- Words Alexia Radkiewicz
Lexi Jayde is the 18-year-old voice from The Valley revealing the inside of the teenage mind through her authentic, intimate, and relatable music.
Emerging singer-songwriter, Lexi Jayde, narrates the limbo between youth and adulthood, untangling experiences of self-discovery, love, heartbreak, mental health and nostalgia. Her unguarded honesty and vulnerablility speaks for her generation, reverberating through teenage hearts across the world from Los Angeles to Laos. Lexi’s artistry is built on an open expression of her internal struggles and insecurities; through her timeless music, she strives to build confidence in her global Gen Z “family” to do the same.
Self-released “If I Really Love You” and “Oldest Teenager” are heartfelt indie-pop anthems that have caught millions of adolescent ears, as well as those of big-time record exec and producer, Mike Caren, (known for his work with Béyonce, Bruno Mars and Kanye), who quickly snapped her up into his indie label APG — home to 24kGoldn, Charlie Puth and Rico Nasty.
Lexi tells another honest teenage tale through her first single with APG, “Newbury Park”. The bright, contemporary pop sound paired with Lexi’s soft and sweet vocals underwrites a familiar “f***k you” narrative in this irresistibly catchy track. This is the story unpacking the complexities of a one-sided relationship from wasted hours stuck in traffic to “ruined Radiohead”, a song she wants us to blast out in the car and “scream, cry and laugh to”.
Catching up with Lexi only affirmed her natural raw authenticity; she truly is a bundle of energy and infectious light radiating through the Zoom screen. Read on to delve deeper into her story of self-discovery, hear about a massive collab with Goody Grace and Cigarettes And Sex, and find out how she’s after more than just the limelight.
Lexi! How are you doing, how is life in LA right now?
I’m good! My life is crazy right now but I love it. I feel like I thrive when there is a lot going on and there are so many exciting things in the works! It’s definitely been hard with the pandemic, but I’m staying as busy as I can and making the best out of it all! So much is coming and I can’t wait to share it with everyone!
Congratulations on signing with APG, what a start to the year! How does it feel to be part of such an established platform for forward-thinking and entrepreneurial artists and songwriters?
It’s surreal honestly, I am so lucky to be a part of a team that really understands my vision and my artistry. It’s so important to have a label that understands all aspects of my career and the support from Mike [Caren] and the whole team from day one has been nothing but amazing. It still doesn’t feel real!
Your music is a lens into the life of “a regular 18-year-old going through regular teen stuff”, narrating encounters with self-discovery, love, heartbreak, mental health and nostalgia. Does the honesty and vulnerability you reveal through your music come naturally to you?
Yes absolutely, that’s my goal with everything I write – to be as honest and open with my struggles because everyone no matter how big or small has something. I want my fans to be able to resonate with that. It’s crazy when I get messages from people that my music saved them or helped them heal from a heartbreak. That’s one of my favourite parts about this all! I want my music to be something that people will scream, cry, and laugh to! I know that my lyrics and storytelling will be relatable to everyone around the world. I always want to be real and honest with my work, and that’s why I try so hard to incorporate my real-life experiences into my music.
Has the isolation of the pandemic allowed you to get deeper into that journey of self-discovery and enrich your creative process or has it been more of a challenge to tap into and make music?
Yes and no. There have been tough times and Zoom sessions aren’t always ideal, however, it’s allowed me to have the time to focus on becoming a better artist. I worked so hard over quarantine writing every day, learning how to play guitar, learning how to record my own vocals, and still am! It’s kind of unique because I’ve met so many incredible people in this crazy time. I met my manager Zachary Crandall and he began plugging me into sessions daily and I got to meet so many amazing writers/producers that pushed me and my songs to the level they are at. I signed, which still feels crazy to me! I really just tried my hardest to turn this time of my life into as positive as it could be!
2021 is set to be a huge year for you, let’s start with your first single under APG, “Newbury Park” releasing next month. Your tone is beautifully effortless and unique; what story are you telling on this track?
Thank you! I’m so excited… It feels so surreal. “Newbury Park” was written about a one-sided relationship. A while back I was talking to this guy who lived in LA, and I’m from the valley which is about an hour from LA with traffic. I would put so much time and energy into getting ready, driving to him, and just putting in way more effort to see him than he would. After it ended everything started to remind me of him. I’d come home and couldn’t look at my bed, or listen to certain bands or songs because he ruined them. I realized looking back that it was such a waste of my time and wasted so much of my love and I am SO much better off without him. Now this kind of situation, not only have I dealt with multiple times, but I know most people have experienced something like this. So I just had to write about it all and I definitely think I created a song that you can just SCREAM in your car.
We don’t have long to wait for your feature with Goody Grace and Cigarettes and Sex, “On Repeat” is out this week! Tell us about your experience working with these guys.
Working with Goody and Cigarettes After Sex was a dream come true. I’ve been big fans of both of them for quite some time now, so when I was called to feature I was honoured. It blows my mind that I had the opportunity to be on a song with them! Goody’s project is absolutely amazing and he is such a talented artist. I’m proud of this record and can’t wait for the world to hear it!
Goody Grace’s collab list includes Burna Boy, Blink 182 and G-Eazy to name a few, how does it feel to have your name on there? Any other dream collabs of your own in mind?
It feels great! The track we made I think is really something special and I hope it connects with fans the same way it connected with me. I’m a huge fan of Lennon Stella, Tame impala, Conan Gray, Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrams, Lorde, The Neighborhood… so it would be a dream to collaborate with them.
Which new artists have caught your ears? Who are you listening to at the moment?
There is this new artist Ryann who I think is incredible. Holly Humberstone, Annika Bennet and Sara Kays are three others that I think are brilliant.
Your largest fan base is in Jakarta, closely followed by Sydney then LA, Singapore and Chicago. How does it feel to connect with listeners on such a global scale?
It’s so cool to see my music connect with so many different people across the globe. Its an insane feeling getting messages about my music from people all the way from places in Europe, to Australia, to Asia! It inspires me to continue making music and I can’t wait to eventually meet everyone in person soon!
The connection you have with your fans is incredibly refined for such a young artist, especially impressive in a world where live gigs are under lock and key. Do you get excited thinking about telling your story on stage?
Yes! I have big plans for going on tour and my live setup once concerts resume and it’s safe. All I do is picture what It’d be like to sing my songs on a stage for the people that love my music. I’m so stoked, I want it to come faster!
And finally, what do you want your legacy to be?
I want to be known for pushing the boundaries and telling a story that has never been told before. I want people to know me as the artist who helped them through a tough time or inspired them to create something amazing. I hope to be known as someone who’s honesty and vulnerability shine through. At the end of the day, I’m not chasing the limelight, I just want my music to be authentic. I’m not afraid to take risks and I hope my music will spark new ideas, make people feel something, and make the world a better place.