Alexia Rev is an “anti-genre” pop artist whose music is making waves on both sides of the Atlantic. Born into a family of classically trained musicians, Alexia Rev was surrounded by a mélange of influences from Ray Charles to Elton John to Prince.
The eclectic mix laid the foundation for her love of the anti-genre: her songs effortlessly blend influences across pop, funk, R&B and classic rock. She often proofreads new songs by blasting them with her eyes shut to see how they evoke movement.
This song is hauntingly beautiful, and it paints a true picture of how lonely you can feel in a city. It tells the story of the façade we often show to the world on social media and how often we hide the distressing parts of our lived experiences.
What makes this song special in your opinion?
LA LONELY is the first song I am putting out that feels incredibly raw and vulnerable. I wrote it while I was in a dark place, and I remember being drawn to my piano as tears filled my eyes. It was a spiritual experience in the sense that I felt like my ego left the room and I did not think of the perfect pop structure or how this would perform. I was just a woman who was struggling, and I allowed that to flow out of me. This is also the first song that I ever co written with someone( Frank Bell), so it was a very special and fun experience.
What inspired this track?
This track was inspired by my experience of moving to
LA from NY. I knew no-one in LA and I had moved to LA to pursue music but I also moved during the height of the pandemic, so I felt incredibly isolated. I would walk on Melrose and see groups of friends having brunch, and I felt utterly alone. I also felt like my career was on hold since sessions were being canceled due to the pandemic and I was so hungry to work. In the end of the day, my inspiration was purely emotional and I just felt incredibly lost and raw.
What are some of the core messages here?
I think a major one is that you never know what someone’s story is. People can see my instagram and think that
I have it all together, but no-one would know that I have been battling an eating disorder for my whole life which I am in recovery from or that I struggle with periods of deep depression. I know this is said all of the time but you never know what someone is going through. People tend to overshare the good when they are in a dark place. I also think the reality of moving away from your safety net is incredibly difficult and it is important to process it emotionally. Lastly, I do talk about the importance of learning how to sit in your emotions and how being there for yourself is the most important thing. I always relied on people to fill me up, but this experience taught me how to cope with my inner world without reaching for someone. I am not saying that you should not ask for help because I am sooo bad at doing that but I am saying that one must learn to build the tools when in crisis mode with the help of a therapist or close friend.
