“Back when I was a kid, the song (and the iconic music video) felt so scandalous in the best way possible,” says queer NYC artist STEFAN ALEXANDER about why he decided to cover the classic Tweet (featuring Missy Elliot) single “Oops (Oh My)”. “Now, from an adult perspective, I understand the lyrics to be about self-pleasure and independence, especially for women and femme-identifying folks, who are too often stigmatized for their sexual desire. The message is timeless!”
Tackling such an iconic song is no easy feat, especially one that reached number seven on Billboard‘s Hot 100. Premiering today via alt-rock website Stitched Sound, Stefan tells the site, “I tried to modernize the song with some more current production, but I wanted to stay true to the original as much as possible. The most important thing was to keep the sensuality of the original, so hopefully that comes through.”
With his smooth as silk vocals over a very stylized R&B bed, Stefan switches up the perspective, tackles the track, and posits it in a very modern take, maintaining all of the flavor. Replacing the sparse, Timbaland production with a more synth-driven texture, he embraces all of Tweet’s sensual delivery and turns up the heat, making the song more intimate and seductive.
A NYC-based artist whose promising initial surge began three years ago, Stefan released his debut single “Skeleton” which racked up over a million streams on Spotify. Earmilk called the track, “haunting” and described him as “a talented crooner with a knack for creating fetching tunes… a mix of R&B, pop, and electro fused together to create a compelling track that’s perfect for blasting in your car or on a weekend night.” Indie Shuffle wrote about the track saying “there’s so much more to this tune that you will love. There’s passion in his vocals… You’ll be sucked in by the heavy percussion and the cool tropical elements tossed all over this one. But I think it’s the vocal performance that’s going to keep all of us wanting more.”
His career trajectory was cut short however when he succumbed to a mysterious pain disorder that made it impossible for him to perform music, much less most physical activity. After three years of countless doctors’ visits and incorrect diagnoses, it was determined that he suffered from “Central Sensitization Syndrome”, a relatively new diagnosis where the brain can hardwire injuries, so it continues to send pain signals even after the body is healed. Now that he knows what is ailing him, he has learned to harness it so it has minimal effect moving forward, hoping to pick up where he left off. In addition, Stefan has used his platform to speak honestly about his chronic illness and hopes his story can inspire others to overcome whatever challenges they may be facing in their lives.
Now that he’s broken the surface with new music this year, Stefan is ready to get back into the ring full force with more music and performances to be announced soon. His much-lauded Thunderclap EP (released earlier this Summer) signaled his return to form, with All Things Go heralding, ” Alexander is back and better than ever”. The New Nine lauded the EP as “an emotional pop masterpiece that will get stuck in your head but also make you cry if you let it sneak up on you.”
“2020 is going to start off with a bang,” he says excitedly! “I’ll be releasing my second EP at the beginning of the year, followed by more music through the spring and summer!”
More info on upcoming music from Stefan Alexander will be announced shortly!
Oops! Oh my, indeed.