Alexis Lace
Alexis Lace discusses embracing solitude, creative freedom, genre-blending, and the deeply personal journey behind “Ain’t Nothing Better” and her upcoming fifth album.
1. “Ain’t Nothing Better” celebrates loving your own company and embracing “me time.” What inspired you to turn your life as a proud homebody into a song, and what do you hope listeners take away from it?
That was a bit of a random one. I wanted something a little light hearted, something that made me feel fuzzy inside. And pretty much nothing makes me as comfortable as spending time on my own! Especially if it’s in the comfort of my own bedroom. I never get bored and I love my own company. This is something I feel is not spoken about enough. We always glamorise being sociable, and never give solitude enough credit. As if being introverted isn’t as valid as being an extrovert.
2. The track blends the storytelling qualities of country with the smooth grooves of 90s R&B. What attracts you to these two seemingly different styles, and how did you bring them together in your own sound?
Quite frankly, it happened very randomly! There are a lot of music genres I enjoy, and, as a producer, I sometimes struggle to pick one, so I found myself with a blend. My album will be sort of like that too. A blend of genres.
3. You wrote, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered “Ain’t Nothing Better” entirely by yourself in your bedroom studio. What does having complete creative control mean to you, and what have you learned from handling every stage of the process?
As an actor, I’ve never felt in control of my career. But control is something being a music producer gave me. Maybe I’m a bit of a control freak, but I love doing things my way, and only relying on myself. I find it very freeing. And it means I can always record and release whatever I want, whenever I want. This is now the fourth album I am self producing. I find it to be a lot of fun, but of course it is also a lot of work. I wouldn’t mind doing more collaborations in the near future!
4. There can be a lot of pressure to constantly socialize, go out, and be “doing something.” Was part of the song’s message about challenging those expectations and showing that being alone can be genuinely fulfilling?
Yes, absolutely! Sometimes I go to social events and I tell people that I don’t and CANNOT do it every weekend and they seem genuinely perplexed. But yes, I am busy doing my own thing, I go crazy when I don’t get enough me time. Codependency makes me cringe, sorry. I do not need to be constantly in the company of others to be happy, and I know I’m not alone in this. I feel genuinely happy in my own element, and that certainly doesn’t mean I am depressed!
5. “Ain’t Nothing Better” is the first single from your upcoming fifth album. How does this song introduce the direction, themes, or atmosphere you’re exploring on the new album?
To be honest, while my album will have a lot of retro R&B influences, not every song is going to be like that. As always, it will be very introspective, but it’s the first time I release a first single without being sure of the direction the album is taking. It will be a bit of a mix between my third album, “Unhinged”, and my fourth album, “Silver”. So basically, a lot of R&B, Electro, Trip-Hop, Trap etc. It will be less serious than my last album!
6. As an independent artist who has built such a self-sufficient creative process, what keeps you motivated to continue forging your own path, and what would you like to accomplish with this next chapter of your music?
Honestly, my love for creating music is what keeps me going. I had actually planned to take a break, but I failed! I cannot stop creating, it’s who I am as a person. I hope that each album takes me one step closer to my goal, my goal being to be a full-time musician.