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Photo: Hunter Moreno

Alexander 23 is starting the year off strong with a beautiful song about his broken heart, and subsequently breaking ours in the process. “How Much Longer?” follows the formula of the sad synth-pop we all love, with quiet desperation seeping through the lyrics and Alexander’s gentle vocal delivery. The singer, songwriter, and producer wears his heart on his sleeve and proves that vulnerability is something to cherish.

Unrequited love is a special type of heartbreak and in this single, Alexander 23 captures it in all its devastating glory. He sings about wanting to change to be exactly what the person wants but needing guidance that will never come. We’ve all had the urge to change ourselves to be perfect for another person, but deep down there’s the reality that it still wouldn’t make them change their mind. In “How Much Longer?,” this sentiment reverberates from everything left unsaid. It’s the pain dripping from his voice in every syllable, the higher register as he begs for answers, and the loss of energy as the song closes.

“How Much Longer?” invokes the unrelenting ache of early 2000’s indie ballads, the likes of Coldplay’s “Yellow,” which, paired with Alexander 23’s soft vocals and straightforward songwriting, achieves a perfect symmetry of heartbreak. Alexander 23’s impressive lyrical ability is also on display in this track in more ways than one. Even the title, “How Much Longer?,” perfectly encapsulates the end of a relationship that leaves all of the necessary questions unanswered.

This track is a quintessential sad boy anthem, complementary to the insecurities that creep through during these dark, winter days. For his first release of the year, Alexander 23 is starting off strong by pulling at our heartstrings in a way that hurts so good.

Listen to “How Much Longer?” below: