Interview: Lexi Todd

Thank you for being part of our zine. Tell us more about your beginnings in the industry!

Thanks so much for having me! I started singing and performing as a child, but didn’t join my first band until college. We started as a cover band. I’m from the New Jersey shore, where there is a big market in the summer months for cover bands at the beach bars. My first gig with that band was in the parking lot of a take-out burger joint. From there we started playing 3-4 shows a week in the summer months, which really got my live performance chops up. Coming from that experience, I’ve always identified as a live artist more than a recorded artist. I love being on stage and engaging with an audience in real time.  

Where are you located now and where are you originally from? 

I’ve lived in Brooklyn for a little over 6 years now. I definitely identify as a New Yorker now, but like I said I’m originally from the NJ shore. Growing up I was very much immersed in the laid-back surfer culture and I think that free-spirited bohemian nature still influences my style and sound.  

My primary goal in 2020 is to release more music! I plan on releasing a song a month starting at the top of the year. In the past, it’s been hard for me to release music consistently, so I really want to get it down to a system and make the release process less overwhelming. I also want to expand my touring reach outside of the tri-state area. I’m applying for tons of summer festivals all over the country for the 2020 season.

What have been the specific challenges in your career so far?  What have been the greatest achievements so far? 

As an independent artist, it’s really tough to set priorities. It often seems like we need to do all of things simultaneously all on our own. For the longest time, I felt like I was doing a lot of planning and talking about what I needed to do, but not really getting anything done. It’s an endless cycle that left me feeling burnt out. Now, even though my decision may be turn out to be the wrong one, I’m making decisions about the 1 or 2 things I need to focus on in the short-term, and actually following through on my plans to accomplish those things.

As far as accomplishments go, I’m really proud of the progress I’ve made in 2019. My goal for 2019 was simply to keep the momentum going. I think I succeeded in that goal. I played a showcase at iHeart radio and my first SXSW unofficial showcase. I released an awesome music video that was shot on vintage film. I released a new single called “Madonna” that was added to many independent playlists (my first playlist adds), nominated for a songwriter award, and even charted in Sweden. Now I’m planning the release of my next single at the end of the month, plus some other fun stuff in November and December.  

I’m playing a Sofar Sounds show in Soho, NYC on 10/25 and then I’m hosting a single release party on 10/30 in the East Village, NYC. My band and I designed an entirely new set for the release party that I’m really excited about. It’s BYOB and admission is free because I wanted the release party to truly feel like a welcoming party rather than a rushed performance at a traditional venue.  

If fans really knew me, they would know that social media stresses me the **** out. I’m naturally a very experiential person. What I mean by that is that when I’m doing things I just like to be in the experience. I’m not the person who thinks to stop and take a picture of what I’m doing; let alone the person to pull out my phone to do a live story. It’s a struggle for me to remember to capture my daily “content,” so I get very anxious when I finally do remember that I need to post something and I don’t have anything to post. I’m working on finding a happy balance with social media now.   

Joss Stone, Tracy Chapman, Fleetwood Mac, Hiatus Kaiyote, and Janice Joplin to name a few. I’ve always listened to tons of music, so the list really does go on and on.  

I’m just getting started. I’m happy with all of the small accomplishments I’ve achieved so far, but I’m the kind of person that needs to keep moving towards the next big benchmark. Onwards and upwards!  

Don’t give up on actively searching for new music. Now that curated playlists are the norm, it’s easy for music consumers to just rely on algorithms to lead them to new music. Those algorithms can’t possible capture every awesome musician out there that may not have a huge following, but are exactly the artist you are looking for. I encourage everyone to stay curious and spend time searching for new independent artists to support.

Give us a background of this new release!!  WINDOW SHOPPING.  Anything you would like to share? 

For years I found myself writing angry, powerful and/or sad songs. As a feminist living in a city and working in a male-dominated industry, it was very important for me to be perceived as a strong independent woman. Now that I’ve gotten a bit older and more confident in my personality and place in the world, I finally feel comfortable showing a softer side. “Window Shopping” is about transitioning out of a cycle of negativity. That could mean so many different things to different people (see my social media for a series of interviews featuring my friends discussing major life changes), but for me it’s about letting myself be joyful and show that joy to the world through my art.  

Website: http://lexitodd.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4nUU2Fz1Pmt2SaXVE4prUu?si=NPbX3NPWSZCXTe6ybrIBTA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexitoddmusic/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq9pS-8bEgkKp8aGvgT-M-g

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexitoddmusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexitoddmusic

End of Interview