My guest today is Ali. Ali wears several hats on a daily basis, managing a variety of roles, including those of a wife, mother, Grammy-nominated and multi-Platinum-selling songwriter, philanthropist, and beloved member of the 12-Step community with 8 years of sobriety. Ali began writing songs at age 14, and she’s written for some of the greatest singers, DJs, and pop stars of our generation: Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Demi Lovato, John Legend, Ozzy Osbourne; DJ Snake, Kygo; Justin Bieber, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, and many others. Ali grew up in South Florida, but she moved to Los Angeles at 20-years-old to pursue her dream of becoming an artist, a dream which later evolved into a prolific career as a songwriter. In our conversation today, Ali gives us an intimate window into her life, into the roller coaster of the music industry, as she recounts both the apex of her success as a songwriter and the nadir of her alcohol use. From co-writing her first big hit, Kelly Clarkson’s 3-time Grammy-nominated “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)," the stress to craft a sustainable career soon morphed into a dependence on alcohol for confidence and relief. That slippery slope soon evolved into waking up and needing a drink, sneaking alcohol into studio sessions, and eventually driving home drunk, not knowing if she’d come out the other side alive, with a DUI, or in the rooms of AA. Ali talks about the industry’s glamorized dark side, the pain of writing without alcohol or stimulants, what her first year of sobriety looked like, relearning how to do the things that once brought her joy, to not be stimulated all the time, and ultimately finding more balance. Her first hit after getting sober was DJ Snake and Justin Bieber’s “Let me Love You,” and others soon followed; all of which contain lyrics and melodies that reflect many of the personal experiences she opens up about in our conversation today. Ali credits much of the success experienced in her career and personal life to the clarity and self-awareness that came through sobriety and working a 12-step program. There’s so much value in this episode – whether you’re struggling with alcohol or relentlessly pursuing dopamine and distraction through your phone or work to avoid any sense of discomfort – I promise you will walk away from this conversation having learned something. And, for all that Ali has accomplished in just 33 years of life, she’s a remarkably humble, beautiful, down-to-earth woman, who’s also gone on to launch the Creative Waves Foundation with her mom, a non-profit that provides musical equipment and after-school programs to kids in underserved communities. Her perspective on life continues to shift, but remains so powerful. Her story is nothing short of extraordinary. This podcast traverses difficult emotional terrain. If you are struggling, you are not alone. Please reach out for help and call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). If you are experiencing suicidal ideation, I encourage you to call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
