Adelaide-based singer-songwriter Aleksiah is bringing everyone together with her latest EP, singing songs about love, hardships and growth.
With poetic lyrics, dreamy productions and an exemplary voice, Aleksiah has all it takes to be the next Aussie pop star.
Writing songs about coming of age and romance, Aleksiah never shies away from telling her story truthfully. Even though she’s only released four singles so far, her music has turned a lot of heads and nothing at all suggests that it’s going to fall by the wayside anytime soon.
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Since the release of her debut single Fern two years ago, Alexia has impressed audiences at BIGSOUND 2023 and shared the stage with the likes of Lime Cordiale, Kita Alexander, Holy Holy, Teenage Dads, Teenage Joans and more.
Her debut EP, Who Are You When You’re Not Performing? was just released, featuring a collection of ultra-catchy and touching indie pop gems. We had the chance to hear what she had to say regarding her craftsmanship, inspiration and what’s on the horizon.
Hi there Aleksiah! How’s your day been so far?
Hey guys! It’s going well thanks.
We know you just turned 24 – happy birthday by the way! How did you celebrate?
Haha thank you! I actually threw a birthday party at my house, the first party I’ve thrown in 10 years. I always get nervous organising get togethers, hence why I hadn’t had one in a while, but I thought I wrote a song about it, I should definitely celebrate it with my friends.
Your song “Getting Older” captures the pressures of ageing. Tell us the story behind that track.
I wrote it in a very dingy, mould-infested motel in April of 2023, about finding my first ever grey hair. I’ve always had a hard time accepting ageing, it’s something that is so looked down upon, especially as a woman.
Everyone wants the maturity, wisdom and the experience that comes with getting older, but not the sagging skin and sore knees. I look at this song as a way of me coming to terms with that sentiment, and trying to reason with myself that ageing is a privilege, not a curse.
Now that you’ve turned 24, how has your perspective on aging changed?
In all honesty, it hasn’t changed a whole lot, not yet at least. I think my pre-frontal cortex is still developing and I’m finding my footing in my changing body and mind, but I still have a long way to go. I know that ageing is a gift and so many people don’t get to grow old, they don’t have the privilege, but it is still a battle in my mind every time I get another grey hair. It’s baby steps.
Your debut EP, Who Are You When You’re Not Performing? is coming out at the end of the month. If you were to describe this EP in just five words, what would they be?
That’s’ very tricky! I would have to say learning, womanhood, emotive, love and vulnerability.
Is there a mood board that you drew on for inspiration when working on this EP? Were there any music/books/movies that you pulled from?
I more so pulled directly from my life, every song is something that has happened directly to me, good or bad. However, for each song, you can definitely tell what genre of music I was listening to when I was writing it.
I was listening to a lot of country music when I wrote Fern funnily enough, and a lot of 80s pop when I was making 24. For Ant Song, I wanted it to sound like that scene in a movie where the two star-crossed lovers are running toward each other in a grassy field. Lots of little subconscious things here and there definitely influenced the EP.
What was the writing and recording process like for you?
I think for the first couple of songs, I was definitely finding my footing when it came to recording. I had never properly recorded a song before so it was a bit of back and forth, throwing shit at a wall and seeing what stuck. I definitely find a lot more enjoyment in writing than I do recording. I get so nervous building the soundscape of a song because I feel like it needs to be perfect.
With writing this EP, every song except Getting Older was written on my fake IKEA Persian rug in my living room. It’s a very safe space for me and I always feel like I get a good song out of it. Getting Older was the first song I ever wrote while on tour, so that’s a cherry popped in itself.
I know you’re really big on fan engagement – I saw you posting recently about organising all-ages meetups for fans who can’t make it to your 18+ shows. What do you like about connecting with your fans so closely?
It warms my heart that people enjoy what I make in the first place, I’m so touched that someone out there feels so closely to my music and resonates with it. I love knowing that somehow my songs have impacted how a person thinks and feels or processes a situation.
I think it’s really cool that there’s a string connecting all of us together and it’s a privilege to get to know them.
Your songs are always so honest and revealing, what drives you to have this level of authenticity in your art?
I feel like I’m just a blabbermouth in all honesty. My heart and mind is an open book, and personally, I love when I can hear someone’s story, their life and trauma through their music, it makes me feel closer to them and I think deep down everyone just wants to feel close to others. I use my music to do that.
Why do you think so many people resonate with your music?
I think because I write about things that happen in my life people see themselves in it. In reality, I think I have a pretty normal life besides all the music stuff. I go to work, I make my dinner, I see my friends, I’ve gone through breakups, heartaches, family shit, friendships, stuff that everyone goes through. I think they feel seen through my songs and that makes me feel incredibly honoured.
You’ve got an Australian headline tour on the horizon – what are you most excited about?
It’s been almost a year since my last headline so I’m excited to be on the road again for my own tour. It’s a very different feeling when you’re supporting vs headlining, there’s a lot more at stake, a lot more that you can screw up, but it’s so much more rewarding, you feel closer to everyone that came because they came for you, and when you think about it, that’s really special.
I can’t wait to sing with everyone and have a gossip session after the show for like an hour because somehow that always happens! It’s gonna be a fun time.
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