Armour hopes to write more music that represents his identity.
Armour will be playing football at the University of Pennsylvania next year.
After transferring from IMG Academy this year, Alex Armour PG’24 quickly made an impact on the football field, earning a First Team All-NEPSAC Award and committing to the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). Off the field, Armour explores his passion for music in the recording studio and can be found working on his Extended Playlists (EPs) of R&B and neo-soul songs.
At the age of five, Armour simultaneously started his journey playing football and piano. While he began piano just for fun, Armour quickly discovered his musical gift.
“I started playing piano when I started football. My aunt had a piano. I was banging on the keys, but it didn’t sound terrible. I got lessons, learned how to read music, and kept working hard [at] singing. [I] never had a lesson, started for fun. I realized I was good at it as I got older, so I stuck with it,” said Armour.
On the field, Armour’s level of play and energy helped the team thrive, and his determination and drive inspired his teammates around him. Football Co-Captain Joe Carrara ’24 also noted that Armour’s experience working with talented coaches and teammates helped both him and the Andover team grow.
“He is an extremely passionate and hardworking player who wants nothing but the best for the team. [He] pushes all of his teammates to be the best they can be… His energy and skill lifted the team’s energy and skill in every practice and game. He has had a lot of amazing coaches and teammates in the past that he learned from, which he helped to reach out to the team at Andover,” said Carrara.
After tearing his labrum at the end of his Lower Year, Armour spent most of his Upper Year recovering. When the opportunity arose to get back the year he missed by playing for Andover, Armour immediately took it.
“The recovery process took me through my… Upper Year, so I didn’t get much film. By the end of… Upper Year, [it] was my last chance to show what I could do. Coach [Chris] Powers reached out. He gave me the opportunity to get the season I lost. I jumped at it for two reasons: IMG was perfect for one year, no more, no less. Second, having a year at a top institution before going to UPenn is very important for me,” said Armour.
Armour contrasts his dynamic play on the field with his neo-soul and R&B songs in the studio. He acknowledges that his music is somewhat unexpected compared to his demeanor as an athlete.
Armour said, “It’s a strange difference. When you see an athlete, you think rapper, that isn’t me. I am more into neo-soul and R&B. Putting that next to a [football] position as aggressive as mine. I wouldn’t have it any other way, I love [music] equally. I haven’t been on stage too long, but I feel like the more music I release, the more that’s going to happen.”
Josh Espinoza ’25, a fellow producer, first met Armour through football, but connected further over their shared interest in music. He spotlights Armour’s attention to detail, commending him for his in-depth attention to every aspect of his music.
“He’s very particular about the way he wants everything to sound, more than just an artist, but as a producer as well. It’s really easy to work with him because he knows exactly how he wants everything to sound… He considers every element of the music and how it defines him,” said Espinoza.
In addition to his already-released music, Armour plans to release an EP with the help of his Andover peers. Compared to his earlier songs, he hopes that his future music will be a more accurate representation of his identity.
“The music that I have out right now was the first stuff I ever wrote. Having only done this for two years, I am just starting out. I love it, and it is the first stuff I have ever created. However, I don’t really identify with a lot of it as much as I want to. It doesn’t fulfill the sounds. That is the main reason I am creating this EP, the songs that are on that, the neo-soul and R&B, that I want to represent me as an artist,” said Armour.
