Q&A: Alexa Cappelli Turns A New Page With Class on New Single “Someone Better”
☆ BY Kristian Gonzales ☆
WHEN FACING A BREAKUP — it’s all too common for the heartbreak to fester and turn our hearts black. What starts as pure bliss and long days spent in smiles and laughs ends up shifting to screaming matches and, at worst, total non-acknowledgment of our former partners. We’re used to endless waves of songs spewing heated rants and vitriol towards broken relationships, vindicating the jaded side of our emotions. At times, we could need a little more peace and clarity to truly heal our pain. As a breath of fresh air, pop songstress Alexa Cappelli soothes our scars with her new single, “Someone Better.”
Desiring to turn a new page in her life, Cappelli handles a breakup by giving honesty and grace to her ex. “Someone Better” embraces the hurt with comfort, as she lets go of her relationship with gratitude of what used to be while moving forward with certainty. Over delicate piano melodies, Cappelli radiates with grace through her buttery vocals, with poignant lines such as “It’s not like you yelled at me, or said something terribly wrong / I’ll keep the memories close, But I’m letting you go.”
“‘Someone Better’ is the realization that the relationship you’re in doesn't fit the life you’re living for,” Cappelli said. “There’s nothing wrong with the other person. In fact, there’s really only good. But you know the future holds more growth and love for both of you apart, rather than together. Choosing yourself is way more difficult when you aren’t mad at this person who has only ever treated you right. But moving forward, there will be a day when you meet someone somewhere who does the same and is also growing in the same direction.”
Last year, Luna caught up with Alexa on the eve of her debut project, Confused @ 22. At the time, the singer was fully coming into her own, drawing from her time as a contestant on The Voice and a series of “cul-de-sac acoustic shows” to strengthen her confidence and identity as an artist. Now, read below as Alexa returns to spill the details on her new single and give an update on continuous evolution in a new interview.
LUNA: Hello, Alexa! Congrats on dropping your new single “Someone Better”! What was your initial inspiration for this track?
CAPPELLI: I often write from experiences I’ve had and feelings I’ve felt. When I wrote “Someone Better,” it was honestly coming from a place of relief where I could finally see that just because something/someone is great, [it] doesn’t mean it is necessarily great for me.
LUNA: It’s refreshing to hear such transparency when tackling the subject of a breakup in a song, but even more so, your appreciation for a partner’s presence in retrospect. How significant is that for you, especially when there’s a lot of songs on heartbreak that have an aura of anger and jadedness?
CAPPELLI: “Someone Better” is a reflection of the grief that is just as much a part of the process as the kind of songs that make you want to scream. Those angrier songs make me feel empowered for a moment, but what makes me feel even more so is choosing myself enough to let go of a love that was pure but simply not right.
LUNA: With the release of “Someone Better,” what has the progression been like in your emotional and creative energy in the year since you dropped your last project, Confused @ 22?
CAPPELLI: I actually wrote this song at the same time I was writing the last songs for Confused @ 22. I could really feel growth in those moments. To go from writing a song like “The Fence” that describes my indecision to “Someone Better” that reflects on a difficult decision I made, was really eye-opening. Like, maybe I’m a lot stronger than I thought.
LUNA: Now that it’s been five years since your tenure as a contestant on The Voice, how excited would you feel if Kelly Clarkson and your peers on the show heard your latest work?
CAPPELLI: I am proud of the performer I was back then, but I’ve put in so much work to evolve from that stage of my life — it would feel very full circle for me!
LUNA: Given your time on that program, along with a co-sign from MTV and your explosion in popularity on TikTok over the past couple years, would you say that you might not feel much pressure towards success as an artist now that you’re signed to Arista Records?
CAPPELLI: I am happy to be growing with the music I’m making and the collaborators I work with. I’ve always been learning and I plan on continuing to do so for a long time. The pressure is always on in my mind, but it’s less about success and more about creating songs I am proud of and being myself in every room I walk in.
LUNA: Even with the trajectory you’re currently on, would another series of cul-de-sac concerts be something on your list that you’d want to revisit without hesitation?
CAPPELLI: Oh, the memories! Cul-de-sac concerts in my parent's neighborhood gave me accountability and hope during the pandemic. Practicing for live “performances” at a time when nobody was performing live was the inspiration for me to really want to tour someday. I’d love to open for another artist or headline my own tour soon!
LUNA: Are there any details you want to tease in regard to what fans can expect from your upcoming work?
CAPPELLI: I have an album coming! I’ve been teasing clues on my social media and in my videos for some time now, and it will all come together very soon. I’ve loved the process of making a full-length process, and I can’t wait to share it!
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