ALEXIS LYNN

Hi Alexis. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! I’m Alexis, I’m a 23-year-old pop artist and songwriter from Vancouver!

Tell us more about your single Something To Prove and what it’s about.

“Something To Prove” started as a re-write of “Complex” on TikTok, from the POV of a bisexual woman struggling with a male validation complex. It got such an amazing response, and I had no idea so many people would relate to it, so I decided to write my own song with my lyrics and concept. For me, I’ve always been accepting of my sexuality outwardly but like so many people I’ve struggled subconsciously. “Something To Prove” talks about how as a woman, patriarchal society holds this value that the validation of a woman, being it attractiveness, worth, whatever, can often only come from a man. And how sometimes you end up seeking that unauthentically, no matter how subconscious it is.

How would you describe your style of music? 

My music is definitely pop but has a lot of undertones from so many other genres, so it really depends on the song, but overall, I’d say it’s dreamy, emotional, honest, bouncy, empowering pop music.

What are the challenges you encountered during the creation process of your sophomore album, Real Talk? And how did you overcome them?

One of the things that’s really interesting about “Real Talk” is that we wrote and recorded all of it during the pandemic. So, all of the writing and recording sessions were over zoom and the recording was definitely the biggest challenge and learning curve! My friend and collaborator Brandon Rogers vocal produced the entire album, so we were recording over zoom while I was in BC, and he was in LA. We had technical issues almost every session, he had to hear my vocals coming through delayed on the track, and it took probably twice as long as it would have in person, but we made it work and it was honestly a really cool process.

Out of all the songs that you wrote, which one resonated with you the most?

Definitely “Ana". I wrote “Ana” to my eating disorder that I struggled with for years, anorexia. It was a song that took me years to write, and I knew it was coming at some point, but I really wasn’t able to sit down and write it until a couple years into full recovery, and I wasn’t sure if I was even going to release it until recently. The song personifies “Ana” because I wanted to write to give perspective of what it’s like because it truly does feel like an abusive relationship that you keep going back to. I think there’s a lot of misconception about eating disorders to someone who might not fully understand it and it can sometimes be trivialized, when in reality it’s a mental illness like any other. So, I think writing a perspective of what it’s like to be in it was important to me. So, I finally decided to write this song and I wrote it with my good friend Kyle who is so wonderful and after I wrote it, I didn't know if I want anyone to hear this ever because it felt so raw and so naked. I went back and forth for a long time deciding on whether or not I wanted to put it on the album, but what really solidified it for me was when I showed it to one of my friends. When they heard it and figured out what the lyrics were about, I just saw this wave of understanding and “I’ve been there” wash over their face. And that’s when I knew I was going to release it because to me that’s what music is about. Making people feel seen and heard and feeling like “I’ve been exactly there and felt exactly that, but I’ve never had the words for it”. And that's why I love being a songwriter.

Where do you get your inspirations whenever you create music?

Most of my music is honestly about my life and experiences and the lives and experiences of people around me, which is why my songs are so personal to me. Sometimes it’s cool just writing a fun song to be fun, but the heavy majority of my artistry comes from a really personal, authentic place.

Name your top 3 favorite artists of all time.

Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, Ariana Grande

Last song that got stuck in your head.

Booster Seat - Spacey Jane

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

To not be afraid of failure. I spent so long as an artist, writer, and creative being scared of failing, when in reality it’s a necessary part of the creative process and success itself. It’s okay to make mistakes or to be bad at something, it’s a part of growing and improving. You have to fail to learn and improve, it’s natural, and being scared of that is really just stunting your success.

What’s your ultimate goal?

I’ve always dreamt of winning a Grammy!

 What are your dream projects?

I’d love to do a collaborative album with artists I’ve looked up to, that would be the project of a lifetime.

Anything else that you want to share to the audience? Tour/Shows/etc.

I have some local shows in Vancouver coming up, and I’m working on a ton of new music!