Exclusive Channel Sounds Interview with LEXXE on New EP 'Meet Me in the Shadows', Dance, and Sensitivity to Art
A girl you need to meet
LEXXE (aka Alexis Lucena) is an up-and-coming pop artist that has a really cool, alternative-pop sound. If you’re a fan of PVRIS, CRAY, Halsey, Hayley Williams, or Transviolet, this is the girl for you! She’s got a punk-rock side of her that is exhilarating and dark that blends with her energetic pop sound perfectly. You could dance and rock out regardless of which song you are listening to and feel like a badass the whole time.
What makes this artist so distinguishable from the rest out there living in your playlists is that before pursuing this art form, she was a classically trained ballerina who found her way after many years of being in the dance world. With the experiences she has had, she was able to produce the erotic 80’s pop-punk-electronic music she creates today. Her honesty in each of her records are intriguing and her aesthetic is sexy and edgy. We chatted with this artist about a lot of things pertaining to her creativity, and most importantly about her recent single “Monster” which came off her debut EP Meet Me in the Shadows (which you can listen to above).
Excited to see where her career takes her, and what new projects LEXXE has lined up for the rest of the year.
Here is our interview:
Channel Sounds [CS]: What are some music-related projects you are currently working on and excited for?
Lexxe [L]: “Aside from some live interpretations of the EP and two more music videos- I’ve been starting the process of creating the visual and creative landscape for my next project (album perhaps...). It’s really exciting for me to create these worlds for songs to live in and draw inspiration as prompts. Ive got some songs written already and have been digesting a lot of films and books as field research for the subject! For me most songs start with a visual inspiration and I’m really enjoying taking my time to make something I’m proud of.”
[CS]: Tell me more about the song "Monster", how did it come about?
[L]: “So I was introduced to the producer and co-writer Lyndsey Gunnulfsen (PVRIS) via a mutual. It was really wonderful to work with a female producer, and we truly clicked right away! I’d had the lyric “make me a monster” in my journal for a while, and she had this really cool instrumental casually sitting in her arsenal. We vibed on our love of metaphors and imagery, watched The Hunger & Bram Stokers Dracula and wrote this vampy dance bop! I’ve been trying to find a way to merge my love of metal sounds and dance pop and this song to me is a 10/10 perfect mix. Lyndsey wrote all instrumentals and produced to perfection.”
[CS]: Dance & music in so many ways are so interconnected, are there any skills that you learned from being a professional dancer that transferred over into your music?
[L]: “I think my visual aspect of music comes from choreographing dance and being choreographed on. Like, how does this music move, and what does it move are questions I ask myself and it helps to inform my choices in the writing process. My favorite choreography always picked up on pieces of music that you didn’t hear at first, so when I’m listening to music I’m always searching for those underbelly layers that are integral to the song.”
[CS]: How has music served as a channel for you, in other words, how has it allowed you to express yourself?
[L]: “I think being a classically trained dancer and devoting my childhood and young adult life to it led to me unfortunately closing the door on a lot of aspects of myself. It was ballet ballet ballet, nothing else and the boxes I needed to fit into didn’t leave room for much else. Music allows me fully indulge in my creativity, as well as providing myself a stage to dance on.”
[CS]: Of the songs you’ve written, which one would you use to introduce yourself because you feel the most connected with it?
[L]: “I think its a harsh tie (sorry!) between Meet Me In The Shadows and Dancer, both are highly personal but in different ways. Dancer is a straightforward confessional about my experience as a dancer, and MMITS is a theatrical retelling of my journey into creativity.”
[CS]: What is your detour? (i.e. A hobby, fun-fact, or passion project you do outside of music.)
[L]: “I really love styling and making costumes. I’ve sourced every look for every music video I’ve done, and its really exciting, if not the most exciting part of it all for me. I hand stoned lingerie for 85’ and designed a patch jacket for Meet Me In The Shadows. Perhaps I enjoy being pro at dress up, lol! I also play Skyrim, and watch live concert footage all day on YouTube.”
[CS]: Who are some of your go-to artists?
[L]: “Stevie Nicks, The Weeknd and Queen.”
[CS]: What is one word you’d use to describe yourself?
[L]: “Sentimentalist.”
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