From freeriding down Swiss mountains to singing his heart out on stage in Lithuania, Ales Loverde’s life is anything but ordinary. The Sicilian-born, Swiss-raised artist has lived through love, loss, near-death, and creative rebirth — and he channels it all into his music.
We sat down with Ales to talk about his upbringing, the accident that changed everything, and how he found both healing and purpose in music.
You’re Sicilian but grew up in Switzerland?
Yeah, we were always going back and forth. Summers and holidays in Sicily, school in Switzerland. We had two homes, two different worlds.
Like any Swiss kid, I grew up snowboarding — not just hitting the slopes but freeriding. It’s a communion with the mountain. You know the terrain, the snow, the risk. It’s not something you do lightly.
One winter, shortly after a painful breakup and a rough patch emotionally, I joined friends for a freeride session.
After surgery, my heart stopped twice. When I woke up and saw the sky, I knew—it’s time to do what I was born to do: be on stage, share love, and bring people together.
My friend said, “Let’s go snowboarding — it’ll help.” We were in unfamiliar terrain. I made this big jump out of a forest without seeing the landing. There was a hidden tree. I crashed into it full speed. My knee was shattered.
The surgery was intense — and during recovery, my heart stopped twice. I was clinically dead for moments. The doctors said I had a bad reaction to the medication.
When I finally went outside for the first time — springtime, blue sky — I knew. I was going to live for what I was meant to do: to be on stage, to share love and energy, to celebrate life through music.
What kind of music do you play?
My older brothers were ten years older, so I grew up listening to soul, groove, and Michael Jackson. I still remember being scared of the outro from “Thriller” as a toddler! But I loved it. I’d wake up early, play vinyls loudly, and get yelled at. That’s how it started.
Later came rock, jazz, funk, disco, classical—my dad was a classical tenor. So I never saw music in rigid genres. The ’70s and ’80s didn’t box things in. It was all just music, so I keep that spirit.
I don’t believe in musical boundaries. Soul, funk, rock, jazz—if it’s honest and it moves you, that’s all that matters.”
You write and produce your own music—how do you find inspiration?
For me, it’s like cooking. I pick up a guitar, and something starts. A melody calls lyrics. Sometimes, it’s like the guitar whispers, “Come.” And I listen.
So it’s about trusting the process?
Yes, and also magic. I’m very sensitive to it—that unexplainable thing that happens when emotions transform into something else. Music is a tool to release that. In my last album Love, I wasn’t just writing love songs. I was exploring the states of love—creativity, heartbreak, joy, rebirth.
Your song Besoin d’Aimer is stuck in my head. It feels like more than a love song.
It is. It’s about how love makes us better creators—better people. The lyrics talk about being more creative when you’re in love. We all need that to evolve. That’s why it’s a key moment in my show.
So how did you end up in Lithuania?
During COVID, I was stuck in Italy. Canada—where I used to live—had closed its borders for three years. I needed a new spark. Randomly, I met a girl on the beach from Krakow who told me to check it out. I found €7 flights. Why not?
Inspiration is like magic—you don’t control it. The guitar whispers, the melody calls the lyrics, and you just follow where it leads.”
I ended up building my solo project Axl Tales there. It was about pausing, reflecting, and turning my story into a show. Then a friend from Paris told me about Vilnius, and that’s how I landed here.
When I arrived, I was blown away—not by perfection, but by intention. There’s a real effort here—venues, national radio, photographers, managers—all working to support artists. You feel part of something, and that’s rare.
So you have two projects—Ales Loverde and Axl Tales?
Yeah. Ales Loverde is full-band, full-energy. Axl Tales is raw—just me, my guitar, and my truth. The name comes from an old teacher who called me Axl. It stuck. And with Axial Tales, I’m telling my own story in the most stripped-down, honest way.
Do you have a fixed band?
I work with different musicians depending on the country, but long-term I’d love to build a core team. It’s like casting for a play. Everyone brings a different character to the stage. But I need people who share the spirit, not just the skill.
Being in love makes us more creative, more alive. That’s what Besoin d’Aimer is about—not just love, but what love unlocks in us.
The audience here in Lithuania has been amazing—even when I sing in French. I speak to them in English during the show, explain the songs. And they respond beautifully. The energy, the dancing… it’s real. People are open to feeling alive. That’s what I try to remind them of in every show.
Music isn’t just entertainment. It’s a reminder: You’re alive. You’re here. And that’s worth celebrating.
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