Alexander 23 and Kenny Beats Pull on Our Heartstrings With "ill"


Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Alexander 23 wrestles with heartbreak in "ill," his new single featuring none other than acclaimed artist and producer Kenny Beats.

"ill" is Alexander 23's first collaboration with renowned hip-hop producer Kenny Beats, but his raw, vulnerable lyricism and mastery over melody are still at the heart of the bruisingly genuine song. Of the track, Kenny Beats shares, "This is the first song I made with Alexander the first hour we met. He's got such an effortless way with words and people. He's that friend you swear you've met before. I couldn't be more proud of 'ill' and the whole team involved."

The single, which also features Maroon 5's James Valentine on guitar, is accompanied by an amazing lyric video that perfectly captures the song's complexity. The timelapse captures the artist's restlessness and distress, reflecting the emotional impact of the lyrics referencing confusing texts from his ex. Lyrics like, "It was still raining, and you were still gone," and flashbacks to showering together paint a picture of heartbreak from the perspective of the rapidly rising artist. "I get physically ill when I think about you getting physical with someone else," he then sings on the melancholy chorus.

Only three months have passed since Alexander 23 released his debut studio album, Aftershock. Produced alongside Dan Nigro, the 11-track project is immersed in the aftermath of a failed relationship. The acoustic single "Hate Me If It Helps" was co-written with Olivia Rodrigo, who also provided background vocals, while Alexander 23's vast emotional depth was on full display in the ballad "The Hardest Part."

"Being heartbroken, thinking you're over it when you're obviously not, meeting new people, questioning yourself and all your relationships," explains Alexander 23 on the album's roots upon its release in July. "If the breakup was the emotional earthquake, the creation of this album was the emotional aftershock."

Watch the "ill" music video below:


Related Articles

GRESLEY Paints A Coming-Of-Age Masterpiece with 'Songs I Wrote Since She Left' [Q&A]

GRESLEY Paints A Coming-Of-Age Masterpiece with 'Songs I Wrote Since She Left' [Q&A]

April 30, 2026 GRESLEY wrote the album back home in his parents house, where he yearned for his sense of normalcy, the comfort of his longtime girlfriend back in LA, and explored the daunting, but exciting path ahead of him.
Author: DJ Connor
pop
Diva Smith Surrenders to Love in "Sunny Surrender" [Q&A]

Diva Smith Surrenders to Love in "Sunny Surrender" [Q&A]

April 28, 2026 Inspired by the joy of country music playing on the radio during a spontaneous roadtrip, "Sunny Surrender" is a blissful new anthem by Diva Smith.
Author: DJ Connor
pop
Haiden Henderson Turns the Tension All the Way Up in “freak for you”

Haiden Henderson Turns the Tension All the Way Up in “freak for you”

April 27, 2026 will you match Haiden Henderson's freak?
Author: Alessandra Rincon
pop