So it turns out that there are people in this world that value nothing more than hard work and true love, and I’ve found one such person living in New York, New York.
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Alexa Ray Joel over the phone about life, love, and her struggle to make it on her own terms. I really wasn’t sure what to expect from her personality, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a very sweet, modest, and frighteningly determined girl behind a voice that still makes me dream of love and music.
Not surprisingly, her dedication to the music itself is as powerful as her vocals, and it shows in her spoken word, as well as her lyrics.
I asked her about her deeply personal song, “Now It’s Gone”, and what her ultimate goal from it was.
“It was an easy song to write. Actually, it only took me two days to finish it,” says she who formed such an angry thought into a work of playful art for all to hear. She went to say, “I really hope people listen to that song. . .it’s a song that could really help to let all that anger out.”
I went on in my questions, changing the topic to her creative side in general. Where an artist’s creation comes from is just as important as the creation itself, and Lex has a lot to say about this. I asked if she ever felt blocked in her creativity, or if she ever ran out of ideas.
“I don’t really allow myself to (get blocked) . . .I’m very grateful for it . . .When I get an idea, it’s there. If it doesn’t come, it doesn’t come. I don’t push it . . .I like just feeling it, and being in the moment of it.”
She did mention, however, that she can go for some time without writing anything at all. Just getting back into the groove of things again after a brief break, she said she hasn’t written anything in some time, and that tends to happen from time to time. However, she says, when she gets a thought in her head about something that she wants to create, it’s very easy for her to make it tangible.
I’ve got to say, this is a difficult article to write. Starting out, I knew what I wanted to find out, but I wasn’t sure what angle I wanted to take with writing it out. Even when we wrapped up our wonderful conversation, I couldn’t find the words for what I wanted to get across to you readers.
Then it came to me last night while I was thinking about something I thought was completely unrelated to the interview. It brought a smile to my face, and I suddenly remembered something that was brought up in the dialogue . . .
“For All My Days” is a new song that Lex and Jimmy played unplugged together and posted to Lex's MySpace page. I, personally, have been very inspired and touched by this song’s lyrics, so naturally, I had to ask about it.
“It came from being deeply in love. Feeling it in the moment,” she said, bringing up her relationship with Bassist and musical director, Jimmy Riot. “And I’m so grateful to have that.”
“I was really inspired by Norah Jones, and Ray Charles . . .I had the initial idea for the melody, and it just came together.”
Now, I’m usually not one to gush, but regarding Lex’s music, I just couldn’t help myself. Throwing compliments around like a schoolboy with a crush, I think I managed to make her blush, as well as open up a new topic of discussion : Her fans.
Although she’s not signed yet, nor has she been around for any long period of time, anyone who’s heard her music understands right away that she’s already a star.
“I keep great contact with my fans, and they seem to be very loyal to me,” she mentioned.
She was also caught off guard by the gender-base of her fans. “I just assumed I would just have girl fans, but the guys like it too . . .I think I might have more male fans than female.”
She doesn’t just have small-time fans either. In the year-end issue of Rolling Stone magazine, she was featured in an article, deeming her song “Song of Yesterday” number three on the editor’s picks. As Lex mentioned jokingly, “It’s quite a magazine”, understating the obvious accomplishment she attained in that. “It was very flattering to me.”
So, to wrap up this fun interview, I’ve got to say Alexa Ray Joel is not only a fantastic musician that deserves all the recognition she gets, but she’s also a wonderful person to know. Very down to earth, and knowledgeable, she portrays all the qualities of someone who knows exactly what she wants, and won’t take no for an answer . . . All us “little promoters” (her affectionate fan-definition) are behind you 110%, Lex. I for one can’t wait to see you on the cover of Rolling Stone next time we talk.
Good luck kid!
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Alexa Ray Joel over the phone about life, love, and her struggle to make it on her own terms. I really wasn’t sure what to expect from her personality, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a very sweet, modest, and frighteningly determined girl behind a voice that still makes me dream of love and music.
Not surprisingly, her dedication to the music itself is as powerful as her vocals, and it shows in her spoken word, as well as her lyrics.
I asked her about her deeply personal song, “Now It’s Gone”, and what her ultimate goal from it was.
“It was an easy song to write. Actually, it only took me two days to finish it,” says she who formed such an angry thought into a work of playful art for all to hear. She went to say, “I really hope people listen to that song. . .it’s a song that could really help to let all that anger out.”
I went on in my questions, changing the topic to her creative side in general. Where an artist’s creation comes from is just as important as the creation itself, and Lex has a lot to say about this. I asked if she ever felt blocked in her creativity, or if she ever ran out of ideas.
“I don’t really allow myself to (get blocked) . . .I’m very grateful for it . . .When I get an idea, it’s there. If it doesn’t come, it doesn’t come. I don’t push it . . .I like just feeling it, and being in the moment of it.”
She did mention, however, that she can go for some time without writing anything at all. Just getting back into the groove of things again after a brief break, she said she hasn’t written anything in some time, and that tends to happen from time to time. However, she says, when she gets a thought in her head about something that she wants to create, it’s very easy for her to make it tangible.
I’ve got to say, this is a difficult article to write. Starting out, I knew what I wanted to find out, but I wasn’t sure what angle I wanted to take with writing it out. Even when we wrapped up our wonderful conversation, I couldn’t find the words for what I wanted to get across to you readers.
Then it came to me last night while I was thinking about something I thought was completely unrelated to the interview. It brought a smile to my face, and I suddenly remembered something that was brought up in the dialogue . . .
“For All My Days” is a new song that Lex and Jimmy played unplugged together and posted to Lex's MySpace page. I, personally, have been very inspired and touched by this song’s lyrics, so naturally, I had to ask about it.
“It came from being deeply in love. Feeling it in the moment,” she said, bringing up her relationship with Bassist and musical director, Jimmy Riot. “And I’m so grateful to have that.”
“I was really inspired by Norah Jones, and Ray Charles . . .I had the initial idea for the melody, and it just came together.”
Now, I’m usually not one to gush, but regarding Lex’s music, I just couldn’t help myself. Throwing compliments around like a schoolboy with a crush, I think I managed to make her blush, as well as open up a new topic of discussion : Her fans.
Although she’s not signed yet, nor has she been around for any long period of time, anyone who’s heard her music understands right away that she’s already a star.
“I keep great contact with my fans, and they seem to be very loyal to me,” she mentioned.
She was also caught off guard by the gender-base of her fans. “I just assumed I would just have girl fans, but the guys like it too . . .I think I might have more male fans than female.”
She doesn’t just have small-time fans either. In the year-end issue of Rolling Stone magazine, she was featured in an article, deeming her song “Song of Yesterday” number three on the editor’s picks. As Lex mentioned jokingly, “It’s quite a magazine”, understating the obvious accomplishment she attained in that. “It was very flattering to me.”
So, to wrap up this fun interview, I’ve got to say Alexa Ray Joel is not only a fantastic musician that deserves all the recognition she gets, but she’s also a wonderful person to know. Very down to earth, and knowledgeable, she portrays all the qualities of someone who knows exactly what she wants, and won’t take no for an answer . . . All us “little promoters” (her affectionate fan-definition) are behind you 110%, Lex. I for one can’t wait to see you on the cover of Rolling Stone next time we talk.
Good luck kid!
