Artist interview: Alex Haines

Today, chat with Alex Haines, a captivating artist whose journey in music began even before she could speak. From belting out "I'm a Little Teapot" in a high chair to crafting intricate melodic metal, Alex has forged a unique path as a self-producing musician. Join us as we delve into her earliest musical memories, the inspirations behind her powerful songwriting, and the pivotal moments that shaped her solo career, including her upcoming EP, "The Rain on Your Parade."

Tori: Given your deep history with music, singing since before you could talk, what's your earliest memory of connecting with music on an emotional level?

Alex: I’ll give you a few, since they all feel connected. My earliest memory is of sitting in a high chair, singing “I’m a Little Teapot” (replete with interpretive dance) while my parents cheered me on, like an audience watching a legitimate stage performance. It felt magical. Months later, I learned to walk while “California Dreamin” by The Mamas and The Papas was playing on my parents’ stereo. That became one of my favorite songs as a kid, and I belted it out whenever I got the chance. Also, my mom has been a piano teacher since I was three. She played and sang showtunes with me as I grew up. My favorites were “Think of Me” from Phantom of the Opera, “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow” from Annie, and “On My Own” from Les Miserables. When I was four, my mom told me that someone who plays music is called a musician, and that lit up something inside me. That was the moment I knew what I wanted to do with my life. My mom began teaching me to play piano shortly thereafter, and I never looked back.

Tori: You've cited a diverse range of influences from Kittie to Evanescence. How do you weave these varied sounds into your unique melodic metal style?

Alex: I connect with heavy metal more than any other genre—which often prioritizes screaming more than singing—and yet composing and singing clear melody lines has always been very important to me. It’s one of the most profound ways that I express myself; I sing a lot more than I scream and growl. So the way I bridge the gap between these two oft-opposing forces is to write very heavy, powerchord-driven guitar parts with lots of distortion, while also maintaining definitive melodic progressions in all of my instrumentation.

Tori: Many of your influences, like Mushroomhead and System of a Down, are known for their theatricality or unique sonic textures. How much do presentation and atmosphere play a role in your artistic vision?

Alex: What draws me to Mushroomhead the most is the symphonic aspect of their music. Their songs are so heavy, and yet so rich, with the keys and programmed sounds set against the pounding guitars and double bass—characteristics I’d begun envisioning for my own music as a teenager, when I was just getting into metal. System of a Down got my attention with their emotional intensity, varying vocal styles, and robust use of harmonies—the latter of which is something I’ve always done. I can harmonize to any song I know well, without even thinking about it, and so I naturally bring that into my own music. I’ve written some songs with five-part harmonies. And while my vocals aren’t always as dramatic as those in System of a Down songs, I have my moments: I’ll overlay a certain phrase where I’m singing, with another track where I’m screaming or growling.

Tori: "Grappling with and overcoming adversity" is a core theme in your songwriting. Can you share an example of a personal experience that directly inspired a particular song?

Alex: I wrote “Sweet Strawberry” when I was eighteen, after getting over a manipulative older boy whose actions had nearly driven me to suicide. He had me questioning my grip on reality and the validity of my feelings for three years. I wrote a few other songs about him while thick of it, but I’ve always called “Sweet Strawberry” my consolation prize; that song made all the pain worth it. I also started writing it in my sleep. I woke up smiling and mouthing the lyrics, and I felt in my soul that the song was going to be very special. I sensed that it would move mountains and impact many people. Even all these years later, it’s still my favorite out of my entire repertoire—not just because I love the song itself, but also because it's proof that I recovered from a devastating experience.

Tori: What was the pivotal moment or realization that led you to shift from working with bands to pursuing a solo career as a self-producing artist?

Alex: Two weeks before recording the first Shattered Serenade album, my violinist quit, upon realizing the level of commitment required. I got angry...until I remembered that I still had my old keyboard, which could simulate just about every instrument under the sun. Somehow, I managed to compose a “string section” for every song before going into the studio, by playing my keyboard on the String Orchestra setting. And then I realized that it sounded better than just a violin; it sounded like a full orchestra. Even the sound engineer said to me, “That was quite a score!” after I tracked the entire string section of the first song in only ten minutes. So the violinist’s departure was actually a blessing in disguise. Then came the next curveball: the band fell apart shortly after we finished recording. That was another blessing in disguise, because it forced me realize that, if I could simulate an entire damn orchestra, what was stopping me from simulating drums and bass? Absolutely nothing. So here I am, years later, proficient in crafting full-band and orchestral arrangements with the magic that is MIDI.

Tori: How has the process of self-production evolved for you, and what new creative freedoms or challenges has it presented?

Alex: My instrumentals have gotten way more complex, since I’ve been able to track everything and see how all the parts fit together very quickly. It’s freeing to be able to craft my songs exactly how I hear them in my head; rather than struggling to convey my vision to other musicians and then arguing with sound engineers over the nitty-gritty details. The biggest challenge has been in honing my skills as a producer, since it’s taken years to cultivate a professional degree of proficiency—but it’s been so worth it. I am saving myself so much time, money, and stress by writing and producing everything by myself. I don’t have to answer to anyone; I just listen to my heart.

Tori: Your music has grown to include MIDI percussion, bass guitar, and orchestral simulations. What inspired this expansion, and how do these new elements contribute to your sound?

Alex: I realized nothing was stopping me from doing this after my band fell apart. Also, I write best by ear. Once I embraced this trait, I discovered that inputting everything with MIDI (except vocals and guitars) allows me to craft much more complex instrumentation. Since I hear particular effects or harmonizations between instruments in my head, it’s a lot faster and easier to plot those notes in Logic, rather than noodling around on my guitar and piano and trying to sync it up with the soundscapes forming in my mind. I do write parts of my songs by playing guitar and piano, but most of my compositions form in my mind first.

Tori: "The Instrumental Sessions" features instrumental versions of future songs. What was your intention behind releasing these versions first, and how do they prepare listeners for your upcoming vocal tracks?

Alex: My intention with this album is to showcase the complexity of my instrumentation, which can’t fully be appreciated with the vocals taking center stage. Until a few people pointed this out to me, I’d never considered that my material was intricate enough to stand alone without vocals. But the more I listened to the instrumentals during the writing process—since I couldn’t focus as much on crafting each part unless I’d muted the vocal tracks—the more I seriously considered releasing the instrumental tracks as a legitimate body of work. We don’t usually see that in metal, even if it’s very melodic. And so I figured that the very fact that it’s not done was all the more reason for me to do it. I’ve always been a trailblazer. I’ve always been the person to break down barriers. As for preparing listeners for what’s coming: three of the songs on this album will be on my next EP, with vocals. I’m looking forward to seeing how people react to the full versions of those songs, after having heard the instrumentals.

Tori: Can you give us a hint about the lyrical themes or emotional landscapes explored in your upcoming EP, "The Rain on Your Parade"?

Alex: This album explores my past struggles with feelings of inadequacy in relationships—which spawned from the abuse I faced as a child—followed by my epiphany that I actually am a good person; I’m not a monster, as per the sentiments expressed in the eponymous Shattered Serenade album. The title track, “I Said No, Pt. 2 (The Rain on Your Parade)” reveals how childhood trauma conditioned me to feel undeserving of basic dignity and healthy boundaries...which then led to those dynamics playing out in my romantic relationships. I grew up feeling like the rain on everyone’s parade. I thought I was destroying my friends’ and relatives’ quality of life, simply by asking for my needs to be met, because people often threw tantrums and punished me when I spoke up. But I am not afraid of advocating for myself anymore. “I Said No, Pt. 2” is a profound and full-circle moment from “I Said No,” which is on the Shattered Serenade album, “The Monster.” That song explores my suffering under a particular abuser—while “Part 2” fleshes out my revelation that having felt deserving of abuse didn’t start with him; it began when I was a small child.

Tori: With "The Rain on Your Parade" tentatively scheduled for Fall 2025, how does the creative process differ for an EP versus a full-length album for you?

Alex: There’s no difference in the creative process, based on album length. I don’t set out to write albums about particular topics; I just choose the tracks based on the themes I seek to explore with each release. After The Rain on your Parade, all the future records I have planned will be full-length albums, containing at least twelve songs each.

Tori: What is one song on "The Rain on Your Parade" that you're particularly excited for your fans to hear and why?

Alex: “Sweet Strawberry” is my magnum opus. Though I’ve written lots of songs since then, I feel like I still have yet to top that one. I cannot put into words how much that song means to me. It’s going to be the first single off The Rain on your Parade, with an accompanying music video.

Tori: How do you approach the songwriting process, from initial concept to the final arrangement? Do the lyrics or the music usually come first?

Alex: Lyrics always come first. A lyric and a snippet of a melody starts playing in my head, and I then grab a pen and paper, or open my laptop, depending on what’s closer and how fast the song is forming in my mind. Sometimes the entire melody forms as I’m writing lyrics, and sometimes I have to put it to guitar for the song to really come together. After that, I record the guitars and vocals, and then program the other instruments with MIDI. I start with drums, followed by strings, and finish with bass guitar.

Tori: Beyond your main instruments, are there any other instruments you'd like to incorporate into your music in the future?

Alex: I can’t think of any.

Tori: What has been the most challenging aspect of your musical journey so far, and how did you overcome it?

Alex: I had to take singing lessons for ten years, because I had so many unconscious emotional blocks to letting my voice ring out freely. I grew up being told my singing voice was too loud; I was often accused of straining it, trying to be as loud as possible. But the irony was that I’d actually been straining my voice trying to make it quieter. The higher the notes, the more I constricted my throat without even realizing. It took years to unlearn that programming—especially the fear that I didn’t deserve to be heard, and that my voice was too much to handle. The higher I sing, the louder my voice gets, and it’s taken a tremendous amount of bravery to embrace that, instead of trying to shrink myself to make other people comfortable. I’ll never forget the moment when my voice teacher said to me, “Soft be damned. Just sing.”

Tori: Conversely, what has been the most rewarding experience or moment in your career as a solo artist?

Alex: Learning to trust in my capabilities; proving to myself that I can make incredible music without having to lean on anyone, be it other musicians or sound engineers.

Tori: Your band Shattered Serenade is on hiatus. Do you foresee a time when you might revisit that project, or is your focus primarily on your solo work now?

Alex: I have a hunch that I will resurrect Shattered Serenade at some point, but it’s not a priority right now; my primary goal has always been to be a solo artist. I’d only formed Shattered Serenade because I’d thought I couldn’t do it all myself.

Tori: How do you stay creatively inspired and avoid burnout, especially when tackling such personal and often intense themes in your music?

Alex: Writing music is one of the main ways I heal and transmute negative energy, so it is a necessary process. At the same time, I don’t pressure myself to produce a certain amount of content in a given timeframe. I never know how many songs I’ll write in a year, or whether I’ll have the capacity to write their full-band arrangements. Sometimes I write ten songs in a year; other years, not a single one. I have dozens of songs in my catalogue, with my next eight albums already planned out—that’s another reason I don’t have to worry about burning out to avoid running out of material.

Tori: For aspiring musicians who are considering self-producing, what's one piece of advice you would offer them?

Alex: Take your time, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Audio production is a very complex craft, with many nuanced layers. Watching YouTube tutorials and reading books might not be enough. After seven years of teaching myself, I took sound engineering lessons for a few months, to get myself over the hump where I’d been struggling. That propelled me forward to the point of having full confidence in my abilities. When my former mentor said to me, “I don’t know how much more I can actually teach you!” I knew I was ready to rumble. And if I can get there, so can you.

Tori: If you could collaborate with any artist, living or from the past, from your list of influences, who would it be and why?

Alex: I would love to collaborate with Kittie. They’ve been my favorite band and biggest musical influence since I was a teenager, and I think we could create some profound metal magic together. I’m also going to cover a few of their songs in the future.

Tori: What message do you hope listeners take away from your music, especially those who are also grappling with their own adversities?

Alex: Your voice matters. Your experiences are real. Your needs and feelings are valid. Don’t be afraid to speak up, even when it’s scary; suffering in silence will only hurt you more in the end. Leaving a cherished relationship may feel devastating at first, but the liberation and autonomy that accompany your bravery will make the initial grief worth it. If someone makes you feel less-than for setting boundaries and expressing your emotions, kick them to the curb. Healthy relationships do not require you to repress your needs to keep the other person comfortable; there should always be an open dialogue, no matter how difficult some conversations need to be. Put yourself first. Love yourself, and respect yourself without apology, and the right people will show up in your experience. And remember that anyone who leaves your life is only making room for something better. Have faith in how good your life can get.