: Well, I lived in Nashville during much of my childhood from about 2-10 years old, so learning the basics of instruments like piano and guitar was certainly easy to pursue in a city with so much music. I especially remember downtown Nashville being so vibrant and filled with sound- certainly a memory I am fond of. It is hard to compare SF to Nashville because I feel like I have definitely gotten to know things such as the live music scene in San Francisco over the last 2 or so years of playing. I will say I think there is more appreciation in the deep rooted genres I appreciate such as folk & country music in Nashville which surely play a role in my style today.

MOTEL VOID: Do you have any favorite venues and local artists in San Francisco?

ALEX SANDERS: I have been fortunate to play a couple great venues here both as a solo artist & now performing with my live band. I would have to say one venue called The Music Concourse (informally the bandshell) which is located in Golden Gate Park has been one of my favorite spots to play, along with the JFK Promenade which is also located in the park. It is a super neat area with lots of events and festivals as well as good weather (most of the time). There are some other venues that I hope to play at soon such as Bottom of the Hill & Cafe du Nord but keep a lookout for my upcoming shows around the Bay Area!

MOTEL VOID: What themes or concepts are you exploring in your new album ‘evergreens’, and how do they reflect where you are in your life right now?

ALEX SANDERS: I think the initial idea I had was when looking at the album cover for the first time. To me it represented the senses that come with the unknown- going into the forest unsure of where you’ll end up. I definitely prefer others to take what they find in the album rather than to explain what each song means, but when I was writing and listening back to the tracks the thing that stuck out to me was the comfort that seemed to come with the looming feelings of what was unknown- whether it was concerning where the album would end up or more personal topics, I was still able to find comfort in the landscape of things.

MOTEL VOID: What was the recording process of ‘evergreens’ like, and did it differ from your previous experiences?

ALEX SANDERS: I started the writing of evergreens around January of 2024, letting it come to exist at its own pace with things like the sky e.p, live shows, and YouTube videos to fill the time until I felt like I had something I clearly thought was better; at least to myself. It started really slow because I felt the need to relearn a lot of my own process when it came to writing and recording the songs I had, but I think taking a step back and recognizing there were things that could be done better ended up pushing me to make something that I could hold up and be proud of.

MOTEL VOID: As someone born in 2006, have you faced challenges booking or playing shows at such a young age?

ALEX SANDERS: Yes, I have definitely faced some rejection because of my age, especially as I was starting out. I believe it had part to do with my age but also probably a lack of experience. When someone starts out playing live, it’s very exciting and easy to underestimate the level of skill and preparation needed to execute the show you have in your head. Nevertheless, it is a whole lot of fun and I had a great time learning by busking for free around San Francisco. I have some real nice contacts who help get my band and I booked for shows now and I firmly believe that live shows tend to grow themselves and the interest around your act very naturally which has been a great time to do and I can’t wait for what we do next!

MOTEL VOID: Who or what is your biggest inspiration at the moment?

ALEX SANDERS: I would have to say the biggest inspiration I have at the moment is the small taste I have gotten of what it means to devote yourself to the arts and in my case writing, recording, and performing my music live. I have many influences who have helped me to discover what music has to offer and the many different ways artists choose to express themselves however, I think that when you start to carve your own path as an artist whether it’s through albums or your live shows, you really begin to see the power and excitement that comes with doing this sort of thing- and in my opinion it’s a thrilling experience.

MOTEL VOID: What are your goals for the next few years, both as a musician and as a person?

ALEX SANDERS: As a senior in High School, the next few years of my life seem pretty unclear, but at the moment I am very interested in attending a Music University such as Berkeley School of Music in Boston, with the goal of meeting more likeminded people and getting to learn in a community of devoted musicians. I definitely plan to continue my own music career throughout the foreseeable future wherever I end up, recording albums and focusing on growing my live show to be more accessible to listeners in different areas. One of the underlying goals both in music and my surrounding life is to have certain freedoms within life- understanding what needs to be done in order to balance my life as an artist is a key area to plan out. For me, that is a big reason why I believe in doing things yourself whenever possible- the goal is to create and the more people you rely on to do so, the harder it is to do what makes you smile at the end of the day.