By Jim Barber
Past the apparent musical mastery that Alex Whorms shows each time she touches a keyboard, strums a guitar or unleashes her dynamic voice, there’s the superbly advanced soul of an distinctive artist who has issues to say, concepts to convey, feelings to wrangle with, a spirit to unpack.
All of that is on evident and evocative show with the discharge of her terribly compelling and evocative new EP, Daylight Chasing Nightfall, which sees the native of Pickering, Ontario (simply east of Toronto) working by way of a deeply contemplative, self-revealing, bravely soul-baring time in her life, utilizing the medium of her inventive talents to course of emotions, ideas and notions of personhood which have been difficult her psychological well being and happiness for a lot of her life.
The subject material and the context through which the songs for Daylight Chasing Nightfall have been composed and recorded are the principle the reason why Whorms waited to launch the tracks into the world. They’re extra than simply deeply private, they’re songs created within the midst of a younger human battling typically oppressively tough psychological well being struggles, together with an insidious and fewer understood type of post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD). Whorms was additionally wrestling along with her id, her sexuality and her place on this planet as a lady, and as an artist.
Creating the music was certainly cathartic however releasing it meant exposing these wounds, these challenges, these innermost doubts and conflicted emotions to the world. She simply wasn’t prepared to do this on the time, however is so now.
“We truly completed recording this EP about two years in the past. And I felt that these songs have been way more private and weak than something I’ve launched earlier than. After all, it is dependent upon how intently an individual listens to lyrics and the way a lot they infer from them. I feel in my earlier work; there’s a tune that I feel individuals will be capable to inform that it was impressed by an consuming dysfunction I went by way of. Or there’s a tune that’s fairly explicitly about a few of my difficulties with psychological sickness. And there’s one other tune that even acknowledges my queerness. I’ve undoubtedly touched on these topics in my music up to now, however in a way more refined manner. So, there was a little bit of nervousness about, ‘are individuals going to assume in a different way about me if I launch this? Are individuals going to assume something about it?’ And I feel I got here to the belief that I don’t assume something goes to vary. I don’t assume anyone goes to assume any in a different way. It’s simply going to be one other album of songs. I’m additionally much less uptight about being extra sincere about a few of these difficult matters,” she mentioned, including that she realized that sharing such profoundly private moments and being so weak, so actual and uncooked can’t solely be cathartic for her because the creator of the music, but additionally generally is a highly effective therapeutic instrument for these listening to the songs.
“By means of sharing a few of my journey, I spotted it’s truly useful to different individuals, which has been thoughts blowing for me. I at all times thought I used to be coping with pretty aggressive melancholy, however I used to be truly identified in August of 2024 with PTSD. So I’ve had like a yr now of type of determining handle my signs higher and to acknowledge signs as being signs and to additionally tie in my emotions about myself by way of that lens and my emotions about my music as a result of my music could be very, very intently tied to my expertise of attempting to determine who I’m and the way I wish to proceed, how I wish to do issues with my artwork and my life and all of that. And attempting to determine is there worth in me sharing this in any respect? Like, is it for me that I’m sharing this or is it truly useful to different individuals to speak about difficult matters extra? And it seems that it’s. On CPTSD [more on the C part in a bit] Consciousness Day on Sept 2, I put up somewhat submit saying that I’ve spend a pair years in remedy coping with these signs and discovered that is what it’s. I mentioned if individuals are experiencing any of these signs to perhaps get it checked out. And I used to be stunned to get about 20 responses from individuals who say that they had the identical prognosis, or that they hadn’t heard of CPTSD, however that it resonates with them and that they’re going to get it checked out. So little issues like that appear to be useful. Is it altering the world? No. But it surely would possibly assist one or two individuals right here or there, and that feels good.
“It’s additionally a giant distinction studying how approaching these challenges head on and addressing them in my very own life type of defined why I wrote sure songs. Why did the songs on this EP really feel like I used to be moody on a regular basis? Why did I write an EP and name it Daylight Chasing Nightfall? And why do I really feel just like the ‘nightfall’ half is a lot simpler to dwell in than the daylight half after I have a look at my perspective on issues and my perspective about issues? Why do I’ve the gathering of all these songs which can be actually tackling a few of the most tough issues I’ve been by way of? And it type of tied all of it collectively.”
So, what was the results of these deliberations, this soul-searching train that led her to launch Daylight Chasing Nightfall in September of 2025.
“Once more, my psychological well being prognosis was simply over a yr in the past, so it got here after the songs have been written and recorded. I feel every little thing simply type of clicked into place and made sense. And I perceive now why I wrote that music. And I’m additionally okay with issues about me that I believed have been incorrect earlier than. I really feel like I can simply settle for every little thing that I’m and what I’ve been by way of and the songs that I’ve written and stand behind them and carry out them with confidence and with out worrying what somebody might and will not take into consideration them, and simply hope that the music can perhaps resonate with someone else in a constructive manner, whether or not it’s musically or lyrically,” Whorms mentioned, including that whereas she is heartened by the truth that her music could make a constructive distinction in some individuals’s lives and that she is comfortable to make use of her expertise and her platform to advocate to causes which can be near her coronary heart, her vocation and fervour is at all times going to be to create and carry out music.
“I’m a musician at the beginning. I’ve already began writing and recording the following album, truly. So, it’s at all times going to be music centered. However I do assume music and humanities can undoubtedly assist with advocacy. As an illustration, I’m acting at an occasion by SACHA, which is a corporation right here in Hamilton that helps individuals who have skilled sexual assaults. So, there’s advocacy in artwork and I’ll proceed to make use of my music to do no matter I can to assist and be a superb neighborhood member, however undoubtedly music is first.”
Psychological well being is slowly turning into one thing that society, households, authorities and people have gotten extra conscious of, extra educated about, and extra snug speaking about. However the mind remains to be very a lot a thriller, with new analysis, new data new remedies and new diagnostic processes seemingly coming each day. PTSD is now comparatively effectively often called a situation that impacts first responders, navy personnel, those that have witnessed or been victimized by violence. However even there, that’s solely the broad strokes understanding of the ailment. An increasing number of individuals are getting the prognosis who are usually not from these communities or vocations, and even the types that PTSD can take is turning into extra advanced. Whorms’ prognosis was for one thing known as CPTSD, a more recent incarnation that impacts those that have suffered repeated trauma over an extended time frame – the C stands for Complicated.
“It actually doesn’t have its personal utterly official prognosis but. It’s a reasonably new space of analysis that individuals are engaged on to ultimately have it get its personal separate prognosis. From what I perceive and from what I’ve been advised, the excellence is somewhat bit extra like for those who expertise traumatic issues over time, and particularly expertise them if you’re youthful, it influences the best way your mind truly develops as you develop up. So, it’s much less about one particular incident and extra concerning the repeated trauma that occurs if you’re younger. And there are many completely different signs that folks can expertise. Problem regulating feelings is one factor. Feeling somewhat bit disconnected from different individuals is one other. I even have skilled dissociation and type of leaving actuality somewhat bit, so to talk. That’s one thing that lots of people expertise,” Whorms defined.
“I’ve discovered some strategies to type of acknowledge after I’m experiencing a symptom and attempting to not take it too severely. However I undoubtedly was in that mode whereas we have been making this EP and I didn’t actually totally perceive all of that on the time. And I used to be undoubtedly actually, actually hung up on a few conditions that impressed these songs. I used to be undoubtedly having some bother mentally pulling myself out of conditions that have been now not taking place, and simply type of puzzling over that, questioning, like, ‘shouldn’t I be over this by now?’ After which after all getting the prognosis felt like I used to be being handed this complete different factor to cope with at first. I feel the primary seven or eight months have been actually intense the place I used to be simply feeling type of offended about it. However now I’m actually grateful to know and perceive now. At first I used to be offended and questioning did I actually need to have this huge, stigmatized label handed to me. However, , everybody has stuff they need to handle.
“I feel simply with the ability to even say these items out loud now makes me really feel higher. I’ve realized that if anyone thinks in a different way of me now it’s not necessary. The one individuals who have reached out and contacted me about it have been simply grateful for sharing. I feel a part of the rationale that now’s the correct time is that I’ve been round a bit extra. I’ve been on the market performing and doing issues associated to my music extra. I feel if you’re a musician and if you’re attempting to advertise music, you get loads of observe in deciding what you’re going to launch and what you’re going to submit on social media, and the way you’re going to method it. Even with simply selling a tune, you don’t know if individuals are going to love your tune or not. You don’t know for those who look foolish when your lip synching on TikTok. However there’s a sure threshold of cringe that I’ve simply gotten over at this level. As artists, we’re attempting to place ourselves on the market and promote one thing that we spent loads of time crafting. After which we’re saying, ‘right here’s this factor that I spent loads of money and time making. Right here you go,’ and a few individuals are simply going to hate it, proper? However different individuals are actually going to love it. It’s at all times somewhat little bit of a nerve-wracking factor to do, however having now launched as a lot music as I’ve I can type of simply settle for all of it as a part of the method.”
Whorms has been performing for many of her life, and apart from her solo reveals, works so much with singer/songwriter/bandleader Jacob Moon on the Traditional Troubadours Dwell reveals that he orchestrates, celebrating the music of legendary bands and artists reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, The Vehicles, Fleetwood Mac and extra. So even because the songs for Daylight Chasing Nightfall have been accomplished two years in the past, loads of life, loads of reveals and experiences and journey and audiences and private interactions have occurred over these two years. Mixed with the remedy she has undergone in recent times, the CPTSD prognosis and correct administration of her signs, Whorms is considerably extra psychologically resilient, and has developed extra layers of emotional callous to fend off the vagaries and vicissitudes of any negativity she might encounter.
“I inform myself as we speak that my worst present in 2025 remains to be higher than my greatest present in 2022, proper? In order that’s a comforting thought. And the factor is, I don’t even keep in mind issues I’ve tousled in reveals earlier than. Everyone else, within the band, within the viewers, has forgotten about it. And even now, my perspective is so completely different. If I mess up so spectacularly that folks keep in mind it years later, I’d be like, ‘effectively, a minimum of you keep in mind me.’ I’m not anxious about that type of factor anymore.,” she mentioned, including that the recording course of for the songs on the brand new EP ended up being very fruitful and fulfilling, however when it got here to time sing a few of the songs onstage, beginning with ‘Youthful Self’ which was launched in February, what was she to speak about? How would she introduce them?
“I used to be fortunate to be in a recording studio surroundings with a small group of musicians who I felt very snug round. So, recording the songs was one factor. However then it was like, ‘shit, what am I going to say about these once they come out to whoever is on the market?’ I don’t know who’s on the market and I don’t know the way many individuals are on the market. I feel with the second single ‘Keep’ I wasn’t positive what to say concerning the story that impressed that one. So, what I did was I despatched the tune to a good friend and requested them what they thought it was about. They usually mentioned it sounds prefer it’s a few break-up the place you’re not able to let the opposite individual go. Which is nice and that’s not unfaithful, in order that’s what I’m going to go together with. As I mentioned, I’m simply extra snug not speaking about what the songs are about. Just like the lead single of this document is named ‘Unsuitable,’ and it’s about me accepting all of the issues, all of the challenges with my psychological sickness and physique picture. Traditionally, I’ve had very, very excessive confidence however very, very low vanity. And I can admit that and type of share how I used to be. So, it’s been a course of over the past couple of years to discover ways to discuss concerning the songs on the EP now and evolving from simply with the ability to admit these issues to myself within the studio to now feeling snug and in a position and keen to speak.
“The method has been type of like a sense of moving into energy, I assume. Do I really feel lightness? Not precisely. One other one of many million issues I used to be anxious about was that an excessive amount of time had handed and perhaps I had outgrown the songs, that perhaps they weren’t legitimate issues to sing about anymore. However now it simply seems like the correct time for me. I’m by myself timeline and I wanted to do the remedy, I wanted to do the self-reflection in between ending the songs and now to actually be capable to do the songs justice as a performer. There’s now this satisfying type of feeling of issues clicking into place on the proper time. That’s extra of what I’m feeling concerning the course of now.”
Classically skilled, and immersed in music from an early age, Whorms’ songwriting course of is a mixture of inspiration and group.
“Typically, I write lyrics and music on the similar time, after which I do loads of enhancing. There are some exceptions, however 99 per cent of the time I do it that manner. And I don’t essentially want an instrument readily available when I’m writing. I wrote a tune whereas I used to be strolling by way of Toronto not too long ago, and I simply sang the entire thing into my telephone. So, phrases and melody are likely to hit me concurrently, after which I simply do an entire lot of enhancing later,” she defined.
“I undoubtedly have durations of time that I block off to be actually regimented that manner. After which as I’m working round doing all my different issues that I do, concepts proceed to come back, and I simply attempt to seize them as a lot as I can earlier than they disappear from my mind. The songs on this EP occurred just about that manner. As an illustration, the second I made a decision I may be feeling horrible, and I’m going to inform one individual how I’m feeling, it made me really feel higher and that I can type of hold persevering. After which the phrase, ‘incorrect simply feels so proper,’ which is the tagline of the second monitor, ‘Unsuitable,’ that’s what hit me first – ‘Unsuitable simply feels so proper.’ After which I constructed out the tune from there. For the tune ‘Youthful Self’ which got here out as a single too, it took place after I was scrolling by way of the primary cellphone I ever owned in highschool. And I heard the piano riff that’s within the tune, which is one thing I wrote after I was 12 or 13 however by no means put phrases to, and I nonetheless preferred it. Then the thought occurred to me, I used to be pondering again on what was occurring in my life at that age and occupied with how completely different I’m as an individual now, and the way a lot I’ve grown and the way a lot I’ve modified and the way a lot my scenario has modified since then and the thought got here to me, ‘why don’t you write a letter to your youthful self.’ And that was the tune that I ended up writing. The lyrics have been from my perspective, trying again, however the piano music had been written by 12-year-old me. So, for that tune, it was one line, one thought and I do know then which reminiscence or scenario has impressed that tune, and I simply increase out from there.”
Whorms then mentioned arguably one of the emotive and evocative tracks on the EP, a lovelorn have a look at unrequited emotions and the angst of eager for that which you imagine is unattainable.
“With ‘Want’ I’m trying again on somebody I knew that I used to be shut associates with for a number of years. And , as I discussed, I’ve grown fairly a bit. So, I went from being, ‘I’m bisexual’ which I’ve recognized for fairly a very long time. However my attitudes in the direction of that has advanced. Is that one thing I ought to discuss extra? How a lot do I reference this? I had recognized for some time, however I wasn’t at all times prepared or didn’t see the purpose in sharing it. And naturally, as acceptance of it has grown and the queer neighborhood has grown, I’ve been attempting to increase that acceptance to myself as effectively. However internalized homophobia and internalized biphobia is a really tough factor to recover from. A minimum of it has been for me, a lot in order that I even performed on the Toronto Delight Competition in 2023 and I didn’t even market it. I knew it was necessary for me to not flip down that present, however I nonetheless had all this reluctance,” she mentioned, by means of background.
“For this tune, I used to be occupied with this lady I knew and the truth that if all of that was occurring now I’d in all probability have had the arrogance to inform her how I felt. However trying again on the time after we have been hanging out, I simply couldn’t deliver myself to speak about it. And it’s simply the irritating feeling of all that. So, the tune is de facto about me type of studying to just accept myself. In case you pay attention, although, it’s an unrequited love tune: verse, refrain, verse, refrain, however then within the bridge, the place I say, ‘there’s 100 good tales you don’t get to listen to out loud. I’ll by no means cease, , imagining what may need occurred.’ On the finish of the bridge, it’s questioning would we’ve got ended up collectively if all of this was taking place now, now that point has taught me to be proud. Despite the fact that the tune is extra about me type of getting extra snug with it, it’s by way of this story of trying again at this individual I needed I requested out on a date all these years in the past, however by no means did, and it’s too late now. And the factor is, you don’t need to be queer to grasp that both. Most individuals have somebody of their life they want that they had the center to method.
“’I want you needed me,’ is a line in that tune. It’s only a feeling, a hope, in search of any type of signal that she may need additionally been . And the tune accommodates my favorite lyric in the entire album, which is why I named the album as I did, ‘it’s like daylight chasing nightfall. I want you needed me.’ And feeling like, I’m right here, and I’ve all this shit that, on the time, I believed was incorrect with me, I believed was an issue, and I simply put her on such a pedestal, and I’m saying, you’re all these nice issues, and I’m all these not-so-great issues, and we’re actually from completely different worlds and I simply want I may catch as much as you, like daylight chasing nightfall. So, it’s a tune that’s a few relationship I want I may have had however it’s actually additionally about me type of lifting out of that mindset.”
Unrequited love is one factor. The infinite ruminations about what may have been may be an oppressive weight on one’s psyche. However so can being in a relationship with unequal love. ‘Keep’ is alongside these strains, with the twist being that the topic of the tune, the first-person narrative, is from the viewpoint of the one who isn’t ‘feeling it’ for the opposite individual as they as soon as did, and is in search of a manner out.
“Yeah, so ‘Keep’ was one tune I wasn’t positive what I used to be going to say about it when it got here out. The primary line that got here to me in that tune was the one which goes, ‘why you gotta quit really easy,’ and I used to be occupied with one other failed relationship. It was one I didn’t wish to be in anymore, prefer it was so over, it was not working, the opposite individual, not solely have been we not a superb match, however they have been having some severe psychological sickness issues on the time. However I used to be actually wanting to hold on to this relationship though I knew it was incorrect for each of us, simply type of not desirous to be alone,” Whorms mentioned.
“To be utterly clear, the true story of that tune is that I used to be undoubtedly the individual within the incorrect, which is why it was a tough tune to launch. I’m undecided if individuals understand it that manner or not. I feel most individuals don’t give it some thought that onerous, so there’s a double which means to it. It’s like, ‘why you gotta quit really easy. Why you gotta let go and depart me.’ It’s about begging you to stick with me and never depart me but additionally to ‘keep’ alive, that’s what it type of meant to me. It was this actually, actually type of grey space and tough scenario to wrap my head round as a result of I used to be attempting to cling to each of these issues, after which feeling like, ‘would you like me to care or not?’ Do I owe you an apology for giving a shit, principally, and desirous to look after this individual, but additionally type of resenting them on the similar time. So, it was a really difficult factor to undergo, and to additionally write about. That line, ‘why you gotta quit really easy,’ was what got here first. I actually didn’t get it on the time, as a result of I used to be nonetheless fairly younger and naïve and I used to be very unwilling or unable to know the nuance of a scenario like that on the time, and I simply needed every little thing to be simply magically over, so I may very well be accomplished with it and transfer on, with out occupied with the opposite individual’s emotions.”
Now that she has lived with the songs, seemed again at how they took place, frolicked therapeutic, and processing what led to their creation, and is at a spot of some power and perspective, Whorms mentioned she has little trepidation in enjoying them dwell.
“I’m actually excited from a musical perspective. I’ve bought a flowery Nord keyboard now, and it has loads of bells and whistles and funky little sound methods, that are actually, actually enjoyable. Once I play the songs, I’m not re-experiencing every little thing within the tune each time I play them anymore. It’s extra concerning the feeling of the music. And that facet was additionally actually necessary to me with this EP. I didn’t need it to be gloomy or unhappy sounding. There’s to be this sense of ahead movement and a way of groove to it as effectively. And I feel that’s what actually ties the entire mission collectively for me is like, yeah we’ve got our challenges and we type of hold shifting by way of them as greatest we are able to. And that’s cool, and that’s okay. We don’t want to cover or reject the shadowy elements of every little thing. It’s all a part of a much bigger image and a much bigger cycle. So, yeah, I really feel very, very excited. I like performing these songs and the music is superior.”
Whorms has a couple of solo dates this fall to have a good time the discharge of Daylight Chasing Nightfall, together with Sunday, Sept. 28, at 4 p.m. at Rooftop Revue in downtown Toronto, adopted by a hometown present on Saturday, Oct. 4, on the Park Road Gasworks alongside Garrett Lajoie.
For extra data on these and different reveals, go to
For data on Traditional Troubadours Dwell reveals that includes Whorms, go to
Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and creator based mostly in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. In addition to his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising specialist and is an avid volunteer in his neighborhood. Contact him at bigjim1428@hotmail.com.
