Al Walser's American Dream

A GUIDE FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS IN AMERICA

The Immigrant Experience :
Al Walser's American Dream

An Immigrant Maps His Way- “My American dream is the International-Al dream"

AL WALSER -SINGER/SONGWRITER whose real name is Alexander Walser is the first Liechtenstein citizen with bi-racial black and white background was born and raised in the Principality of Liechtenstein (64 square miles), an alpine tax paradise nestled between Switzerland and Austria, where he is one of the 22,000 true citizens. Fluent in English, German and French, he became in his early teenage days the first radio personality (Radio Liechtenstein) in his home country. Family destiny, it not surprising that Al would become a singer and songwriter following in the footsteps of his grandfather the legendary Franco from Congo. Now residing in the U.S.A. where he is furthering his music career Al has just released a single "African Queen" produced by London Thompson featuring rapper Que.We sat down with this dynamic, multi-cultural genius to discuss the journey he has embarked on.

When did you come to the US?
I have been visiting back and forth between the US and Europe for quite some time now and just recently decided to re-focus on my music career here in the U.S.A.
How has the transition been for you?
Due to the fact that I sort of knew what to expect in Los Angeles, it was not that of a big transition for me personally. I have tons of German speaking friends here, and friends from overseas come to visit me on a regular basis. But I do stay connected with my hometown via Internet, radio, skype and all the other beautiful things modern technology allows us to shorten the distance.
How hard was it starting off?
It was more a question of my mindset, meaning, what do I want to get accomplished and how do I go about it. I decided to first look out for a good team of people to produce my album. We are in the process of getting it completed as we speak. London Thompson is my partner in it and he is just great. In the past he worked on B2K with Chris Stokes and Destiny's Child. We just finished my video to the single African Queen, but will wait with the release until the album is finished. You can see parts of the video and behind the scenes stuff on www.myspace.com/alwalsermusic.
Do you miss home?
Not really, as I'm too busy doing stuff and still connected to it. I watch the TV news for example on a daily basis via Internet. It really makes me feel like I'm sitting in the couch in Liechtenstein watching TV. But I do still go back about 4-6 times a year, so there isn't really too much time left to miss it I guess.
Why did you come to the U.SA?
Believe it or not, it's the country I'm most familiar with besides my home country. I have so many friends here, English has become my second language and lots of my friends in Europe are actually American too. Not to mention, that it is a great place to kick off in entertainment. But I have to say that I really fell in love with LA. With all its ups and downs, it remains a great place.
What are your goals for the U.S.A?
Well on one side I'm appointed by the Liechtenstein government to enhance cultural relationships between the Principality and the U.S.A., but of course I'd like to see myself having a successful launch of my album
Have you achieved your goals?
It would be tragic if I did so already, I'm too young to look back and say...wow, I did it, there's nothing more for me to do...
Are you now living your American dream?
I will always translate that into the " International-Al dream", yes I'm living up to it the best I can
What kind of music do you play?
I would call it a mixture between r&b, pop and afro-Caribbean elements, it is important for me to have that international sound. Based on my roots I wanted to call the first track " African Queen ", which is a midtempo club banging song and homage to the African beauty in all of us.
What do you think is important for other immigrants to know?
I would like other immigrants to know that even though you might have it harder than a regular American citizen, simply based on the paperwork and limitation you're confronted with, you should stick more to the plan and mission that brought you here. I guess it's just a natural thing, that if you really have to fight your way through the system in order to be able to do regular stuff, it's harder to get sidetracked and loose focus-that is why so many immigrants really become very successful in their fields. I call it the hwarzenegger syndrome - but that is really what I would love immigrants to keep in mind when they're first going through hard times in the U.S.A.
It takes a lot of persistence and confidence to be successful. My philosophies of success are honesty and uniqueness. It is also important to read the biographies of other success stories so that you can learn from their experiences and to have a plan for yourself.
Where do you see the future taking you?
I think I'll stay in show business for a while.... only God knows where this is going to go.
Tips you'd like to give others in the business.
Believe in karma, cause it really exists!