Alexander 23 is emblematic of the most prominent modern artists: he first garnered recognition through TikTok, accumulating millions of views on videos of performances and lyrics. His debut”IDK You Yet” echoed throughout the ‘For You’ pages of Loren Gray, Tony Lopez, and others (each with their own massive platforms). And not without reason: his work is incredibly intimate and vulnerable, giving voice to a longing for what could’ve been. 

His most recent release, “Caught In the Middle”, comes with the same nostalgia, only for a love already gone awry. It’s intoxicatingly melancholic, Goyte’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” re-interpreted, even more resonant. “We’re caught in the middle of lovers and strangers,” Alexander voices over a guitar-led melody. “You know everything about me except how my day was.” 

The music video encaptures the same, disorienting affair. Alexander recently told VMAN, “I wanted this video to capture the surreal emotions you feel after a break-up.  The clashing of familiarity and mystery.” Certainly, the paradox is inherent within the mannequins and dim surroundings, an atmosphere rife with ambiguities. 

He continues, “This song is about the emotional paradox you feel after breaking up with someone you were seriously involved with.  How weird it is to know someone’s deepest darkest secrets, but not know how their day went or how their family is doing.  I clearly don’t have all the answers, but it is my hope that the people listening and I can find comfort in our collective confusion.”

Whether you’re a veteran follower of his TikTok (@alexander23lol) or a relative newcomer, you can watch Alexander perform on The Late Late Show with James Corden on August 11th. In the meantime, be sure to check out the video for “Caught In The Middle” below: