Interview: Jordan Alexander Is Ready To Be Vulnerable

Triple Threat Jordan Alexander Is Ready To Be Vulnerable

The actress, model, and songwriter is back like she never left and ready to make her mark — starting with Toronto.

by Ozioma Nwabuikwu

Photo by Jorian Charlton

Published on January 26, 2024

As a Savage X Fenty ambassador and lead actress in HBO Max’s Gossip Girl, Jordan Alexander is no stranger to the bright lights. With her new single and an album on its way later this year, new fans may be surprised by her apparent detour from film and fashion. But music has always been a safe space for Jordan since childhood. “Songwriting is always there for me,” she tells RANGE over Zoom.

Alexander appears on screen, excited, in simple makeup, a white tee and a black denim jacket. She’s gracious and open, in stark contrast to her role on Gossip Girl, the calculating Julien Calloway aka Blair Waldorf, but they do share an effortless fashion sense and natural poise.

The actress released a few singles before her television debut and is currently part of the electro-pop duo, MND3GMA (man-dee-rig-ma) with partner, Sakina Garcia. After moving to Toronto in 2011 to pursue acting, Alexander leaned into songwriting as a cathartic hobby to comfort her through the stress of constant auditions and slowly began to hone her craft. She was practically ready to give up by the time she got an audition for the reboot of Gossip Girl, and the rest is history. While filming the series, Alexander wrote the lead single, “Leaving Toronto,” along with the rest of the songs featured on her soon-to-be-released LP. Realizing the songs all had a similar theme, she got to work with the help of her co-producers, Haviah Mighty and Taabu.

“Leaving Toronto” came first, inspired by having to leave Toronto suddenly to film in New York during the first few months of the pandemic—before Alexander and her lover could piece together how they were feeling. Closed borders, scarce visas, and tight production schedules had the two doubting if they’d ever realize a relationship. This vacuum of fervent emotions became a perfect excuse to write. “It was such an explosive and tumultuous experience that it warranted not just the songs on the album, [but] there were so many others as well…,” Alexander declares.

Influenced by the experimental electro-pop stylings of artists like FKA Twigs and Charli XCX, “Leaving Toronto” lets out an urgent, discordant melody that perfectly captures the desperation of fractured hope, while the production reveals a pleasant albeit chaotic melancholy that’s instantly irresistible. “I’d really love for people to tap into their dramatic, emotional side,” Alexander says. She wants the audience to tap into this main character energy wherever they can, especially after a “pretty cry.” “When you’re heartbroken or in love, everything revolves around that, and therefore, you.”

Alexander is back in Toronto and couldn’t be happier. HBO Max’s decision not to return with a third reason ended up being “perfect timing” for Alexander to pursue the creation of her upcoming album. “I feel really grateful to be back home. Nothing makes you value where you’re from like going somewhere else,” she says.

“I want to invest in Toronto. I don’t want artists to think they need to leave here to do something great.”

After more than 10 years working in the city, the songwriter is dismayed by the pressure Toronto artists face to leave the city for better opportunities. “I want to invest in Toronto. I don’t want artists to think they need to leave here to do something great.” This new record is a testament to that. Her award-winning collaborators made the process smooth and enjoyable. “[Haviah Mighty and Taabu] were able to interpret how I was feeling so accurately, sometimes even without me [saying] that’s what I wanted.”

When asked what motivates her, Alexander cites her deeply personal relationship with music. “I don’t know how to do anything else. This just came about so naturally,” she says. She’s never been one to shy away from sharing her true feelings. This innate confidence has given her the grace to handle the ups and downs of independent artistry. “I’m an unrelenting artist. I will always be an artist.”

Alexander is currently focused on the release of her upcoming album (release date TBD) and is eager to engage with fans, both online and at upcoming shows. Her new single, “Leaving Toronto,” is out now.