Forget starting the year off with a bang. OTR is starting 2017 off with the full arsenal that is LexC! Born Alexis Cleary, LexC is a force to be reckoned with. When she's not working as an engineer at Rich Productions Studios, she's performing at the A3C festival, practicing her dance moves, writing songs and keeping her fans engaged through social media. Yep. She does it all.

LexC's performances have been described as sexy, interactive and full of energy. If you haven't seen her on stage, OTR can vouch for her love of music and her desire to create an experience for each and every one of her current and future fans. To learn more about LexC's talents and interests, watch the full video and follow her on social media!

Transcript

OTR: Hi, guys! Welcome to On The Rise. We are here at Rich Productions today to meet up with our girl, LexC. Come on, guys. Let’s see what she’s been doing in the studio. Hi, LexC.

LexC: Hello. How y’all doing?

OTR: Hey, girl! How you doing?

LexC: Good. How y’all doing today?

OTR: We’re good. So where are you gonna take us? What are we gonna see today?

LexC: Well, I just wanna give y’all a little introduction to who I am - LexC. Singer. Songwriter. Engineer. - and kind of bring you into my world a little bit.

OTR: Okay! Take us around.

LexC: So, we’re here at Rich Productions. This is where I engineer. I’ve been here since about March, the end of March [2016]. I like this studio because it’s small, but we actually do have a lot of clients who come in and out.

This song is called “Gimme,” from one of my good friends. He’s a producer. His name is Ced L Young. We actually met - it’s funny. I have a few jobs. Not only do I sing, write songs, and engineer. I also work at a gym called Knuckle Up Fitness, and I actually met Ced through a kickboxing class. He came into the gym and took kickboxing, and I had on my Rich Productions hat. And, he was like, “Oh! That’s interesting. Rich Productions, what is that? Is that like a film company or something?” 

I said, “No! It’s a studio.”

He’s like, “Oh! What? Do you sing? Rap?”

“Yeah! I’m a singer and audio engineer,” and he was really impressed by that because there aren’t many female engineers in the industry. From there, he was giving me a little bit of history about himself and how he’s worked with different artists. He sends beats to people. He’s been in the game for about 15 years at least. 

He said, “Okay! This is what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna send you a few beats. I wanna see what you can do to them, no strings attached. These are just things other people may not have necessarily wanted. See what you can do to it. Get back to me.” And, so, he sent me this beat, which I think is amazing. I don’t understand how anyone couldn’t write to it, but I’ll let y’all hear a little bit.

(Plays a sample of the instrumental for “Gimme”)

When I first heard this track, I didn’t really know where to take it. There’s a few samples in there. There’s Stevie Wonder, and then, I think, there’s a southern rapper. I don’t wanna say 8 Ball or Bun B or something like that. But, it sounded a little more hip hop, which is what I’m not really what I’m used to. I’m used to more R&B type of vibes, so I wasn’t really sure where to take it. So, I just kind of listened to the track and let it tell me what should be written over it. Over the track he’s saying “all of it.” It’s like, “Okay! All of what.” And, then, I’m thinking, (sings) “Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme...Gimme all of you!” From there, I was like, “Okay! I think I have a nice little concept working.” What I usually do is I’ll hear a song, and I don’t really like to write to things the first time hearing them. And this is actually a practice I learned just from working with other producers and other artists. When they get into the studio, it’s a lot quicker for them to go into the booth, feel the vibe of the record, and see what they feel and get the mood behind the record. And, that’s how the song is created. So, that’s what I did with this one, and the song basically just wrote itself.

(LexC singing “Gimme” from inside the studio booth)

OTR: I noticed that a lot in your music that it feels like - it’s kind of like. I don’t know it just feels, like, very personal, but it also feels like there’s a lot of, like you were really just vibing to yourself. And, I really like that. I like when I feel like artists are really into their own music and can really vibe out to it that get other people excited because any time I’ve seen you perform that’s exactly what happens. You just really put it out there, and it gets other people excited as well.

LexC: I think that’s a bonus. I make music that I like inspired by music that I grew up on, so it’s always a plus when other people can appreciate it and, ya know, rock out with me and feel the message that I’m trying to portray through all the songs I write. I think that’s the most important thing I want people to know about my music. Of course, there are the turn up tracks, the party records, but I want there to always be a message in all of my songs. 

OTR: I think you really try to be a crowd pleaser with your music. That’s what I think because when you actually do perform it, it just takes it to a whole ‘nother level, and I think you think about that when you’re making it. I don’t know if I’m right, but that’s how it seems to me in the audience.

LexC: As far as the reactions? The reactions of people?

OTR: No! I mean, as far as the whole package when it all comes together.

LexC: Aww! I appreciate that. I try!

(“Satisfy Aaliyah Tribute” music video plays)

LexC: Aaliyah is one of my influences because I appreciate the fact that she has that laid back style. She’s very chill, but she can also switch it up and be sexy and sophisticated type of look. Beyonce because she’s an all-around entertainer. Singing, dancing. She does everything. She really makes the artform like athleticism. That’s Beyonce, then Alicia Keys for the soulfulness. I try to take aspects from each of those artists and apply it to myself.

OTR: I’ve seen you perform maybe 3 or 4 times, and it’s always fun. I like seeing you perform.

LexC: Thank you!

OTR: I always be like, “Yes! LexC!” I be so excited. I feel like - I call you “Sexy LexC” in my head because you be turned up on the stage. I be like, “Yes! You better! Y’all look at this queen on the stage. Do y’all see this?” So, I really enjoy them. If you guys haven’t seen her perform, you should because she’s an act. Like, seriously. You should go see it.

LexC: I appreciate that. Thank you!

OTR: So, tell us about how you get ready to perform. Are you going to practice somewhere, or are you just, kind of, in your zone? Or, do you - I don’t know. How do you do this?

LexC: Hmm, how do I prepare? I don’t do this anymore, but I used to watch the acts before me and get it in my head like, “Wow! They’re really good.” And, kind of see what they’re doing. How they’re getting the crowd involved. Like, “Alright! I gotta make sure I put on a great show. Breathe! Breathe! I might sing a part of one of the hardest songs I have to do just for that vocal range to try to get my vocals warmed up, which sometimes it doesn’t even work because my vocals will end up being dry before I get on stage anyway, just from those nerves. But, yeah! I’ll sing a little bit of my own songs. Dance around a little bit. I’ve done squats before just to warm up my legs. Try to get all that anxiety released somehow.

OTR: It’s kind of like - you kind of go with however you feel when you’re up there?

LexC: Yeah! To get myself mentally prepared for it.

OTR: Okay! Well, that just makes me like it more because now I’m thinking about every time I’ve seen you performing, I’m like, “So, she didn’t even practice it. She was just like, ‘I’m about to do this,’ and then she did it. So, okay! Nevermind!”

LexC: The latest thing I’ve released a single called “Crazy Time.” “Crazy Time,” inspired by true events. As with all my music, I try to make sure I put a piece of myself in it just because it’s kind of like a therapy for me. So, this song “Crazy Time” is actually about, ya know, you give yourself to a person, and you invest all this time in them. Invest all this time into the relationship. Well, sometimes we put ourselves into toxic situations, and we stay longer than we should. Or, we do more than we should have done, and the song is really just letting people know that you don’t have to choose the short end of the straw. It’s okay to move on. It's okay to recognize that I did put all this time in. it’s not the end of the world. My time is precious. I’m gonna find someone who’s gonna appreciate it more.

OTR: You said you’ve been working here at Rich Productions since March. What was that experience like coming into the studio and trying to solidify yourself as an engineer here?

LexC: It was very nerve-wracking at first. I was excited but anxious at the same time. Not to say that I wanted to prove myself, but I wanted to be given that chance. I actually did intern at another studio before coming to Rich Productions, but there weren’t as many opportunities to engineer sessions, let alone getting paid sessions. So, coming here [to Rich Productions], of course, you know you kind of have the representative for the interview. Very soft-spoken. I’m already a chill person, but very soft-spoken. I tried to make sure I was charismatic, the way I’m trying to be right now! But, it was really good. The owner of the studio was very receptive, and I actually got this job on a recommendation. So, like a friend of a friend of a friend, so that’s how I got recommended here. He was like, “Your resume checks out. You seem like you know what you’re talking about. We’re gonna do a demo session, and from there we’ll see about getting you some clients. It was history from there. Now, here we are!

OTR: Outside of you writing and singing and producing, what are some of the things you like to do?

LexC: I actually love horseback riding.

OTR: Oh, really?

LexC: Yeah!

OTR: Where do you go horseback riding because this is Atlanta.

LexC: Since I’ve been in Atlanta, I haven’t been able to, but I found this horse park, Chastain, which is actually up the street from where I live. Before I moved here, I used to teach riding lessons in Savannah.

OTR: Oh, cool!

LexC: Yeah! It was like a summer program type of deal where the kids would come - probably ages 5 to 13 - to learn how to ride horses, and in exchange for free riding time after all those classes each day I was one of those teachers teaching them how to ride.

OTR: So, if you’re on social media, what’s your favorite one? Do you like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat?

LexC: I don’t have Snapchat.

OTR: What!?!

LexC: I like Instagram.

OTR: Wait, wait, wait! Rewind! You don’t have a Snapchat?

LexC: No! I don’t.

OTR: Girl! You need to get you a Snapchat!

LexC: People keep telling me that, but you know Instagram has the - I call it “InstaSnap” or “The SnapGram.”

OTR: I mean, it’s not -

LexC: I do the little video!

OTR: Okay! So, Instagram’s like your thing?

LexC: Yeah!

OTR: So, what’s an Instagram account that you will go to just because? Somebody that I should be following or be looking into because it’s probably funny? Or, anything. Or, even if it’s just like - I like to go on certain people’s Insta accounts because I’m like, “Her hair is always popping. I wanna see what her hair looks like.”

LexC: Actually, I have one account that I go to. I actually like doing yoga and stretching a lot. So, there’s this one account. Her name is Lady Dork, and - yeah! It’s kind of a weird name, but she’s like a stretch and yoga guru. And, she just has these random pictures of her doing these crazy stretches, and it’s like, “Man! How do I?”

OTR: Yeah! How do I get myself into that? Okay!

LexC: Yeah!

OTR: Okay! And, what’s the last place that you went when you went out where you had a really good time?

LexC: Mmm, A3C actually! 2016 was my first time going to the A3C Festival in Atlanta, and it was cool because I got to perform for A3C. So, it was kind of cool performing and it being my first time. But, walking up and down the streets of Edgewood. I was with a group of friends. We didn’t even have to go inside any of the places. There were just people - 

OTR: You can hear all the music and talk to people.

LexC: Yeah! It was like a huge block party. We were just walking up and down the street getting stopped by random people and networking with random people on the street, and I crashed someone’s video. That was really cool!

OTR: What is a song that, if it comes on, you’re gonna dance to it?

LexC: Mmm. Probably Rihanna.

OTR: Which Rihanna?

LexC: Work. (sings “Work” by Rihanna)

OTR: You can just turn on any Rihanna, and I’m gonna be like! Yes, girl!

LexC: That’s my jam! Hey, everybody! This is LexC, and thank you for watching the interview with LexC On the Rise.