Alex Warren: The Grammys, Hype House & Homelessness

It is your founding father, Alex Cooper, with Paul Herndaddy. Alex Warren, welcome to Caller Daddy. Thank you. You have had, I was gonna say you've had the craziest year, but then I feel like it all started really in COVID for you.

Yeah. Your life has just been upwards, sense them. It was high-pulse to now music and you've just blown up into this superstar, and you have this fandom. Heck yeah.

Even you're like, "Yes, keep going. Keep going." I sometimes get extra spread with my internet, too, so. You're so high maintenance. Thank you.

Does it feel real? It does feel real now. For the last year, it felt like a dream,

and then I actually got a second to look back at it,

and it does feel like, I guess it's a little shocking, but I guess it feels real now. I don't want to be in suffering, be like, "Oh, no, no, I get it." It's like, you can only, you can only fathom as much as you can, because you're also still living it,

and you're also still growing, obviously, as an artist, as a person, but it is really cool to see your success. I also realize I'm welcoming you back to LA, because you used to live here, then you moved to Nashville. What inspired that move?

I technically live out, I live in Tennessee, not Nashville. Okay. I don't like major cities anymore. You're done. You're just my wife, her dream was to have horses,

and that was one of the things where I'm from San Diego, and I love surfing everything, so I have a place here that I surf and skateboard and get away after tours and stuff. But I wanted my wife to have that farm life that she wanted, and it was also nice, 'cause I live so far away

that no one knows where I live. Okay, but to go from a San Diego surfing kid to being kind of in the middle of nowhere, what has been the biggest culture shock for you? It's so funny, there isn't really a culture shock.

“San Diego, the only thing is you're not by an ocean.”

San Diego, especially everyone's nice. You walk around and everyone's greeting you. When I lived here, I went and introduced myself to the neighbors, and they were like, "Why the are you introducing yourself?" They're like, "Get away from me."

Yeah, like, everyone's, you know this. It's like, these houses are next to each other. And I love, I grew up in the cold to sack vibe of everyone new each other and set high on walks, and I try to wave at everyone when they're on walks,

and they just ignore me here. That's actually such a good point. I grew up on a cold to sack two, and I thought that was the norm, and then you get to LA, and everyone's like,

"Don't bring me cookies, don't welcome me." Oh my God, I thought you were. Right, my wife made a sourdough for everyone in our cold to sack, and it was crazy where we left it on our doorstep when people in LA, and we would go back to next day,

it was still there. And here, or in Nashville, they'll take it and they'll say, "And then they'll make you another one." It's really cool. Are you leaning in like, are you wearing cowboy boots?

I've worn boots for a little bit on tour, but that's more of like, I still have from Benson Boone. - I love that. - I still don't look like him, I'm still trying that part, but no, right now I've just been,

I've just fully embraced that I don't look like I belong there, and it's been nice. - Well, I'm so happy for you guys, and I'm so happy for you, you have new music, you have an arena tour coming up.

You were recently nominated for your first Grammy. - Thanks. - What has been the most exciting of all of those? - Wow, I think the Grammy's was the most exciting. The growing up, I was such a,

I was not a good singer growing up, and especially that I did choir and choir, I think it was called chorus and the teacher was like,

“you know, you should probably try something else.”

And I would always do talent shows and no one cared,

and all the friends, all of these kids would make fun of me. And so I think the Grammy's being nominated for Grammy was like, "Oh, cool, I'm supposed to be doing this." - Can you take me to that moment where you got the phone call and you found out,

though that you were nominated? Like, where were you, what were you wearing, what were you doing? - I totally did not. Like, and I mean this when I said this,

I did not think I was getting nominated. I think, especially I've had a lot of proof in this industry coming from social media. So for that, I was like, oh, they're gonna, they're gonna show me that I don't belong,

and I'm gonna get really sad. My friends, they all flew out and surprised me at my house. And we're like, we're gonna watch it together, and I was like, are you crazy? This is the worst, and so I left.

And then I came back right in time, thankfully, and I sat down and they were all filming.

And when they said my name, I was the second to last person,

“and I just remember breaking down a grant.”

There's a video of it. And I've just remember breaking down crying with my wife, and it was really cool. And then I went and ate sushi. - Okay, so you get to the Grammys.

- Yeah. - Who were you the most star struck by? 'Cause you see it on TV growing up, and then you get in those rooms and you're like, oh, it's real, like everyone's just rubbing shoulders

with everyone, and I'm here. - Yeah, it's a little bit intimidating. - It is. - I think, I don't know, wow, I met Billie Eilish,

She's so sweet.

“I think I go into every room thinking everyone hates me.”

- No, no, no, no, no, no, I don't know. I went into this room, and I like I, they were very sweet. Chapel Rowan came up to me. I had a malfunction during the show,

and she came up to me, and she was like, dude, like if anyone understands it's the people in this room

and you sounded amazing, I totally will get into this room.

- Yes. - I was down, and I think she could tell, and she came up to my table and was the sweetest ever, and I was like, I love you. - You saying that you walk into room

and you think everyone hates you? Is that you think in this industry or in life? - In life, it's funny. It's truly, I, I don't, if I had a therapist, they'd probably diagnosed me with so many different things.

I, I don't know, I was a heavily bullied kid. Like I got kicked out of parties all the time, and yeah, I would walk into a party 'cause my friends would be invited, and I would walk in, and everyone would be like,

calling me a lot of words that you can't repeat today. And I think it's just 'cause I did social media and I sang. I would sing in bathrooms and at my house, and I would just post them on the internet,

and I wanted to do this so badly,

“and I think you're really lame until you make it,”

and this type of stuff. And so like everyone would just, I was not a cool kid. And so as the stuff started happening, you know, ordinary, I would look for the hate comments, I'd go on Twitter,

and I'd be like, okay, well, everything's going really well, my life, what could go wrong. And I looked at my name on Twitter, and everyone's calling me these different things, and I was like, so it is true, I'm still this, you know?

And so yeah, it was just, now I carry on. I think every celebrity has seen my TikToks and thinks I'm just some cringy, one-hit wonder, and yeah. - Alex, it's fun, I am. - No, but it is like, I guess what is so crazy

is how we all internalize, obviously, the focus on ourselves, and to your credit, like getting kicked out of parties,

like being the person that people were always like,

get him out of here, we don't want him here. That's gonna stick with you. But then it also is like, you've evolved and you've grown as a person, and sometimes we still have self-believes

about ourselves that don't, never existed. And a lot of people when you're walking into these rooms have no idea about your TikToks, but we're our own more send-in-meas, and so you're walking into these rooms,

and you're like, oh my god, they must know when I was doing the Renegade, and it's like, no one knew. - Oh god, I get it. - No, she was thinking about that.

“- Do you still remember how to do the Renegade?”

- I never learned it. That was the thing, I never, I was a chubby little, I don't even know what I was. I was behind the camera all the time, you know? Like, that was like, for me, I would film my wife.

And I thought, I've still to this day, think my wife's one of the funniest people ever, and she's, that was my content. I was like, well, I wanna show everyone who this woman is, and it started really well,

and that's why when I started a music, I was terrified 'cause I was like, they didn't sign up for this, they didn't sign up for me. So all of a sudden, I'm like, hey, I make music about my dead parents,

and people liked it, and I was shocked, and I was like, wait, people finally like me, something has to be wrong. And that's when I went to Twitter. - I love Helen's stead of a lot of people in your position.

I feel like, oh my god, people finally like me, I'm gonna hold on to this for dear life, this is the best feeling in the world, you're like, what's wrong? Who's pranking me?

No, I don't believe it. - Can we go back to the Grammy, so? Because you obviously mentioned Chapel's advice, and obviously this was huge. People were so excited for you to perform at the Grammy's,

and then it broke our hearts when we saw you, essentially have these technical difficulties during your performance. Now that you've had some time away from that moment, which was such a huge moment for you and your career,

how did you feel about that night? Can you just kind of take me through it? (upbeat music) Now that you've had some time away from that moment, which was such a huge moment for you and your career,

how did you feel about that night? Can you just kind of take me through it?

- I've never talked about this, it was horrifying.

We had rehearsed it all week. All week, we were rehearsing, it was perfect. It went well, and I, to this day, I don't know exactly what happened right when I, so the way it works is the medley's happening.

So in my ears, I can hear, whoever was singing before me, right? Something happened in everything cut out, and they're like 30 seconds, and I said, I can't hear anything, I can't hear myself.

And the guy's like, it's live TV 25 seconds, and I go, guys, something's wrong. Something gets blasted into left ear, and right ear, I hear nothing, and I go, guys, I can't hear it.

And so they start, someone was filming this backstage, like there's definitely a video that exists. They're messing with my pack, messing with my ears. So they get your ears, it's your ears, it's your pack,

it's your pack, 15 seconds, 10 seconds, and in my head, I immediately go, I look up in the sky and I go,

I just go, let's do it.

And so they can't fix it.

They blast it, to see if anything is happening, maybe it's just low. I start singing, and all I'm hearing is from the other room, like a crowd mic is on or something. And so once I start getting into the hallway,

there's this hallway, and in the performance, I get the left ear blasting again. And so it's just the left ear, right ear's gone, and in the left ear, it's, for anyone who understands audio, it's mono, it's not stereo, so it's blasting,

and it's not good quality, there's no mix to it. So all I'm hearing is my voice super loud. I get down to the steps, and then immediately I start hearing echoing on the right ear, and so I take it out, and then that made it worse,

stupidly, and so once I get on to stage, I hear it, and my ear gets a click again, and I put it right back in and it's fixed.

“So I think it was an RF issue when we rehearsed it,”

they were expecting 20,000 phones to be in,

and everyone was filming, and so the RF cut it out,

and then once I got to the stage, 'cause there's two fins I would assume, once we got to the stage, I got it back. - When this is happening in that very moment, 'cause I didn't realize you had a little bit of panic

behind the scenes that we didn't see. When you're walking down those steps, did you at all think like, can we stop, did you should I just stop this? - Wow, I, I, to be honest, during that part,

I'm supposed to be engaging with the audience, right? So when I'm walking down, I'm supposed to be like, "Hey guys, I'm at the Grammys, this is cool." And instead, you'll see pure horror in my eyes. I, truthfully, was just trying to find the count.

And so I did not think, should we stop, or anything? 'Cause I, there was part of me, I was like, "Okay, I can't hear myself and then just stop, "but imagine what would have happened there." 'Cause the time is slotted, it's live.

So it went through my brain as I left the tunnel,

should I stop, but then I thought, "Then this would be the most awkward social moment "of the world where it's just a camera on me, "standing there crying." - Right, you're like, "All right, let's pause."

And then you're like, "I just wanted to get over it." And once I got over it, and once we were at the top, come on, I'm terrified of heights. I'm horrified of heights, and that entire time,

it wasn't thinking about, I was in the air, I was thinking, "Please, get me back on time." - Oh, wait, why did you agree to do the heights? - I wanted it to be special, okay. - Now I'm realizing it was a bit mega church, I don't even know.

- I love all your life. So you had this whole vision for this whole thing, and then nothing went as planned. - No. - Okay, Alex, then I can't help but also think like,

you end the song. What is your immediate dominant emotion in that moment? Once it finishes. - Don't cry and lie, I'm television. So I waited until the camera went off,

I mean, 'cause I knew that there's a moment where the camera's on me, but I was like, "Holding my tears 'cause I looked my left and right and everyone was like, "You did so good and everyone's screaming." And I was like, "Wow, this is really, really emotional."

I get off stage and I just run up the stairs. And there's a little room for change 'cause I keep my their announcing the winner right after this. So I have to get to my seat, I have three minutes.

“And they're like, "You have to get to your seat."”

And I'm like, "Do I have to go out there?" Like, "Do I have to stay here?" And they're like, "Just stay as long as you think you can." And so they changed me, I rushed down, I'm wiping my eyes, I sit down, and immediately it goes

into the nomination for Best New Artist, which I was up for. And immediately I'm like, "I'm so destroyed." I'm, there's no shot I'm winning this. I just messed that up so bad.

And I'm sitting there and Olivia Dean won. And I was like, "Oh my God." I mean, I was really happy for her. She's the shortest 100%. But once that happened, I was like, "Damn, I want to go home."

So did you have time to cry? No, no, no, no, no, no, so I guarantee there's videos of the whole time. The whole entire Grammy's, my head was on my wife's shoulder, the entire time.

I did not want to look up. I did not want to talk to anybody. And there was just a few moments, again, travel 100% saw that I was just distraught. And she came out to me and was like,

“I will never forget how sweet she was because of that.”

And yeah, it was, it was, it was really bad. - What did your wife say to you when she-- - She's the most supportive person in the world. Like, literally, I, it sucks because I expected so much that I'm kind of just like, I hear just saying that,

like, I was like, my career's over. I literally over and over and over again, said my career's over. - When you were sitting in the seat switch. - Just muddling it out and I was not entertaining.

I would watch the Grammys camera guys come up to me and then just move away because they didn't want to do it. Like, it was, I was not doing well. - And then when you're sitting also in that seat, I can't help but think you are someone who is obviously

so heavily on social media. Your career started on social media. What did you think that people were saying online about you, before you guys to check your phone? - I deleted everything that night.

I deleted Twitter. I was like, there's no way I'm going to do that to myself right now. I'm fully like, that's off my phone.

I should show people what I went through, what it was. So I filmed the video and I wanted to be like, oh, this is exactly what I heard in my ear. This is what it was like and I posted it and I threw my phone. And I didn't look, and the next day I checked it

and it had 50, 60 million views on the internet.

- And everyone was fully supporting you. - Yeah. - How did you pull yourself out of, you know, first you're sitting there saying my career is completely over. How did you pull yourself out of it?

- Levy called me and she called me and she's like, she gave me the coolest pep talk in the world.

“And I think that was like the right room to even do that.”

And she's like, if anyone gets its musicians, Levy had called me and was just like, I'm so proud of you. You don't realize how many people you just helped. Imagine every kid who goes to a,

or does it a talent show or every kid who does a theater show or does a performance and someone, this happens to them and they think, wow, this can happen at the Grammys, this can happen. Like, you know, I think it gives someone some motivation

and know that it's okay and it stops, that's the faffins. So she gave me that pep talk. I mean, it's a great pep talk because it's also such an indicator of there are things that you cannot control in this world, right? You prepared for it.

You rehearsed that there were no problems in rehearsals. You have a beautiful voice. You were ready to go and then tack failed you. And you're like, oh, I think it sucks 'cause it wasn't my fault.

Like, I can live with the fact that like, oh, I messed up. Like, I hate the fact that I didn't, you know what I'm saying? But I also think for this circumstance, that I took me a lot of like looking at the scenario and watching the video of just like, okay,

I did everything I probably could do. He really did. Were there any other celebrities other than chapel that came up to you? No, a con.

No, a con came up to me and he's, no one I have just been friends in passing,

like we always just run into each other

and he lives in Tennessee and so like we just, we literally will run into each other like at a supermarket or whatever. And he comes up to me and he's the sweetest, sweetest boy. I love him so so much.

He was really kind, Billy, Billy was really, really sweet and I'm obsessed with Alex Wolf and he was really sweet. - I feel like those are the perfect people that came up to you also. Why do I feel like no a con?

I just feel like can you just hug me? - Right. - But he's so close to you. - I got a hug and he was very cozy. - Okay, good. - That beer is very nice.

- Perfect. - Perfect for the groom to think about it. - Love that. So it made you feel better and old, I don't know if we should call her a friend or a colleague was also at the Grammys with you, Ms. Addison Ray.

I think it was so fun to see the internet just freaking out that the fact that these two people who started on TikTok were both at the Grammys together. I know that you faced time to her when you guys found out you both got the nominations.

What was that conversation like and kind of that full circle moment like? - I was, I'm an emotional wreck. I guess like I really am. I faced time to everyone in Addison was the first to pick up

and she was just like, it was the same thing we were on Cloud9. None of us I think were expecting it. And so the fact that it happened was really, really cool. She of course was in some huge fur coat somewhere

with snow behind her in the middle of,

“I think it was November, I don't remember or September.”

I was like, what is happening and she's like, it's faux. I was like, no, I believe you, but it's crazy that like, it's just this whirlwind, right? Like you said, we're both 19 years old when we met and we're filming these videos.

I think 18 events. - Were you guys close back then? - I, I wouldn't say so. I would say as close as you can, you live with these people, right? And so, but it was weird during high-pouse,

it was very much like a hierarchy. And especially 'cause I wasn't a good-looking, buck boy who made thirst traps. I was at the bottom of the pole. And so not a lot of people even knew I was in the high-pouse.

And that was, I was fine with that. I love that I wanted to be a musician. When we created high-pouse, I even said, I don't want to be attached to this in any way, I just want to make music.

And so, that was how it was. And then things obviously went on.

But she was always just, we were always friends.

- And then do you think you guys ended up getting closer as you guys almost left the high-pouse? - I think everyone got closer after. - Why do you think? It was so, everyone told everyone that you were special.

Everyone every day was like, you're the next this, you're so hot, you're going to be this, you're a more famous than this person, or you suck, you're not this, you're not that. And it was a very weird place where like,

you know, you had a video do really well that day. And so, you were awesome. And then the next day or two days later, maybe you were going through some, we were 19-year-old kids, 20-year-old kids.

Like, that's, we were doing whatever. And you have personal things, my mom died. And I was like, this is happening here.

“And I think it was just a weird thing where it's like,”

okay, well, that person is gonna start staying over there. And we're not gonna invite that person out to dinner because of this and this person's doing really well right now. And so, after I think everyone just was like, fuck, I need a break.

of the competitive dynamics to kind of dissipate. And then you could just look at each other being like, wow, we have this shared experience. And I now have such empathy for all of us. If there is someone who, for some reason,

is watching this and does not know what the hype house is.

First of all, does that make you happy or sad?

- I think it makes me happy. - Okay. - I think it makes me happy.

“- I think the beginning of the hype house,”

it would make me sad. I think that it was clinging onto for so long that it was kind of like, what the fuck is this turning into? - So can you explain to someone who is not familiar what the hype house was?

- It was a group of night, like 17 to 21 year olds where all of us, and this concept was so foreign, was just a bunch of kids started renting a mansion together. And he might, none of us could afford shit. So like, these houses weren't furnished.

And that was like the thing. So like we would film in these empty mansions that were not furnished. And imagine you and all your friends during your college years decided to go

rent a frat house that was fully empty, but really nice. And your job was to film thirst traps. And I don't even know. Like that was like, you had to make up a job.

One day you woke up and you go,

what do I want my job to be today?

I'm gonna look at my camera and bite my lip and do this. And that, all of a sudden, you could buy Lamborghinis. That was that. - And you guys actually were the ones

that were funding the house or were there like random agents and managers that were paying and then taking a person in it. - It depended on the month. - Okay.

- Like it really did. Like it depended on the month of like, what was innovative at the time? 'Cause there was not a thing like that. And so every single month, we'd get like,

like someone would come down and say like,

“hey, by the way, now you have to film 10 TikToks per month”

if you wanna live here. And then the next month it was, hey, you got to film four TikToks and shout out this energy drink and you can live here. And it was like, very much like,

oh cool, you get to live in this house, you get to live rent free. And then all you have to do is make these videos.

There was a fucking, the best gig ever.

- Can you describe your experience living in the hype house in three words? - Jesus. I don't wanna like make it like, it was great. - No, it was great.

- It was great. - It was great. Fun. - It was dramatic. (laughs) It was just the synopsis of my biography, by the way.

And rewarding. I would not be here without it. - I love how traumatic just it's like right there. - It's right, it's like, if you put like, you divided it traumatic here and it's there.

- What age do you think you guys would be down for a reunion? 'Cause I feel like you guys need a little distance. - Wow. I don't know some members would ever be down.

I think depending on who you are like Charlie, like I don't think Charlie should ever do that. Like Charlie was such, she was so young and like especially COVID was so protective of her. And I, it's really, I don't know,

like that girl's been through a lot. - A lot. - Everyone saw Charlie and especially when she did really well and she was like, oh, let me go film with her. And like I felt like there was such a transactional

fucking weird thing and probably not. - Yeah, probably not the healthiest. - We shouldn't. - Maybe one day, maybe one year's like 60. - We go to the zoo, it's our favorite.

Perfect. Okay, we're gonna do quick rap and fire to close out high-piles. - Okay, cool. - Okay.

- Okay, okay. - Okay, cool, then you're like wait, it's traumatic again. - No, it's true. - Okay, what was the most reckless thing you ever did

for a video? - Oh, um, we were playing high and go seek tag and I, I, I, I, I hid in a helicopter. - Okay, was it just casually sitting outside of the high-piles?

- It was on the driveway. - There's like very indicative of the time. So, fact that there's just casually a helicopter sitting out front of the, okay. What's the most embarrassing thing you ever posted

on the internet? - Oh my god, I deleted a lot of them. - You did? - Yeah. - Couldn't you monetize that though?

- I don't care. - No. - I do not care, I don't want my kids seeing that. - We can give you an example. - I, just a lot of, oh, we'll get there.

(laughing) I don't get there, we'll get there. (laughing) Wait, what is an example? What's the most what embarrassing?

- The embarrassing video you posted on the internet. - There's a video that I, a friend of mine, or Dixie. Dixie would dress, she would dress in clothing. And then I would, I asked a borrow her clothing, so I could dress like that.

And realizing that I did not look good in the thong. So I deleted that. I probably look great now, but just back then I did. - You know, yeah. - It's boring.

- I was like, I'm just right, I'm not actually, I'm not trying to picture it. I'm just trying to, yeah, okay. - It's all that later. - That's good.

- It's in your drafts now. - Yeah, it's somewhere there. - My wife is, it's her wallpaper, but it's fine. - Cover, we love you.

- Yeah.

“- Who in the hype house at the time was the most annoying?”

- The most annoying. Is there like a shot that I could drink besides answer that question? The most annoying, I want to be honest. So I'm trying to think, I think the most annoying person

And it's because Vinny's so good looking and didn't try.

Does that make sense? - Yeah, he's just coming around. - No, but the guy eats burgers. Like that's the thing, the amount of money that man spent on Taco Bell alone.

And then he'd be like, "Yo, do you have a six pack?" - I'm like fucker. - And so you're sitting there looking at these guys and you're like, "Ah, do you know how badly I wish I could have done that?

Are you choking?" - Are you kidding? - Like I didn't wanna put on the phone.

“- That's what I'm not kidding every day.”

I would watch what these guys ate, trying to replicate it thinking, I'm like, "I swear, I've not heard of like eating disorder after living with these guys." All day, it was Taco Bell.

Every goddamn meal was Taco Bell. Like I was kicked out, I was exemplified. I was on everything and I couldn't lose the weight. And these guys were fucking stuffing Taco Bell

and spoking weed 30 times a day.

It was crazy. - Yeah, that's really fucking annoying. - Playing video games. - Okay, what is the craziest rumor that spread online during that time?

- Oh, everything. I remember, like, 'cause paparazzi, that was really like, I bet a lot of them called paparazzi, but I would wake up half naked. And remember, like, there was the high pass

that was with all glass. And I would look out the window and there's 400 kids waiting there trying to get pictures with whoever. And paparazzi there.

And I don't remember the question. I'm so traumatized by this. - No, what was the craziest rumor that was like spread online at that time? You're like, I'm waking up naked in a glass house.

- Sorry, just unlocking memories.

“I don't even know, I think a lot, like a lot of the time,”

it was like, people would like screenshot shit and like just make up things that like, I was not, like, I was texting other girls or stuff like that. And I was like, I was like, I feel like I just looked at me. Like, I'm questioning what my wife sees in me.

You think I'm gonna go find someone else next to me. It was just like a weird thing where like, I think everyone, especially was just trying to like, tear you down. Which I get it.

I, looking back at it, it was a weird fucking time. - Do you bet Saddle ran? - Oh my God. I was there the other day. - Why?

- Because the Grammy after party someone was, I was across the street and I looked over and I was like, wow, that's fucking crazy. - Are we gonna get you at Sunset Tower? - Yes, what is that place?

- No, what is that place? - You moved up, you used to be at Saddle ran. Now you're at Sunset Tower. - I would watch all the cool kids go to Sunset Tower as I was answering, you know, paparazzi questions

in front of Saddle ran. So I'd be like, I wanna go there and it was like, you couldn't go. - Well, now you're there, Alex. - I'm really not.

- I love winning outside. - You are, you were not made for a Grammy. Shut up. What is last one, what is the most money you ever spent on a video?

- Oh, if it wasn't my own money, it was branded money, it was like $75,000. - Oh wow. - And keep mine, I was homeless. So like that is like wanting to keep that money

was such a thing where I just didn't want to even post the video, but it was like, I had signed a deal saying I will spend the money that I was given for the video, right? Or like you get credit for things? - I see.

- And like, what was the video? - I had, it was like, something in Target or not Target. It was a, I had to buy like a bunch of inflatable stuff to do like a thing where I surprised the whole house

inside of it with like a water park and all these different things and this was the budget to spend on the video for the brand. And I remember it, that time I had not made any money yet. And when they sent me the credit,

I wanted to keep that money so badly and I spent it all. I literally, I was betting on the monetization and I figured I got demonetized. - And you're like, motherfucker, do you know how many times I wish I saved that money?

- But now you know, and you learned your lesson. - It did. - But there was a lot of money floating around at that time.

“- Too much, especially like you have to think like”

a lot of us at that time, like I was a 19 year old kid.

I was homeless at 18, like I was right after and I never

seen that much money ever in a hit your bank account. You have to spend it. - Can we talk about that for a minute because I'm thinking about you talking about how you're living in this house, that is this glass mansion.

And yes, some people were saying, you know, it was a dream and you're saying it was a dream. But it, yeah, feels like it clearly had a little bit more weight to you because you were homeless before moving into the high house.

Your mom had kicked you out, can you, for anyone who's not familiar, can you just tell that story? - Dad passed away when I was nine to cancer. My mom spiraled ever since then. I mean, rightfully so, single four kids

right during the recession left with nothing. And she just didn't want to live anymore. And so she just drank and drank and drank, just trying to kill herself. And as time went on, I realized it was a problem.

And I would, I was a kid, I didn't know, but I would just call her out. And I would pour it out, I thought, my mom's supposed to be perfect. What are you doing?

I would just dump it out everywhere. And I became enemy number one from my mom. I was the reason why she was drinking all the sudden, gave her a sense of, oh, I need to drink to deal with this. And so, yeah, as time went on, I think once I turned 18,

I was like, that day on my birthday, she kicked me out.

And at that time, it was a camera and a computer. And so, I started sleeping on my friend's couches and sleeping on in cars. And that's when I started filming with the camera and editing with the computer.

And that's when I started doing them. - Do you have siblings? - I do. - Yeah. - Did they stay with your mom? - They did.

My older sister was a lot older. So she was in college and didn't really understand the scope of things. My older brother was in a Marine. So he was not home.

And then my youngest sister was too young to understand. I think she was just like, I think everyone growing up, think she were parents are perfect. And it hit her yet.

And once I left, it started hitting her. And she was like, I need to get the eff out of here and eventually my uncle took her out of it.

But yeah, it's always, I was getting the questions.

Like, what did your siblings do? Why wouldn't they, they were never there? I've had a lot of conversations with friends or people in my show where like they, they're, it's so weird when you talk to your siblings

about trauma or even just childhood in general. And you've such a different experience than siblings.

“And I think sometimes it's hard for people to fall in that.”

So like, what do you mean you're under the same roof? But it's like, you really can have such a different experience with a parent than you're sibling. And to eventually come to terms with that is weird like have you and your sister been able to talk about

your child? So interesting, it's like your, I have a camera on me. I literally talked to my sister about this like a week ago. I, yeah, there's a lot of unresolved tension. I think it's just like, I don't know what she went through.

She was so much older than me. She remembers my dad way more than I do. And I don't know what my siblings went through. All I know is they all, somewhat got it. Like, the moment I moved out, I remember my mom had just been

wailing on me, just punching me on the ground.

And I had never hit back ever.

I, I just don't believe in that. And so I'm sitting there taking these punches to the face. And I remember my brother, he just got home from the military. Walks out, here's an seesup, and he just puts her in a chokehold and backs up and says you're not doing that anymore.

And I remember just then in there running out of the house, my brother ran out with me. And I would, I was sleeping at a friend's house and she had figured it out called the cops and said I hit her. And so it was just this whole thing of like,

thankfully I had my brother to cooperate. What would actually happen to Rose, I would have gotten picked up. But like my mom was like that. And that was like a really crazy thing. - Very crazy, because I also remember I read somewhere

you had said that your mom was the greatest woman in the world when she wasn't drinking. But the problem was she struggled with alcohol as an every single day. Like, how did you reconcile those two complete

“different versions of her because you had experienced her without it?”

- My mom would drink at five a.m. and sleep all day. So she would start drinking like three or four a.m. stay up all the way to take us to school. And then she would sleep all day from there and consistently miss us from picking up, you know, at school.

But then would be alive and well at like eight p.m. So around that time, I knew there was a window where like, give my mom drunk would like right suicide letters and then show me it and go, I just wrote this suicide letter and I'm telling everyone it was your fault.

And then literally that same day at 8 p.m. it would be, it would be, I just want you to know your my favorite son and like she would be so kind and so genuine and like want to like cuddle and like watch a movie and like spend family time.

Let's go out or I knew you're seeing let's bang the pots out back and like that was like, all of a sudden like from if you knew a window, right? But then all of a sudden, I think I turned 15

and that window just never existed anymore.

And it just became her. - Have you been able to in processing like the loss of your mother and time away from it? Like tried to wrap your head around like where you think the like vitriol and hateful moments towards you came

from in her meeting for moments?

“- I figured this out, I think I have it figured out.”

My mom, my mom was so, I misunderstand my mom so much. My mom was so in love with my dad. So in love with my dad that she could not imagine a world living without him and so she didn't. She just survived.

She didn't, she died right when all of us left. Like my little sister was the last to go and once he knew she was taking care of, she died. And truly that entire time, my mom, I don't think my mom cared about having kids.

I think my mom cared about having kids with my dad. And once that disappeared, it was just okay, I hate this, I hate my life, I hate my kids, I hate the things that I'm in. And I don't think she meant it in that way,

but I truly just don't think that she wanted to live anymore. And so she did what she had to do to survive and that was to drink her life away. But I could never put myself in that position.

and try and imagine that just because like, imagine having four kids, your husband of your life and a recession hits, he dies. You're in over your head in medical debt. You have no money to your name.

You're $304,000 in debt.

And now all of a sudden, you've never had a job.

“And all of a sudden, you have to just live, I couldn't.”

- It's also so hard to 'cause when you then now are becoming an adult and you're married. And I know you earlier referenced like, maybe one day having kids, like all of these things, you become really like cognizant of,

like, what you would want to do differently. And you're kind of talking about how now you have perspective on your mother, like, before she passed were you able to reconcile it all with her? - No, and that's the many regrets I have.

I remember, I don't know what spawn this. I was driving and I literally was like, my biggest fear is dying alone. And I don't know why I started thinking about that. And I was like, wow, dying alone, I could not imagine.

And I started thinking about my mom.

And I said, she has no one.

I mean, there's no one there to even help or take the trash out. So I texted her and I was like, hey, just thinking about you, wanted to send you this picture and, you know, whatever. And never delivered.

And it turns out that she was already pretty much dead. And I was like, fuck, like, that's like, I remember going to the hospital and she was, they tell you she can hear you, but she's yellow. Like, I don't know if you've ever seen it,

but someone dying from liver failure is probably top fucking five worst things to see. And they're just, they don't look like a human. They look like a zombie. They're yellow and purple.

And they know hair and their hair is all white because it couldn't survive. And so you're seeing this. And there's something called the death breath. It's the most fucking horrifying thing in the world

where it's like, you think, it's the last breath. And it's like it. And then it keeps going and it was, whoa, oh,

“but that was something where I, I think we all had a moment”

where we were like, we forgive you. And everyone left the room when I sat there and I'm just like, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I let you, I let you, but I'm so sorry that I, I felt a sense of responsibility.

I felt like the thing is like, say what you want that my mom did, like, I am a son. I should have, like, whatever she did. And it could be anything. And I think like, yes, some people could say,

like, oh, well, you didn't, it doesn't matter. I am her son. I can't imagine what it's like dying alone, not knowing anything. And I remember the last text she ever sent me before.

And I, stupidly didn't respond. The last text she sent me was, I have a problem. I'm going to A, A, F, something else. And she died, she tried, she either thought new, something was wrong and she tried to fix it.

And it was too late or she tried to fix it and she died trying. Oh my God. I mean, Alex, like, even hearing you talk about this, there's so many layers of you have guilt. You wanted, you obviously made an attempt to repair it with your mother. You both, which is so relatable, kind of reached out to the other person.

And the other one wasn't ready to accept it or willing to accept it at the time. But you both had the same intention. You both were genuinely, you loved each other. And you weren't able to show that whether it was because of the illness she was experiencing or the anger that you had for her.

And you're getting physically abused.

“So it's like, at some point, of course, you should”

remove yourself from a situation. You shouldn't be there with open arms. Yeah. But when she passed, I can't help but also think, like, you were alone for a lot of your life, right? When she was alive, you were surviving.

And it felt like you were alone because you didn't have a mother. And you didn't have your father. And then when she passed, you were physically, literally, alone. How did both of those versions feel different? I think when she was alive, it fueled me of I'm going to prove this person wrong.

My entire life, my mom told me that I wouldn't be a singer. It just wasn't going to happen. I suck. I sound bad. It's you need to go to college and get to degree because you need to do it this way.

It's never going to happen.

Those people aren't like you. So when this happened, I wanted to so badly be like, I did it, fuck you. I think now I did it and I miss you. And I think that's the hard part.

It's like, I think I was insecure and I didn't understand it. And now it's kind of like, fuck, dude, I wish I could like tell you. You know, like this, my friend, just had a kid. And she's learning how to write a bike. And there's this thing.

He was explaining to me the other day of like, you know, it's so cool. It's like this person. She started writing a bike and she looked back and she says, look, mom and dad, I did it. And the thing with the Gram, he's in all these different things is it really.

And he was so, and this is what makes me excited for kids.

I can't wait to be, well, my dad was for me. So supportive person that no matter what, like it was just you can do it. Like he was fighting cancer and waking up every morning just to give us these experiences just because he knew it was limited and to be able to do that for my kids and be able to be supportive and show them that you can do anything.

“And I think I'm a testament to that, like this entire time and the things I've gone through”

to be able to play at the Grammys and and be nominated for Grammy with everything that I've gone through. As I feel like as you can't, you cannot prove to anyone that is not possible if you look at that. Oh, completely. Like I think the amount that you survived throughout your childhood and the adversity that you had to overcome and you shouldn't have had to go through but it only prepared you more for this chaotic

fucking industry that you've now walked into. Do you feel safe now? Whoa, yeah. Yeah, that's a loaded fucking question, Jesus. I am. Yeah, my career is a perfect example. I think where I am in my career right now. I think a good amount of people have gotten to and I've also watched it just go down.

“You know, and I think that's part of me is like I'm such an a fighter flight moment that like”

I don't ever want, I was homeless with my wife. I know exactly what that's like and

as much fun as I had with my wife, I never want to do that again. I want to have kids and I want to

give them the life I never had. You know, like I want to be able to be there for my kid, which means I want to keep doing this. I want to keep touring. I want to be able to provide for a child and be able to be present in their life, which I feel like it's a privilege and a luxury that not a lot of people have. I didn't have that. And so I'm probably one of the most not in the moment, person ever because of it. I'm constantly thinking, okay, how do I do this? How do I do that to

make sure that I don't go back to this? And every time a song might not do well, or I suck at a performance, I'm beating myself up about it because I'm so scared that either my mom's opinion is right or that I will go back to where I was. Right, you're like constantly in survival mode. Right, right, right. You're constantly on the edge of like I could lose it all. I mean, the grandma's a perfect example. I sat there the entire time saying my career's over. And do you think it's going to

just take you continuing to live experiences like the Grammys and then guess what? You're sitting here today, you're going to new song out, like everything is okay. I can hope so. You know, all that you know. I don't think I'll ever get out of it. Okay, we're going to work on it. Just a little

bit. The next time I see you, hopefully. Okay, hopefully. No, I've done a lot. Like, I have an amazing

voice. I have an amazing career. I make music that I absolutely fucking love. I do what I love. Like, I get to play arenas. Like, that's fucking nuts. I have amazing friends. Like where I am today, and also I'm healthy. I love what I do. I work out. I exercise. I'm quite literally the happiest I've ever been and I'm able to say I'm happy with who I am today. It took me so long to do that, though. Okay, let's talk about relationships. You said it in a perfect, um, you said in an

“interview that before you got married, you were notoriously cheated on. What was happening?”

Right, because I have to be the problem. That's exactly what I thought. No, no, I, I had a really good looking friend and he was my best friend and he still really wanted my close friends. I talked them all the time. Very good looking. Every time I dated a girl, the test was to bring him around because he was notorious for stealing my girlfriends. This is your best friend. We weren't friends after this, the last one, but he was notorious for trying to get with my girlfriends. He was very

attractive and I, there was something about it, but he, he just, yeah, it's a, and you stayed friends with him after I'm both very forgiving person, Alex, it's just a thing. I'm like, wait, so this happened multiple times. I didn't realize until the last one. Okay. Yes, I had, I had a, I had an intuition. Um, anyway, I was driving with this girl. She was texting him and they were sending like hearts and saying like a lot of shit. And I was just like, it's cool. I'm, it came out

1718. So it's pretty, it's pretty, like, I had been dating my wife since I was 18. So a lot of these are elementary relationships. Of course, of course. Of like, oh my god, you cheated on me with Bradley on the swing set. Um, but no, it was just four or five times, I think, that I was like, these, these people are texting other people or actually hooking up with other people while I'm with them.

I would go to a piano. Why me? Why are you doing this to me? It was bad. And then you'd be like, okay, I'm over it. And then you'd go to the next person and then it kept happening. And then eventually you found Coper. Yeah. Okay, can we go back to the first time you saw your wife with him an Elsa Snapchat story? Yes, it's a modern day love story. It is so romantic. Um, and you said

“that you immediately were interested when saw her on the story. What was it about her that caught your eye?”

She was, she wasn't wearing any makeup and she wasn't trying and she was what she was sleeping and she came and she still sleeps to this day. I'll go surfing in the morning and she finds the comfyest rock to lay on and she'll fall asleep and I'll literally be up in the out in the break and I look in and she's like, I know she's sleeping like this. Like, she'll just sleep wherever. She's so good at falling asleep places. Um, but she was just like, she looked just naturally beautiful

without trying and if you look that beautiful without trying, you know, I bet you look beautiful all the time. So who is filming your wife back then sleeping? My friend, she had moved to Hawaii and became

roommates for over a year. Okay. Okay. So they were always like fucking with each other and they both

have really box died blonde hair. And so this woman who was Tannis Halickus, she's from Hawaii, has this box died white hair. And I was like, this is the hottest woman I've ever seen in my entire life. Oh, my god. Okay. So how did you guys end up talking? Like, how did you react to it? Snapchatting back before they put me in contact. She had a boyfriend at the time and I was like, I don't fuck with that. I don't do that shit. And so whatever, it was like a week or two and they

ended up not working and she started talking to me. And she's like, oh, like, you know, whatever, she flies out to San Diego with this friend, because this friend's also from my hometown. And she, I remember, she walks out of the, uh, she walks out of the, the baggage claim. And I just everyone looks like they're wearing the Hawaiian shirt very like, like, very touristy. And this girl wearing a bright yellow t-shirt, Tanner than shit with white hair comes running out. And I

go, that's my wife. And I learned I had waited. So for four, four to five months, we were long

distance without ever seeing each other. And she comes out and I had never said I love you. She was

texting me, I love you or love you. And apparently love you and I love you are different. Well, so the first time that you guys physically meet in person is she flies the San Diego to meet you. Yes, I see her and I'd been waiting to say I love you. I run up to her like a movie. I kiss her and I go, I love you. So first thing out of my mouth. Yeah. And then she say back, duh. Okay. And then I took her to in and out. And then we had our first night together in a motel six that I borrowed $75 from my friend

“to the back. Except at the time I'm homeless. Did she know you were homeless?”

Not yet. Okay. That night she found out. So you were explaining the motel six and we were right in and out. And I was like, I, I, I, we were with a group of friends. And then she's like, well, where we stand tonight. And that's when I said, I, I got us a place. And then we went to a motel six. Keep mind at this entire time. I'm thinking that this woman is about to bail on me because this is not romantic. This is fucking horrible. And I, I, looking back on my piece of shit for this. But

we went and I was like, this is, I'm sorry. This is what it is and I explained it and she's like, fuck it. Let's do it. So her reaction was just like, you know what? Here we go. Here we are. Bucket, let's do it. Was her exact words? Although you were so excited to say you loved her in the airport. There must have been some terror terror. I was horrified. But I wanted, if this was going to be the only six hours I ever get with this girl that I've literally fallen in love with,

I want to show her how much I love her. So this entire time, we went to in and out. She wanted to try for the first time. And I knew this hack that you could get a burger and a water cup. And then if you got fries, but you added it a certain way, it was $4.38. Things have changed obviously with inflation. But that was what it was. And I knew I could afford it. So I had a $5 bill. We shared a burger. And I, my friend, all our friends, because I didn't have a car. And we had

stayed in motel. And then later the next day we slept in that same car. I started in a long distance

“relationship as well. And I think that there's something really, it doesn't sound sexy and beautiful.”

But there is something really amazing about it because it really forces you to just talk and talk and talk and face time. And you get to really know each other well. Like, what do you think though in those four months without being physically together? What was it that made you know that you were so in love with her and you were right to tell her? We would be on FaceTime without even talking. Like, we would just not talk. And I would fall asleep with my phone as if we were sleeping together.

And she would be falling asleep. And so we literally, I'd wake up some days we were still on FaceTime. And it was like, it was like, it was, I was, in fact, like, it was 3 a.m. obviously.

But like, I, I was just always like, what the fuck? Like, I'm, I don't even live with this woman.

And I want to spend every waking moment with her. I was FaceTime or with her with friends. I was that guy who'd be like, dude, get the fuck off your phone. And I couldn't not talk to her. I was toxic probably. But like, like, that's the thing. Right. You, you were really into it.

I'm fully living out of my car right now. Stirring to realize I'm kind of a red flag. No. Like, this is like this is, this is down there, isn't she? So she can attest. Like, you turn out okay.

“That's what the marriage is going well, right? Oh my god, it's amazing.”

Okay, so perfect. I've never been better. Um, you get married at 23. Yes.

Which for some people centered is pretty young. Yeah. How did you know you were ready for that big step? My dad, before he passed one of the few things I remember is he said, make sure you love the woman that you're marrying. And he, for some reason, would always say five years. Was this thing? You would always say five years. And I was like, I was like, I, the moment I met cover, I knew that I wanted to marry her, but I knew I was really immature. And like, you said I'd

red flags. I wanted to make sure that through high powers through everything that A, if I'm going to marry this person, I can provide for this person. If I'm going to marry this person, then I can come in. I didn't have that when we started living in a car. I wanted it to be able to do that. You know, um, I wanted to make sure that it was emotionally and mentally mature enough to be able to be a good husband. And I wanted to make sure that, especially after marriage just

comes kids, I wanted to make sure I was ready to be a father. And so like that was the biggest thing for me. It was like, you know, I grew up really quickly. And I, I started to live out like my childhood days or like be a little bit immature when I was like 21, where I was just like figuring out what kind of man I wanted to be. Um, and so I really wanted to make sure that I had that out of just like, I don't want to be married. It's starting to have kids and fucking, I mean,

we were always practically married, but like just doing the whole thing. I want to make sure

we, I can give her grand wedding and be able to have her family come out and do everything. And when the timing made sense, it happened. Oh my gosh. Wow. That's really, it's beautiful to hear like how it started to then obviously the wedding and everything and where you guys are now. She hated it. She wanted to get married like two years. And I was like, trust me, it'll, it'll make sense. But that's sweet that you weren't rushing and you were like slow playing it because you're like,

“I need time. What do you think would you say is her best quality as a partner?”

I, A, I would say that the core creativeness, just in general, I'm so in fact, right here, but B, she's such a provider. Like, I, I'll be like in a session and she'll bring everyone home cooked meals. Or like every night when I do sessions, like if everyone comes to my house for a student because I have a student at my house, she'll be like, okay, here's for dinner for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. And she has these horses and she like, like, she has everything kind of planned out

where, you know, oh, like nothing's impossible to my wife. And it's the coolest fucking thing in the world. She built my half pipe. So I grew up skateboarding and I was like, wow, I really want a half pipe. And she's like, oh, buy it. And so I bought it and it came in lumber, obviously. And she goes, "Cool, I'm going to build it." I said, "What?" She's like, "I'm going to build it. I don't know how but I really want to learn." So she did that. And then we ate, we had bought in our first home.

And she's like, "Cool, I want to build a rock wall." And so she went and got brick and mortar and literally figured out. And I, I come out, I have photos on my phone of her on a scaffolding with knee pads and goggles with a paint machine. And she's learning how to paint walls. And she built every single bedroom in my house with wood to make this cool. Like, it, she, um, did she wanted to make the art. So she made all the art. She does my tattoo. She learned how to

do tattoos. Like, all of this is her. And so like, nothing, my wife is impossible at saying, I can't do that. Wow. That's really admirable. Dude, it's the coolest shit. I quite literally trust my wife if she really wants to, she can do anything. That is a beautiful quality to have as human being and really inspiring. I can't also help but think about, you know, when you guys you meet and then the high-poused Arab begins. And you guys so much of your relationship started

online and then has continued to be online. Like, was there ever a time that the internet got

“in the way or caused problems in your relationship? I'm a person. I think that was, that was again,”

where I was, as like, for me back when I was like 21, 22 years old, not at 22. Like, 19 to 21 was the three years where I was just like, like, looking back at it, I was just like, oh, I want to get the clip. Like, I got so, I got so in fact, with the fact that I need to make

sure I'm never homeless again, then I started to just be like, we need to film this. We need

to film that. To film her, I was like, I'm not even taking her out on dates because I'm like, so focused on getting a video. Like, we'd go out on a date and I'm like, oh, we should film this TikTok or whatever the hell. Like, so for me, at least I was like, okay, I need to be, I want to marry this woman and I need to get my fucking act together. And that was right when I started music and just like kind of becoming who I am today. I think with ordinary, I was so like,

this is the first thing that's ever gone really, really well. And I wanted really lean into this. And I was touring for the first time and that was really difficult for us as a couple. Because it was like, I've been with you for five or six years and you've never, we've never spent a night apart ever since we started sleeping together. Like, you know, and so all the sudden I have to say goodbye to you for eight months. And so she's been going on tours and we've been finding a

really great meeting him. It's so fun having on tour. She brings the dogs and we she cooks and it's

one thing where I'm like, come on, Alex. I know. I know. Let's pop it up. Let's think of a good

date night. But we every time we plan a date night, we look at each other and we go, should we just watch a movie? Okay, that's fair. Like that's the thing. What if next date night, you, even if she's out doing something, you just make the house a date night. See, that's sick. And I thought of that. Like, you can do that. I know. Because I, I'm the same way. I'm like, oh, my God, a date night is so much better when you're just at home and you're cozy. I just don't

“want her to try. Like, I don't want her to do anything. But you need to try. I know. I know.”

Wow. Okay. No. Some flowers and candles every time I just write like a really like depressing love song about her. And I'm like, look, and she's like, fucker, take me out to eat asshole. I know, you know, it's so funny. It's like, cover has like the dream life where like a guy is writing you these like gorgeous songs. But she's like, I get that every day. Right. Let's go. She's like, it's fine. You said that nine different fucking times. Can we go eat some fucking

Fedachini Alfredo? Okay. Take the girl to get some Fedachini Alfredo. When you do post it on your story. So we all know and tag me. Okay. Your vows. Yes. Have over 13 million likes. And I think everyone cried watching them. Everyone was like so obsessed when you post them obviously. When you

look back at that day, like, what was the most important thing that you really wanted to convey

to cover in those vows? I will never write anything as we'll get as those. And that was fully the night before. I was so cocky going into it. I was like, I'm a songwriter. I can easily write these vows. 11 pm it starts. And there's the cursor that's blinking on on docs. And it's literally to cover or I say cover. And it's how it starts. And I blank in it's 3 a.m. Nothing. Not a single fucking bow. Not a single word has been written because I couldn't fathom. How am I supposed to sum up

the fact that this woman changed my life into a page and say it in front of all of our friends. And family. And so I was freaking out. My friend at the time used still up working. And he's like step away from the fucking computer and tell me about her. And I just start talking. And I just literally just start blabbering like everything that I feel about this woman. And he's like, write down. He's like, write that down. He's like, write that down. That's good. Write that down.

“And I blink. And it's just this, this, that's what the vows were. It was just me not thinking”

and talking about my wife. And I just wanted to like, it's hard to explain. I say all these things on here. And I say, oh, my wife slept in a car with man. People probably, if I was people, I probably wouldn't be like, all right, dude, shut the fuck up. But truly, like this woman dropped out of college to sleep in a car with some 18 year old dumbass who didn't tell her and was like, I'm homeless and I want to be a singer. And this girl goes, that sounds like I want to do that.

Like, how do you sum that out of like, oh, this woman is an angel who saved my life? No, it was meant to be. And so when I, when I read it, I couldn't, I couldn't bear. I knew it was right because every time I tried to read it, I couldn't stop crying. So after I wrote it,

I never read it again. I wrote it down in a notebook, which why I ended up reading during the

ceremony. And I never read it before I went off. And I just said it. In the vows, you say,

“she saw something in you that you didn't see in yourself, what were you referring to?”

My wife sees the good in so many people that it ends up hurting her. And that is something with me that I'm, I'm like, stop it at the same time I love you for it. It should just see so much good. And in me, at least, I think that there's a lot of brokenness, especially when I met her. Like, my mom, she was alive for, for cover. And my mom was a horrible person to cover. Terrible. Enough to give anyone a reason to, to leave that. And she understood everything.

She understood that she was, she handled it with so much grace. And so, so much, so much, so much decorum that I was like, wow, how can you handle that? And so it's just to me at least that, that was, when I was thinking about, when I was writing that, I was like, you put up with so much bullshit, so much of my bullshit, so much of my selfishness, so much of, you know, to go through whatever that was the hypehouse and how, who I was during that. Now, a music career where I'm

fully traveling all the time and singing and talking about us and all these things kind of laying it all out for people like that. I can't, yes, it's great. But all the same time, there's so many cons to that, you know. You guys have, that's even you just saying that of like, I was just thinking about it. Like, one, as hard as it, I'm sure was that your mom treated cover that way. There's also something so beautiful that she got to meet her. So you are able to sit with her. And when you talk

about it, she's like, oh, no, I get it. Because there I lived with you. But then you're right, like the trajectory of starting from this place of living in your car and she joined you to

you know, you've got this amazing wife and you're building these memories. Like, it's like a movie.

Yes, but that also takes like a lot of communication through that growth to be able to make sure like, are we good, are we still on the same page? Are you a therapist? No, but I'm just thinking of like, this is really nice. I like, this couch is getting really comfy. You're thinking farther and farther and some well-great refreshments. But do you know what I mean? Like,

“got anything next week? Yes. We'll be back here same time next season. But do you know what I mean?”

Like, the growth has been amazing on paper. But like, that's a lot to handle as an individual and as a couple. So like, kudos to you guys that you guys have been able to stay so connected while the thing is growing so large. Dude, it's been really cool. Like, we literally got like, can you believe? Like, we were, again, we bought our first house not too long ago and we stood in front of it and I was holding her and I was like, can you fucking believe this, dude? Like,

it was such a, we had this such a, I wish I could relive that moment every time or at least show cover in Alex five years ago, six years ago or whatever it was. Like, we obviously, I was like, how nuts is this? Like, this is our fence. Like, we were, we were looking at the weird and inanimate things that no one thinks about like honey, look, this brick. Like, we went around the house and I was like, that brick right there, that brick in between all the 500 other bricks,

that brick is ours. You're grateful. Dude, it's so cool. And it's been so nice too. It's like cover and I especially during the whatever times, like it's, we were so easy. We're so easy to please because we slept on floors and whatever the fuck. And so it's so nice and it's really nice is when I start to get a little bougie or when she gets a little bougie, I'm like, cover and she's like, you're so right. You're so right. I'm like, that was kind of fucked.

It's like finding the balance of being like, we deserve this and let's do it. It's the best

because that's our arguments. That's always our arguments. I was like, "Cover, she's because

“but we deserve it. I go, that's a little stupid." Right, you have to have like a barometer. It's”

like awesome. Are we pushing it to my wife and I only argue about one thing and it's fucking children name and and a rug and who's supposed to pay for the rug? Rugs are so sneaking back if. Thousands of dollars. Thousands of dollars. Thousands. What is that? I'm ruggless right now because I might, the principle is I don't want to pay that much for a rug. Okay, we kid names. So who has the crazier kid names? Like, are you more chill with them or is she going more chill and you're

going crazy? I think it's like taming at a little bit. Like, she's a little bit like, oh, well this is really cool and I'm like sweetheart, but you don't want to be that, like, the couple that does that, like, I think there's a originality, but there's also like, I really like that name and she's like, if you tell anyone are fucking names that we've come up with, I'm going to murder you and your children won't be fatherless. And I said, look, I don't want to do that to them. It's been

a whole. She's like keeping them, but then you're also like, I know, but babe, like, no one's going to name their kids. These names. So what? Gate keeping that notes app, it's got a lock on it and it's hidden and it's titled something fully fucking completely different. She is so protective of her

“kid name. It honestly respects, I've seen a lot of women online be like, I can now tell you all the”

extra kid names. I have now that I've named my kid. Yeah, and some of them are like Sephora. Yeah, like, like bicycle that, like it's gone. So you're not aiming your kid bicycle that? No, but maybe. Okay. I did that was right off the down. It sounds gorgeous. Bice is a really great nickname that I'm talking. What songs is your wife's current favorite? My wife literally just plays a rotation on Taylor Swift. Like, I, that. Oh, you're songs. Oh, this is my wife. Sorry. I've been so obsessed

with talking about my wife. Oh, what are your wife's favorite songs of yours? Although we love Taylor. We watch her favorite Taylor album. Do you know this? Oh, for sure.

I hope that's right, but she always talks about folklore. Do you know where her favorite song is of

Taylor? Uh, nobody's always singing long live. There is a thing. Okay, but I, she your songs. Her favorite of my songs, she is obsessed with one called, um, called Only Thing Left, which is a break-up song funny enough. Okay. I wrote for a show. I'm like out of all the love songs. You love that one. She loves like the ones you would never expect. You have a new single out fever dream. Tell me about the writing process. The people I

work with today are the people I've always worked with. Like, I started with them and I stay with them. You know, and so everything that I write is with them. And so this song, especially, you know, all of us have our own really great relationships. And we wanted to write about this feeling of falling in love for the first time and what that is. And there's this euphoric feeling when you do. Like, when you see that person for the first time and maybe you've seen that person every single day.

And then the one time you start to be like, wait, I'm seeing you differently today. And if you get this

And we wanted to kind of put that in a song. Also, I feel like I've seen in interviews. You've said,

like, you wanted to get lightly away from some, like, being all sad music. Yes. This is fun. It's fun as hell. And like, there's still like nine different other sad ones that you could listen to. Perfect. Right. You're still going to give us that. Yeah. But you were giving us an uplifting one too.

“I think it's really obvious when you hear a song. It's like, okay, Alex is crying again about his dad.”

Let's fuck off. Okay. The, um, cameos in the music video. Yes. Paracelton. Crazy, right? Can you explain how? I'm so excited. I know. Like, how did you get the Queen? In passing, when the Grammys thing happened, she had commented and we had, you know, talked. And when I was thinking of this music video, especially when we were writing it, I wanted it to not make any fucking sense. And when the whole entire music video is I'm chasing this girl that's

supposedly my wife. And once I finally reach her, I get to her. And it's Paris Fucking Hilton.

And she slaps me awake. And I'm homeless, still homeless, busking because I never met my wife.

So the whole music video is just random things were like, what the hell is that? And then you finally get to the person. And it's a weird, like, whoa, I was not expecting that. And then you, it's, at the end end, and it's like this weird, like, shut her island vibe where you're kind of like, wait, this was that the whole time. How cool that you got Paris Hilton in a music video? She's amazing. She's like her reputation, her reputation precedes her.

I've like, she's quite literally just such a sweet girl. She's incredible. She's so intelligent. She's so smart. So, so, so, so, so, so smart. She is everything and more when you meet her, which is really cool. You've had a lot of cameos. I have. Like, how the hell did you get Jennifer Aniston to be in that's gay? She's the best. I love her. What, like, to this day, I still text her. And it's just,

she's amazing. I had her boyfriend and her, or really, they like the music. And I had

Edith Sheeran had asked if he could connect me with Jen. And I was like, Jen, who? But sure. And so, I gave him my number and I got a FaceTime and it's Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston on the FaceTime. And I was like, holy fucking shit. This is crazy. And so, I played ordinary for them on FaceTime. And I'm still, like, to this day, I still talked to both of them. And they were just so amazing. So, supportive. And I had asked her if she would be in it. And she literally, I sent her the script because I wrote it.

So, I wrote this script with my friend. And I was like, please, so good. Judge this, it pleases as you make, because it's amazing. I'll do it. She didn't change a single thing. She loved it. And she acted in it. And she showed up. And I've worked with a lot of people in this girl. I admire her so much just for how she walked in and just nailed it. And it goes, all right, later. It was the best surprise on the internet seeing a skit with Jennifer Aniston. And you, I was like,

what, what is happening? It did feel like a fever dream at that point. So, I was like, this is not

“making sense. So cool. I also love how they just casually FaceTime. Do you out of nowhere?”

No, I was like, I was like, what the fuck is happening? And Max Greenfield from New Girl was on the, I texted him and I said, what would you be down to be in this? And he said, I'll be there at three p.m. and just randomly came. It was so cool. Oh, you are, you've got some good cameos. I'm so happy about it. Like, I'm really good. Um, so can we say, like, there is an album coming? Yeah, yeah. 100%. I'm not Taylor Swift. No one gives a fuck.

I know what this is. Yes. Okay. And how long have you been working on it? A year, I think, or so. Like, it's been in the making for the last few months, but like, the songs and titles and stuff have been in the making for a bit. Um, I heard that maybe you're going to share something exclusive here on Color Daddy too. Yeah, I did anything. What do you want to hear? Where's my phone? I don't know. You're going to play a little something.

Yes. I would love to. Of a song. So, I can give you some backstory on this too. This is a sad sad song. Okay. My dad before he passed away wrote me a letter. Okay. And I have yet to ever read it. And so I'm reading it after this. I'm driving down to his grave, and I'm going to read it to him. And I had written a song about that of just like, he loved writing letters. And so I wrote him one, and I want to read his letter, and then I'm going to read him. I'm going to read him mine.

And my wife, who's the best person in the world, she bought me. She found his sports car that he bought before he had us and had a sell it for cancer treatments. And he, she found it and bought it. And so I wrote a song kind of just like, if he had missed anything to keep him up with it. And so

“I don't, we can send you the audience to his better, but I'll play you it. How's that?”

You can start it whenever. And treasure too long these days. I'm already emotional.

This is sad. It's sad, but it's so beautiful like that you have this outlet in this career that you're able because so many people are going to also be able to connect to that so many people have lost. Loved ones are parents and not been able to have that final conversation they wish they could have had. You were nine when he passed. So you have had a letter.

Since you were nine years old that you never opened. I'm thinking about I really want to have kids.

And COVID and I are going to start trying. And I, I don't know. I feel like there's a time and

“place that I'm supposed to read it. How did you throughout those years decide not to open it?”

I don't even know. There was no plan. It was just, it was just for me. I don't think I've ever been ready. I think like for everything I've gone through and how self-deprecating I am, I do think I'm emotionally pretty mature. And I think the one thing for me at least is when I read it, I want it to mean everything to me. And I just think like right now where I am and everything I've accomplished.

I think I'm proud of who I am and I want to read that in that state. Yeah. Did he give you the

letter or did you tell him when give it to you that they found it that he wrote it to you? The day he died it was five, fifteen in the morning. My mom comes in and wake me up and says time say goodbye to your dad. And I remember walking down the steps and he was dead and yeah, I had just, I was sitting there just literally hitting him and just telling him to wake up and after that I prayed and my mom handed all of us because my dad had written it one for everyone. I was just thinking

the other day I was like I have no idea how I was so scared to, there was a award I was accepting.

I was terrified to accept the award and the Grammys I was scared for and I was thinking about

it and I was like my dad was fucking terrified. Had to be. He was dying and he wrote these letters and he was strong enough and fearless enough to do that. I was like if he can do that I can do fucking anything. And so I just remember I read it when I was nine and I haven't read it since

“and I don't remember a single fucking thing. Are you going to play that song for him at the grave?”

Yeah. I played it for him already. I played it for him when I wrote it. I went, I went there after I wrote it and I hadn't been to his grave in so long and I went and I just I had dropped to my knees and I broke down because all the graves were clean and everyone had flowers except for mine and I put I was so selfish I thought that I shouldn't go there if I wasn't ready. Needless to think that but I went and I had no one took care of it. It was dirty. It was whatever and so I spent the

day and I cleaned it and I went and bought flowers and I put it in. I sat there and I was like to Adam nominee for a Grammy and I just I spoke to him as if nothing ever happened and and I put him the song and now I feel like it's really nice that I get to go down there and say hi again and and I feel like that's like what I need at least is just be able to be there and talk to him. You're dead. Oh my god. He would be so proud of you. Hopefully fuck. He would. He hated tattoos though.

So I don't know. He'll be focused on the music. Is there anything that you leading up to rereading this? Obviously I agree. Like I don't remember much at nine years old. Like is there anything you're looking? Are you looking for anything when you read this letter

“that he wrote you or are you hoping for anything to be in that letter?”

I think I'm no. I just want. I think I spent my entire life pushing away the thought of my dad because it made it easier to digest. You know the fact that I didn't have one and now I'm so this last year with ordinary and everything and my life changing overnight I feel as if I I feel closer to my dad and I feel closer to my mom. I feel like I just want my dad. You know and I think that's the hardest part is like you know I I want to read this letter and feel closer

to him. I want the other day I read a bunch of letters that he had written his best friend and I just I realized I write like him and I talk like him without ever actually being around him. So I just want to be able to read that letter and and feel like I have a dad again

take this passion of yours and also pour so much of yourself into it and again I know like you've

joked being like oh my gosh I always write about like my parents or all my situation or whatever but

like again like it is so relatable. These are these are real life things that all of us go through and there is no salt for losing a parent. There is no you know happily ever after when you're grieving something and it doesn't go away in a month or a year like it stays with you forever but

“I think it's really inspiring to watch how you've been able to weave your passion and your art”

in a way that helps you heal but also simultaneously is allowing other people to heal. Like for your fans who are watching this like is there anything you hope that they either take from that specific song or any of the songs that will come out on the album? I write the yes I want everyone especially with grief no one talks about it or everyone just kind of use it as something

like to shove off. You don't want to be that person in the room you don't and everyone always says like oh

it gets better and all these things and I say as long as how it gets manageable it's never going to get better. You always have that piece of you missing and there's going to be things that you remind you of them and it happens to me all the time but you start to if you start to push away and you don't talk about it and you don't consume things about it and you don't talk about people you start to forget the way that they smell the way that they look the way that they sound and for me if I'm

gonna have kids I want them to know who their grandparents were and so when I write these songs it's

like logs of kind of like this is something where at least for me when I went through losing someone I had no idea what that felt like I had this feeling of this emptiness but I couldn't explain that feeling I couldn't there's no outlet for me to listen it to it or watch it and so when I make these songs I'm hoping people who've lost someone can listen that song and it allows them some sense of comfort it's almost like a blanket to hold but it doesn't necessarily make you warm.

“That's beautiful it's it's um it's become bigger than you which is the goal I think whenever”

you're creating art right I love it when people play my song and they have no fucking idea it's me because that means it did something or went past whatever the fuck this is and it's also just been so fun to watch I think for so many people like your career and the trajectory and your story like we're all rooting for you and I think it's so fun even with the Grammy moment it's like it was so in Alex Warren fashion so right only that would happen to me I literally got off stage

and I was like that only happened of course because it's like you have been this like relatable tangible person since day one that you've been sharing your story on the internet and so of course like if something's gonna go wrong the best part is that like we all know you in a sense so it's not like you're this like untouchable character you're actually your Alex and we all are gonna like love you and share for you even if you mess up or something doesn't go right but I'm so happy

that I got to talk to you today because I obviously know you've had massive success but there's

“again always a story underneath and I really appreciate you opening up to me today because I think”

a lot of your fans and my fans are going to just be so excited to hear this conversation. Not even a psychology degree. Nothing. That's impressive that's really impressive thank you so much for having me. I appreciate your time and congrats on all your success. Thank you.