“Why aren’t you more well-known?”
It’s a question independent musician Alexz Johnson hears all too often and is quite aware that the well-meaning inquirer actually means, “Why aren’t you more famous?”
But as an artist who has tasted fame, Johnson has no regrets about walking away from it.
The trajectory of Johnson’s career has not been that of the “typical” indie artist. Many of her fans first came to know her from such television roles as Annie Thelen in the Disney Channel series “So Weird” and young musician Jude Harrison in “Instant Star.”
The latter series, which aired on CTV and The N (later TeenNick), was so wildly popular that people often blurred the lines between Johnson and her on-screen character and launched multiple petitions to bring the show back after its cancellation in 2008. More than 15 years later, “Instant Star” is streaming on Pluto TV.
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But TV (and movie) work aside, Johnson is first and foremost a musician, one whose major label debut hit a snag when the company holding her album released more than a third of its artists from their contracts. Instead of retreating, tail between legs, Johnson used her newfound freedom to independently release a different album, produced by her brother and frequent collaborator, Brendan Johnson.
Four years and several albums later, Johnson released “Skipping Stone” on Jan. 24, 2012, launching a Kickstarter campaign the same day to raise $30,000 for her upcoming U.S. tour. In one day, fans had donated more than twice that amount to bring the singer-songwriter to the States − including a date at The Basement in Columbus.
To capsulize Johnson’s career as an indie musician in a nutshell is impossible. Suffice to say that each of her albums shows growth both lyrically and vocally, more surefootedness and a flair for transcending genres into a style that’s uniquely her own, from toe-tappers like “Trip Around the World” and poignant belters like “Look at Those Eyes” to bangers like “Give Me Fire” and heart-gripping tearjerkers like “Other Side,” from her latest album, “Seasons.”
Touring in support of her newest release, Johnson performs May 8 at Rumba Café, 2507 Summit St., with Joey Hebdo, a local musician who opened for Johnson at her last Columbus show. Artists supporting artists is something the 37-year-old Canadian believes in; she regularly recruits homegrown talent to open in the cities where she performs.
The show begins at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $32 general admission and $95 for a 6:30 p.m. VIP meet-and-greet, available at bit.ly/49W2mqG.
Taking a break from the whirlwind of action that is tour preparation, Johnson spoke with The Dispatch about the ups and downs of being an indie artist, her connection with her fans, her new album and more.
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Question: I know other indie musicians who get asked why they’re not more famous. Why do you think people are so obsessed with fame?
Alexz Johnson: I think it’s all people know. People put a lot of their self-worth around fame. I think it’s a sickness in our culture that needs to be shifted. People are fed a story, and they buy it and that’s what mass consumerism is − like McDonald’s, whatever is promoted and advertised to be great. But there’s definitely a counterculture movement happening where people choose to support the local organic shop or the indie artist they love. Major labels, I believe, won’t even have a place in 10 years.
For me, success is finding your peace and authenticity and honesty and truth before you die. To be in a position where I’m able to make music and access people, that’s all I can ask for. My desire isn’t to play for Wembley, it’s to play for human souls. There’s no difference in playing a show for 10 people or 10,000 people. It’s a human experience for me.
Question: What advice would you give indie artists seeking fame?
Johnson: I just did a creativity workshop relating to this. It’s really important in life to understand your value outside of creating music. We all inherently have a value. Don’t try to earn your worth through your art; try to help people through your art. It won’t be about the money. If that’s your goal, you won’t survive. Do what you want to do with your life, what you love to do. Don’t do it for value, applause or to make yourself feel worthy. It really comes down to a value of your soul and value of yourself.
Question: Obviously, there are challenges to being independent, but what are the advantages no one talks about?
Johnson: It would have to be being able to have control over my content and how I handle my career. Having that interaction with my fan base is a real gift in my career. It’s a lot of work; I have to do everything… I try to give a window into that to my fan base through Patreon. But if there weren’t benefits, I wouldn’t continue doing this.
The biggest challenge is not having major label funds to get me on billboards, but I don’t necessarily think this is something I need in my career. I don’t need it to create content. My goal shifted from wanting all fans in the world to wanting to please the fans I already have.
Question: Let’s talk a minute about your fans. Many, if not most, have followed you and your work since you were literally a child. To what do you attribute such loyalty?
Johnson: I’m a super loyalist. It’s beautiful; it’s an exchange happening between us. I create something and in exchange, I receive from my fans the desire to continue creating. It’s this beautiful cycle. Through the hardest times of my career, my fans pull me through those dark times. It’s really a gift. I see the bigger picture. When I’m on my deathbed, it won’t be about how many tickets I sold in Columbus, it’ll be about that interaction I had with that lovely person.
Question: When you began recording “Seasons,” what sort of album were you envisioning?
Johnson: I wanted a timeless record. I look at Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon − I’m not saying this record is on par with theirs, but I always lean toward not being a trendy artist. I was leaning toward the classic, timeless albums when I started writing “Seasons,” with the chords and how I structured the songs.
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Question: You’ve always had a sound that can’t be pigeonholed; your music has elements of blues, pop, soul, country and so on. How do you find the sound of a song? Do you know ahead of time, or does it come to you during the creative process?
Johnson: I guess it just kind of comes down to I try to be as authentic to the sound as possible. Songs have to find their finish; you can’t guide them too much. I’ve never put myself in a box; I listen to country, pop, R&B… as people are listening to my music, I’m growing as an artist. My fan base is experiencing my evolution as an artist.
Question: What do you hope your listeners take away from “Seasons”?
Johnson: I want “Seasons” to lend itself to healing. I really want it to be a release for people going through the seasons of their lives and knowing this, too, shall pass.
Question: What would you tell fans who have never seen you live to expect at the Rumba Café show?
Johnson: Laughs and tears. I don’t take myself too seriously! It’s a real communal experience. I like being a part of it, being with the audience. It’s an evening for all of us to enjoy and heal. I would hope it to be almost like a spiritual experience. I like to feel like I’ve just been to church.
