Paris-born, New York City-raised and Los Angeles-based artist Alexia Rev is an “anti-genre” pop artist whose music is making waves on both sides of the Atlantic. The secret glue to her songwriting is a fixation on the universal essence of “the groove.” She often proofreads new songs by blasting them with her eyes shut to see how they evoke movement. 

As she puts it, “If I groove, I feel. If I don’t groove, the song is not good enough.” To date, her danceable retro pop has been highlighted by global tastemakers such as LeFutureWave, The Hype Magazine and A&R Factory. Her debut single, an upbeat summer anthem titled “Lemonade,” received nationwide airplay in stores like H&M and Target. As Alexia Rev recalls, “I was leaving H&M ‘Lemonade’ played and all I could think of was: this is just the beginning.” 

Her follow up single “Growing Up” also received airplay from major radio stations and charted on Mediabase. After that, however, Alexia Rev decided to take time away from releasing to, as Alexia Rev puts it, “Really find my truth. I wanted to write more, to feel more and to experience life before I released another song.” Her new releases reflect this renewed vision, confidence and emotional depth. Her single “Drop Down” was inspired by her disillusion with superficial expressions of feminism she experienced dating creatives in New York City. 

As one verse puts it, “Brooklyn artist type / new poem every night / how ironic you wrote about your heartbreak for likes.” With a catalogue of new hits and a busy calendar of upcoming performances in Los Angeles, as she put it herself, “this is just the beginning.”

How did you become an artist? 

I became an artist through curiosity of my talents. I grew up doing classical ballet 7 days a week, and I was obsessed with dancing on stage. I also sang 24/7 for my faMily and friends. When I had to quit ballet due to injuries, I was lost. I always knew I loved performing, so I tried acting but nothing fulfilled me like singing. I started writing a lot of poetry after I quit ballet because it was a way of diving into my emotions. My friend is a songwriter, and I remember thinking- I can do this too! So, I decided to try combining my two talents of singing and poetry. I constantly listened to music, so I began analyzing pop music and I saw that there was a structure to all songs. I self taught myself piano and music theory. A year later, I had written over 15 songs(some good and some bad lols). I didn’t believe that I could do this full time, so I went to school. But during COVID when things came to a halt, I began writing again and I fell in love with it all over again. I decided to put out my first song: Lemonade. And voila, I was hooked. 

How do you think this record is different from your past ones?

I think this song is different because unlike, Lemonade, Drop Down is upbeat but the mood and lyrics focus on darker themes. This song is about frustration about dating and the performative feminism I witnessed with men. Lemonade was carefree and happy, but Drop Down is darker but also upbeat. I also think Drop Down focuses on storytelling rather than just evoking a mood. It is a more thought out concept than my other releases. 

Any funny anecdotes from the time you were recording or writing the album?

Well, it’s not funny but I had to rerecord the vocals because my computer crashed. But the re-recorded vocals were a million times better, so it was a blessing in disguise. 

Who writes the lyrics, who’s in charge of arranging the tunes etc?

I write all of the lyrics as well as topline melody. But I do not produce, so I hired a producer.

What’s a record that shaped your creativity?

Ah! It has to be any Queen album: “Night at the Opera” and “Jazz”. Each song is so fun and unique. The fact that they created Bohemian Rhapsody is insane. 

Who is an artist or band you look up to these days?

So, I love Anderson Pak because his music is a fun and the focus on groove is so intentional. I also think Olivia Rodrigo is an incredible story teller. For me, her album has zero skips. I have never listened to an album with zero skips. Well maybe, Rihanna’s album. But she is so talented and I would love to write with her because she would definitely push me. 

Any future projects?

YES! I am releasing loads of music in the next coming months. You will be hearing so much more from me. Get ready to dance and cry. 

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?

I would say my more upbeat songs are definitely disco pop but my slower songs are very singer/ songwriter. So, in a nutshell, eclectic and unpredictable.