Welcome to Emerging Artists Spotlight, a Billboard series where we highlight a musician who has recently made his or her debut on the Emerging Artists chart. Whether they are new to the industry, or have been around for a while but are just starting to have a chart impact, the intention is to showcase where they are here and now. This week’s pick is Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (Sandy) Alex G, who debuted at No. 24 on the chart dated Sept. 28 following the release of his ninth overall full-length album, House of Sugar.
Despite an ever-growing fanbase, heaps of critical praise and a host of Frank Ocean collaborations, Philadelphia-based multi-hyphenate, single-parenthetical DIY savant (Sandy) Alex G — born Alexander Giannascoli — has made it out of the woods without losing his homegrown appeal, open-hearted lyricism or penchant for the occasional experimental instrumental divergence.
The independent artist-turned-Domino-signee debuts on the Emerging Artists chart following the Sept. 13 release of his third album on the label House of Sugar, which notched a No. 5 spot on the Heatseekers Albums chart as well as No. 3 on Vinyl Albums, No. 20 on Rock Album Sales and No. 43 on Top Album Sales with 5,000 equivalent album units earned.
The new set finds Giannascoli spinning frayed acoustic tunes into mystic woodland campfire songs that range from stomp-ready singalongs to haunting chorales that linger long after the night’s over. It’s this balance that makes Alex G’s songwriting so singularly compelling; though the journey is rife with his own personal twists and turns, each track offers enough space for everyone to feel like they’re moving in lock-step with him.
“I try to make music that can be revisited many times,” Giannascoli tells Billboard. “My hope is that the listener can find something new with each listen.”
Whether the fairytale ending waiting at the album’s titular destination should ultimately inspire hope or apprehension is left ambiguous, but following the trail left by (Sandy) Alex G is just as sweet.
Learn more about (Sandy) Alex G below.
Full Name: Alexander Giannascoli
Age: 26
Hometown: Philadelphia PA
Recommended (Sandy) Alex G song: “Gretel”
Something he’s been passionate about lately outside of his work/music: I like to play pool when I can. I like to read. In the middle of The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano. Recently finished The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy.
What’s next: I will keep making albums until I run out of ideas.