Leadr Is Doing Things Their Way

As a kid, Alexander Tang discovered their love of singing thanks to Madonna. They’d listen to the album True Blue and begin joining in on the vocals. They dreamed that, one day, they could visualize themself shining as a burgeoning pop star on MTV. Right now, the confident artist who records and releases electronic and pop beats as Leadr is making good on that.


Leadr embraces self-love and their inner faerie, sporting signature pointed ears and acrylic nails. It’s all segment of their artsy identity, showcased in both their visuals — which originate in their head shortly soon after completing the songs — and their rather personalized songwriting.


Their track “Hi, I’m Human,” released in March while in a period as soon as anti-Asian hate crimes spiked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, was really interested in the AAPI community and has been featured on Spotify’s AAPI Pride and Out Right now playlists. It as a powerful message that we are all ultimately the same without consideration of some of our disagreements. Meanwhile, “Gaia,” an evocative track inspired by their childhood and past abuse, showcases how music has habitually been a therapeutic outlet for the Vietnamese-American artist.


“A lot of people care about what other people have to mention, you know?” Leadr tells MTV News. “And it's just like, who the fuck cares? It doesn't matter. Do you. And if it feels good, and if it makes you happy, go soon after it.”


Right now, Leadr is prepared to take all of the power back with the release of their debut EP My Way, out on October 29. Furthermore, they are putting out a series of individual digital artworks inspired by each song. Ahead of the release, they discussed with MTV News about creating My Way and from where their material stems.


MTV News: How would you describe your genre and fashion of music? And might you say, also, which artists influence you?


Leadr: If I began out, it was very electronic. Then it became very pop and then indie. Right now it's all over the place. I don't desire to put myself in a box. Once I do music, it's more about the feeling and my mood at the moment, because maybe that next album I'll do is nation, whichever. It really depends. It's just my mood.


And who are my influences? I would mention Grimes — love Grimes. Just love her aesthetic and whole vibe. Billie Eilish, needless to say. Her voice is incredible. Been listening to a lot of K-pop, like BTS and NCT. Yet any time If I was a kid, I loved the classics, like Madonna. Britney Spears, I was obsessed with her. Free Britney!


MTV News: What is the through-line for your new EP, My Way?


Leadr: It's all about my past life experiences. It was a very healing album, very therapeutic If I was writing it. For My Way, it's like you're taking your power back. You're finding that happiness within yourself, and it's my way or the highway. And I had a lot of people judge me while in my whole life. And thus I'm taking my power finally. “You know what? Fuck you guys.” It's my life. It's my way.


One of the songs on the EP is called “3am,” and it’s about a dream I had where I would go back to my younger self. And my younger self was attempting to commit suicide, which I did go through If I was 11 years old, contemplating committing suicide. I mentioned, no, don't do that. I'm still here. So I wanted to write something like “3am” where people can relate and be like, “They visualize me, I'm still here.” It does get better. Thank god I had the music because that pushed me through and out. We have to remember that we can breathe and show our gratitude.


MTV News: You were raised in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. From one Asian American and New Jerseyan to another, could you fancy more on your upbringing?


Leadr: Growing up in Cherry Hill was tough because I was hiding myself. I wasn't being Leadr. Leadr is my higher self. There was a lot of trauma Whenever I was growing up. I told you I almost committed suicide. A lot of the students were really mean. I was bullied While I was a kid. As well as, my parents, they're very conservative. I was afraid to come out.


The song “Cherry Hill” is about being like, I need to get out of this place to be myself. and thus I had to move away. I had to get far, far away. So I went to Pittsburgh, which is weird. I mean, I loved it at the time. However that's Whenever I came out. And I came out to my twin brother first, who is my biggest advocate, I love him so much. And I knew at that point, I was just like, you know what? Again, fuck it. I'm going to be me.


MTV News: It must have taken a lot to come out to your brother, let alone your twin. Although I know twins tend to have a close relationship. While you instructed him, was he really surprised?


Leadr: I remember just looking at him, thinking, I'm going to tell him. So I instructed him, and he mentioned, "Really?" I replied, yeah, really. And he was like, "Oh, OK. Whichever I was like, oh, that was easy, thank god. Immediately after that, I told my companions, and I told my mom.


My mom's story is funny. I mentioned, hey mom, I got to tell you something. And she was just like, “What? What's going on?" I was like, I think you already know, look at me. She asked, "Did you drop out of school? Did you make [someone] pregnant? Did you do contraband I was like, no. Hello. Look at me. Finally, she asked, "You’re gay?” I'm like, yes, I'm gay. And she was, "Oh, OK. All right, well, take me shopping. Let's go to the mall."


MTV News: Was your song “Gaia” also mostly based on your life? And what's the reason you chose a Greek mythological deity because the title and the reference to her in the lyrics?


Leadr: The song is about my past, going through abuse, and the effects of abuse and transference. I'm telling myself and my inner child, don't do that. Mother Gaia — she is Mother Earth in Greek mythology — telling all mothers that we have to teach kids love and compassion. If we don't, they'll have trauma. It was really hard writing that song. Every time I listen to it, I get really worked up. Although also I learned to forgive. Because if we don't forgive, you're holding this pain indoor within the full time so you can't reside in peace and happiness.


MTV News: Your song “Hi, I'm Human” and its music video are serious about the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities. It really resonated with me, and I’d mention it probably resonates with the BIPOC and the LGBTQ+ communities, as well, since the song applies to any person who belongs to a marginalized group.  What was the process like writing the song and making the video?


Leadr: I wrote the song last year with my friend Joey Myron, also it was throughout that time whenever the Black Lives Matter movement peaked and the nation was going through unease, so I knew I wanted to write something that would bring the nation with each other and show we're all different although human, [so] we're all of the same. Visually, Once I created the story, I knew that I wanted to go by means of the three levels of the mind: conscious, subconscious, and unconscious.


Once you're watching the video, it's a loop. Going through everyday life and the words hit you, then the cuts bruises, and yes it just gets worse and worse and worse up until you visualize the child scene, which is my inner child. You need to remind yourself that self-care is very crucial. Toward the end of the video, you visualize me watching the hate, the [slurs and other disparaging] words, and I just felt liberated doing that.


MTV News: Growing up, because of your family members, did you feel pressured to be more whitewashed or be more Americanized?


Leadr: Going back to the self-hatred of being Asian and being queer, yeah, so you know what, I would mention the media is a piece of the problem. In Hollywood, Asians are portrayed as nerdy and susceptible, and girls are fetishized. Any time If I went to college and began dating, I remember guys could be like, "Oh, you don't look Asian. You look very exotic.” I was like, wow. What's that mean? And thus growing up, it's really hard because I didn't hope to be Asian. I didn't desire to be queer. I had a lot of self-hatred. I had to do a lot of healing for that.


MTV News: With “Hi, I'm Human” being featured on Spotify, how has your journey been as a rising queer Asian-American artist, and who are your biggest supporters?


Leadr: My mom still doesn't get why I do music. She's very traditional.  “You have to work, work, work, work, work. You must work to live.” Some days it takes a long time to get it. However she's like, "OK, whichever. It's your life." I instructed her, Mom, I'm happy. I'm really happy doing it. My dad — he has a music background. He played guitar, so he's helpful of that. And thank god I have my brother who accepts me for who I am, and who is just very accommodating. Nevertheless I don't need people to tell me that. I know that I'm delighted of myself for doing it. Be overjoyed of who you are, be overjoyed of yourself, do you, follow your dreams, all of that. Because none of that other stuff matters.