LEX

Singer Alexa Feiner, known professionally as “LEX” (yes, she spells it in all caps) grew up in a musical family. She began playing the piano as a child and wrote songs with her brother and father. Singing came a little later, when she realized her vocal talent in high school. Now, a university of Buffalo alumna, LEX holds a BA in psychology and vocal performance and was the president of her university a capella troupe.

Current calling LA home, LEX recently released her first single, “Again in Love,” which is preceding her debut EP, Pinky. Says LEX of Pinky; “This EP is a reflection of the fire and passion my collaborators and I plan to put forth into our creations.” Learn more of this rising talent in this recent and exclusive interview. Photos courtesy of LEX herself.

CHRIS CHARLES: It’s a pleasure to do this interview with you LEX. I’ve heard “Again in Love,” and was impressed. An album is soon to follow?
LEX: Thank you!! I’ll definitely be releasing a few more singles first, but then there’s an EP to follow that!
CHRIS: Is LEX a nickname or short for something?
LEX: Well, my full name is Alexa, but for my whole life people have called me Lex, or even Lexi, but that’s usually my close friends and family.
CHRIS: I understand you grew up in a musical family?
LEX: My family is definitely very creative and musically inclined. My father had perfect pitch and was an extremely talented pianist. My brother took guitar lessons throughout his life and I was taking piano lessons from the age of six! It wasn’t until a few years later I discovered my vocal talent, took private lessons, and joined local musical theater as well.
CHRIS: Did anyone need to coax you into singing or playing when you a kid or were you just drawn to it naturally?
LEX: My first ever voice teacher was the one who coaxed me into singing. It was foreign and super weird, and I’m not sure if I really liked it at first. I didn’t really know the extent of my talent until much later when I started taking private lessons in high school. I was definitely always drawn to music though. From a young age, I always just remember watching my father play the piano, how his fingers would magically hit every note with such ease and tranquility. It really struck a chord with me.
CHRIS: When was the very first time you performed for an audience?
LEX: I’ve done a lot of performances in my life and at a young age; piano recitals, musicals, and school talent competitions. I’m honestly pretty comfortable on a stage. It only gets a little nerve-wracking when I perform in front of smaller audiences rather than large ones. I really love performing and honestly don’t do it enough. Once I start releasing more songs, I’ll be live performing a lot more!
CHRIS: Who are your biggest musical influences?
LEX: Growing up, I listened to a lot of classical music and a lot of classic rock. My father is honestly my biggest musical inspiration. He always encouraged my singing. I remember always listening to Simon and Garfunkel on our Sunday drives. And when my dad passed away when I was 19, I’m 22 now, it really made an emotional impact on the way I feel about music and writing my songs. Other musical influences would be artists such as Amy Winehouse, Billy Joel, Led Zeppelin, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, SZA, Billie Eilish, etc. I love artists who are very invested in their lyrics.
CHRIS: Do you write most of your own songs?
LEX: I write all of my songs. What I don’t write are the lyrics for people who are featured on my songs like JG on “Again in Love.”
CHRIS: Do you have a formula for songwriting? I mean, does the melody come first and you put lyrics to it, vice-versa, or….?
LEX: That’s tough. It’s really both. Sometimes I’ll be awake at like 3:00 AM and the most brilliant lyrics/melody will pop into my brain and I write it down. Other times I like writing songs when I know I have a track to write over and that sort of dictates my melody and lyrics.
CHRIS: Do you have any upcoming live performances where fans can see you?
LEX: Unfortunately not yet! I want to release my EP first before I start doing live shows, but I’m always releasing musical content on my Instagram.
CHRIS: Besides music, what are your interests and hobbies?
LEX: I love to cook, and I love to read. If I’m not doing music, I’m taking my dog for a walk around the park.
CHRIS: With that, I’ll thank you again for doing this with me LEX. In closing, any shout-outs to anyone?
LEX: Just a thanks to everyone who has supported me, my friends, my brother, my mom, and my producer, Bobby J. Frausto. Also check out my Facebook fan page and Instagram.

Sample of LEX’s single “Again in Love.” The full song is
available on iTunes, Amazon Music, and Spotify.

Thanks to Josh Mitchell at Wickid Pissa Publicity.