untold stories

Alfie Templeman im Interview: »I’d rather have a mind that thinks fairly deeply and face the wobbles that comes with it«

Alfie Templeman ist eigentlich kein richtiger Geheimtipp mehr. Mit seinem mittlerweile zweiten Album Radiosoul hat sich der Multi-Instrumentalist nicht nur Musik-Legenden wie Nile Rodgers ins Boot geholt, sondern begeistert auch immer mehr Fans weltweit. Und das ist auch kein Wunder, bei so viel musikalischem Talent in so jungen Jahren, macht es wirklich nur Spaß ihn auf seiner Karriere zu begleiten. Zu seiner damaligen EP “Happiness In Liquid Form” (2020) hatten wir ihn schon im Interview und freuen uns deshalb sehr, zu seinem neuem Album nochmal mit ihm zu sprechen!

Alfie Templeman im Interview

Anna: Hey Alfie, I hope you’re doing good! It’s been a while since we last talked, a lot has happened. How did you experience the last four years?

Alfie: Hi! I’m doing good thank you. These last 4 years have been a ride for sure. Every year has been very different from the last. 2020 saw an influx of streams and new listeners due to the pandemic, so 2021 and 2022 was all about touring the music people got to love whilst they were isolating. I released my first album in 2022 and did my first ever world tour which was good fun but very intense. 2023 ended up being a lot more relaxed and I ended up moving out of my parents place and going to London. I wrote my new album during that process.

Anna: It’s still as fun as it was back then to watch your musical career unfold in so creative and beautiful ways. What were the highlights of your career so far that you will never forget?

Alfie: That’s a really sweet thing to say! My dream as a kid was to release records and build a good discography that feels aesthetically pleasing. So taking action on that and maintaining it honestly feels like one of the main highlights of my career. But there’s also touring the world and meeting people that enjoy your music all over the place. And working with Todd Rundgren and Nile Rodgers is of course another highlight!

“Don’t rush art!”

Anna: What is something you learned during these years?

Alfie: Don’t rush art! But also don’t slouch around. Focus and energy is key. I’m still finding the perfect environment to create music. It’s yin and yang. Being comfortable but taking risks. Remember to excite yourself!

Anna: Your new songs on Radiosoul are about entering the new decade of your life: the 20’s. As someone who has been there, I can tell you: it’s gonna be lot. How do you feel about the 20’s? What are you most excited for?

Alfie: Yeah I’m already overwhelmed to be honest! I’ve put pressure on myself to work hard during this decade of my life as I know musicians tend to create some of their best work in their 20s. I think Radiosoul is a really nice way of entering this period. It’s a bridge that my adolescence took a walk over to get to the present.

Anna: Are you someone who thinks about the meaning of life a lot?

Alfie: Too much. I think sometimes it’s okay to be existential and tap into your mind a bit. But I definitely go down that route a little too much and sometimes it affects my work flow and day to day attitude – especially recently for some reason. But I think I’ll channel it into something good later on down the line. I’d rather have a mind that thinks fairly deeply and face the wobbles that come with it.

„My songs are like a diary entry.”

Anna: When we’re already in a deep-talk, what kind of role does music play in your approach to finding your own path in the world and expressing yourself in it?

Alfie: Sometimes my songs are like a diary entry. I don’t really mean to do it but I end up oversharing things and processing my emotions through writing songs. I like this because in the bigger picture it paints a nice image of the different stages of my life and all the highs and lows of being a recording artist.

Anna: It feels like a random thing to say, but I really love your lyrics and your way with words. How do you approach writing songs?

Alfie: Thank you! Sometimes songs just fall out of the sky. The track “Beckham” wrote itself in a weird way. I just wrote a bunch of lyrics down without really knowing how I was going to sing them. But normally I just think of a really good melody and then write things that fit into it. I often write down little words and phrases that I think of in the shower or on a plane.

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A jungle of instruments

Anna: You’ve worked with a lot of talented people on this album. What is something that you most enjoy when working with other people on somethings that’s as personal as your music?

Alfie: Well, for a lot of my songs I’ve sat in the hot seat when it comes to producing. When I started writing this album I had a hard time producing anything I was happy with. So I gathered together a small list of producers that I wanted to work with. This meant that I could focus on writing the best material possible without worrying about restricting myself when it came to executing the song.

Anna: Is there a song on the album that kinda stands out for you? In meaning or in the creative process?

Alfie: “Beckham.” Dan Carey and I recorded it in two afternoons with a few sandwiches. It just came from nowhere. Dan has an incredible studio, a jungle of instruments. We messed around with lots of different instruments until this song kinda just pieced itself together and I chucked my lyrics on top. It felt so good.

“I miss playing in Germany.”

Anna: You’ll be playing some intimate release shows over the UK in June – do you have plans on coming back to Germany yet?

Alfie: I hope so. I’ve just been out to Berlin to hang with some fans of the album and I also mastered my album over there too. I miss playing in Germany. They have the best riders of all time. You get treated amazingly and the people are so lovely and excited to see you play. But yeah, I reckon by the end of this year we’ll be back over there to play some shows!

Anna: For our last question we always ask for an untold story – it’s your space to share whatever you like.

Alfie: Germany was the first place I ever played outside of England. My dad and I flew out to Reeperbahn when I was 16 and I did this small set at Molotow with just a guitar. I was so nervous but it was really fun! I remember being so excited because I could buy beer over there as the drinking age is 16. Luckily I didn’t go crazy before the performance! Thanks so much for having me and hopefully it won’t be 4 whole years before we speak again! 🙂

Radiosoul ist ein Album der Selbstfindung in den 20ern, voll mit catchigem Indie-Pop Hits, tiefen Lyrics und viel Humor. Alfie Templeman auf dem Schirm zu haben, lohnt sich immens. Wer weiß, wo die reflektierte Reise des junges Songwriters und Produzenten noch hingehen wird, aber eins ist sicher: Spaß machen wird sie!