Alex Hosking has enjoyed a great 2020 on the music front despite the tough times artists have had to endure this year. Following her single ‘Fake Friends’ with PS1, which hit the UK Top 20 singles, Alex teams up with fresh talent Famba and Jake Tarry to provide vocals for the irresistible ‘Know You Best’. We spoke with her about the track, her year so far, and future plans….

LISTEN TO "KNOW YOU BEST" HERE:  https://open.spotify.com/track/5TLkeAR5ZgSnW0yplmtnnH?si=JngqQF77Qi2wKdBgy1afYg

Hi Alex, thanks for taking the time to speak to us! How’s life been for you this year?

Hey! Thanks for having me! This year has been bizarre, as it has been for the whole world. I'm so thankful to have had lots of new music come out. That has made this year good.



How are you finding this period of time in terms of your creativity? Are you spending more time experimenting and working on new sounds or using the time to give yourself a break and spend time with loved ones?

I’m normally travelling so much that I end up living out of a suitcase for most of the year. As luck would have it, I flew home from Amsterdam at the start of the year to be with my family in Australia, so it was the perfect place for me during lockdown. I could be with my family but also keep working from there. I feel like I got the best of both worlds. Being forced to stay home was great for family time, and it gave me a great excuse to just create by myself, which is how I originally started writing music. I'm so excited with all the new songs I've got for you. 



Talk to us about your new single, ‘Know You Best’, a collaboration with Famba & Jake Tarry. How did the collaboration come about?

We were all in Amsterdam during The ADE conference last year. It is such a fun festival I got to meet so many amazing new friends and collaborators.



You sing on the track, did you write those lyrics and if so, what was the message behind them?

Yes, I did write the lyrics! During the ADE conference I happened to go on a date with someone, and we just hit it off! The song's inspiration comes from connecting with someone and just wanting to know everything about them. 



You’ve had a great year in terms of releases, including featuring on PS1’s ‘Fake Friends’ which hit the UK Top 20 chart. What do you attribute to that success? Have you changed the way you work or tried to move in a different direction?

Thanks! I wrote and sung the song 3 years ago. Producer Mark Alston ended up sending it to PS1 and it was turned into a dance track (originally, I wrote it as a slow pop hip hop jam!). 

I used to focus a lot more of my time writing for other artists, but now I am focusing mainly on writing for myself and for DJs that I want to collaborate with. I’m also focusing on writing and singing music that is happy and makes people want to dance. We have had so much stress this year I just want to make music that people can enjoy and use as an escape.



You’re from Australia but currently reside in the UK, what was the thinking behind that move and do you think the UK is more receptive to your sound?

I have been travelling around the world practically non-stop for the past four years. Off the back of my success with PS1 and our song ‘Fake Friends’, setting up in the UK for the time being made the most sense. However, my next stop is Amsterdam for sure! I normally spend a lot of time there anyway as my publishing team’s main office is in Amsterdam. I am sure I will be there soon!  



Do you have any advice you’d like to share with aspiring songwriters?

Write what makes you happy! You might aim to write a ballad and it comes out like an upbeat dance song and that's okay! Just keep writing! Consistency is key! 



What plans do you have for the rest of the year? Any projects that our readers should look out for?

I am working on lots of amazing new songs and working with some other cool DJs, so be sure to follow on Instagram to keep up to date with everything!

  • screen_shot_2020-10-21_at_09