Alexander 23 emerged in 2019 with a vibe that was part heartbroken slacker and part playfully sparse, software-constructed pop on the single "Dirty AF1s." Maintaining his public anonymity even while he racked up streams for tracks like "IDK You Yet" and the
Selena Gomez collaboration "Rare," the singer's identity was later revealed as Illinois native Alexander Glantz. His second EP,
Oh No, Not Again!, appeared in 2021. That same year, he gained yet wider attention co-producing
Olivia Rodrigo's chart-topping single "Good 4 U."
Raised outside of Chicago in Deerfield, Illinois, Glantz taught himself to play multiple instruments during his high school days and eventually dropped out of college in Pennsylvania to pursue his music career. Several years working as a producer and songwriter in Los Angeles led to the 2019 launch of his own solo career. Without revealing his identity at first (his social media featured the banner "Who is this?"),
Alexander 23 issued his debut single on Interscope in March 2019. He followed the release of "Dirty AF1s" with a tour of the U.S. in support of
Alec Benjamin and an appearance at that August's Lollapalooza festival. His debut EP,
I'm Sorry I Love You, followed that October.
A bevy of songs appeared in 2020, including "IDK You Yet," "Loving You Gets Hard," "Brainstorm," and "Rare" with
Selena Gomez. A number of these tracks later appeared on his follow-up EP, 2021's
Oh No, Not Again! Also that year, he co-produced
Olivia Rodrigo's Hot 100 chart-topping single "Good 4 U," off her Grammy-winning album
Sour. In April 2022, Glantz returned to his solo work with the jangly break-up anthem "Crash." ~ Marcy Donelson