Life & Work with Toxic Hearts

Today we’d like to introduce you to Toxic Hearts.

Hello Toxic Hearts, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
Ryan Alexander: I got my start on the drums. When I was 15, I saw a drum set at a pawn shop with my grandfather. I bugged him every day for the next month, asking if he’d get it for me. Eventually, he wore it down and got it for me; I just had to mow his lawn once a week for the next two summers.

When I went off to college, I didn’t really have a space to store or even play the drums, so I picked up the guitar. I was self-taught on both. I would just play songs I liked, and all the mechanics I learned would come from playing those.

Tyler Fiore: I always loved singing and writing. I started writing the cringiest songs and performing for my family as early as I can remember. I wasn’t confident enough to do anything serious with singing, so I joined the band instead and played the trombone from elementary school through high school. I stopped playing in college and started earning a degree in music business to get a job behind the scenes. I hoped to be an A&R rep or artist manager.

In my freshmen year, I started recording demos with beats I purchased online and kept writing as much as possible. I started networking on MySpace and, oddly enough, Craigslist. I started performing in local showcases and some in LA and just kept going from there.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ryan Alexander: It hasn’t always been smooth, but I think the hardest thing about creating music is finding bandmates as committed as you are. You can try and do everything yourself, but you just get burnt out from trying to come up with all the parts and eventually just hate whatever song or project you’re working on. So, it’s nice to have someone who is as committed and open-minded about music as Tyler is.

Tyler Fiore: Aw thanks buddy. The journey has definitely not been smooth but I think working with Ryan on our music has been the smoothest part of my musical journey. I was a solo artist for years and did a lot of EDM vocal features. I started looking for live musicians for my local shows, and it ended up turning into a full rebrand where I became the lead vocalist in a band.

We went through 4 lineup changes, Ryan joined our last lineup, and once the band decided to part ways, I got signed to a local record label and management deal. Ryan and I had become great friends at that point and ended up producing and recording for my album. My manager at that time decided to part ways, so the album never got a proper release, so Ryan and I decided to form “Toxic Hearts” using the tracks from the album to launch our project, and the rest is history.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are Toxic Hearts, a pop/rock/EDM hybrid band from Phoenix, AZ. We have released three albums: Memories, Human, and Urgency. We haven’t been active and performing as much as we’d like to post COVID, but after our single “Forever Is Never Enough” became viral and close to hitting 8 million plays on Spotify, we were inspired to be more active as the local music scene returns to some normalcy. Our latest single, “Feed The Wolves,” just released in April, and we are back in the studio working on our next album, hoping to return to the stage soon.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Ryan: I think the most important thing I can say is, don’t put yourself in a box. It sounds so cliché, but it’s the truth. Just put it all out there; you never know what’s going to stick or not. Some of my favorite songs we’ve done are some of the least popular. Some songs we’ve kind of just thrown together have surprised us, and lots of people have found a way to relate to it. Just throw it all at the wall and see what sticks.

Tyler: For me, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to be myself and not overthink our music. Music has been a powerful outlet for self-expression and personal growth. When I first came out as gay, I was terrified of how it would impact my music and the band. But with the unwavering support of my bandmate Ryan, I’ve been able to fully embrace my authentic self and incorporate all aspects of my sexuality into our music.

Our music has become a vessel for escapism and fun pop without sacrificing the honesty and vulnerability in the lyrics. The journey of being true to myself has led me to marry the man of my dreams and start a family through foster care – something I’m not sure I would have had the courage to do without the creative freedom and acceptance I found in our music.

The path of self-discovery is never easy, but with the right support system, it can become a source of inspiration and empowerment. I’m grateful to have found that in my bandmates and our shared passion for making music that uplifts and connects people. This has truly been a wonderfully positive experience that has shaped both my personal and artistic growth.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toxicheartsmusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toxicheartsmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/tylerfioremusic
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/toxichearts
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4cYZbQXwZpe4X4JjbcncvF 

Image Credits
Garrett Cook