Alexa Mullins
Alexa Mullins is one of the musicians to keep an eye on as she has kicked off her career at the age of fourteen.
We caught up with her to chat about her debut single Lone Wolf, balancing school with music as well as what lies ahead.
- You have just released your debut single Lone Wolf so what can we expect from the track for those who haven't checked it out yet?
I suppose it is putting quite a dark and depressive subject into an upbeat song - which is a bit strange (laughs). But it does work really well.
- I have heard the track and it is a mix of pop as well as country elements so how would you describe your sound?
I would say on guitar it is more pop/country but when I am writing on the piano - I am not quite sure how to describe it - but I think that it does have more of a pop feel.
I quite like moving between the two styles but it really just depends on what the song is about.
I suppose if it was younger people listening to my music then I would want them to listen to the guitar stuff. But I feel that older listeners will enjoy my piano stuff more.
- How have you found the response to the single so far - it does seem to be going down well?
Yeah, it has been amazing. I got bombarded on Twitter yesterday with loads of being going ‘aaarrrrhhh Lone Wolf #fangirling’ (laughs).
- You have a very distinct vocal style and sound that you perhaps wouldn't expect from someone your age so how have you found the process of finding your own sound?
I am not really sure as one day I just sat down at the piano and was like ‘I am going to write a song.’ And that is pretty much what happened really.
However recently I have been more influenced by the likes of Passenger and Nina Nesbitt and so my sound has changed a little bit.
- Well you have touched on my next question as I was wondering which bands and artists inspired - not just now but when you were growing up?
When I was younger I had awful music taste as I would just listen to stuff that was on the radio (laughs). But the musicians that inspire me are Ed Sheeran, Passenger, Nina Nesbitt and Lewis Mokler.
Lewis Mokler works really hard and while he is not well known all over the world he is building up a fan base gradually. The same thing can be said about Passenger. But I also like the way that Passenger writes about life and not love.
- So is there an EP or an album on the horizon? If so what can we expect from it?
I am making an EP soon and there are some upbeat tracks on there. There are also two more serious tracks as well.
I would say one of them is more for older people to listen to as they will be able to appreciate it more than people who are my age.
- And have you given any thoughts as to who you are going to bring on board as a producer?
I am supposed to be going up and working with someone during my half term but whether that track will go on the EP I wouldn’t know.
I will probably write another song to go on the EP. But I will probably just stay at the recording studio that I am with at the moment - that is the Cream Room.
- How are you finding working with the Cream Room as they really do seem to be getting quite excited about you?
It’s quite chilled out and you just go into the studio and they ask you what it is that you want to do. There are some things that I find difficult and it is harder than I thought. Sometimes it is just messing around to be honest (laughs).
- How exciting has it been getting into the studio for the first time?
The first time that I went into the studio I was quite intimidated because I was like ‘am I doing this right?’ and ‘should I not be saying this?’
But the second time it was more relaxed as we were all friends so I could do whatever I wanted - they are weird like me.
- How easy have you found it to turn around and say ‘this is what I want’ when you have been recording?
The first time I was afraid to say certain things. But I went to do some demos on Monday and I was more definite about things and I told them if I didn’t like something.
- How did you get into music in the first place? What made you want to pursue this career?
When I was in primary school I started getting interested in performing and then in my final year my friend taught me this song on the piano.
The song was Half The World Away by Oasis and I just played it over and over and then I tried to learn the piano. I started getting even more interested last year when I began song writing.
- You are very new to the song writing process as you have just mentioned so how have you found stepping into that side of music?
Really easy actually. It depends on the type of song that I am writing as if it a song where I am trying to get a deeper aspect into it then it will take me about an hour.
But sometimes it can take just ten or fifteen minutes and then I am done.
- You are very early in on your music career so what are you looking to achieve over the next couple of years?
I would just like to be able to put out music and just know that people want to listen to it and enjoying it because I was scared that no one would buy it and it was going to flop. Just knowing that people will listen to it is great.
- As well as kicking off your music career you are also still at school so how are you finding that balancing act? And just how tricky is it?
I am not going to lie as I do priorities music over school sometimes (laughs). I do try hard at school - well I try reasonably hard (laughs).
If I was writing an essay and I then got inspiration for a song then I would probably put off the essay.
- Have you given some thought to releasing your music oversees - especially America?
To be honest I have just been thinking England at the moment. However people from different countries have been saying ’I really like your music #fan’ and I was like ’that’s really cool’.
Lots of artists say that it is very difficult to crack America and so I wouldn’t expect to be able to do that.
- Social media is becoming a greater tool for musicians so is Twitter and Facebook something that you actively do?
I am addicted to Twitter (laughs). I listen to loads of music myself and so I make friends with people who like the same artists that I do.
So I find it really interesting when they give me feedback on my music because it is like ‘you have the musicians that I like’.
- Finally what is next for you throughout the rest of this year?
I think working on the EP is going to be the main focus for a while but I am also looking to start playing some gigs; that might be a bit hard given my age.
Alexa Mullins - Lone Wolf is out now.