With a strong passion for music, Trinidadian singer Arielle Alexa has committed herself to work on her craft by any means and although obstacles may surround the artist, she has no intensions give up on her goals.
Alexa's determination keeps her going through obstacles like the pandemic as she's preparing to release her project entitled "The Bedroom Sessions." Alexa's message is clear that despite a roadblock that is stacked before you, demolish that obstacle and go after what you believe is yours to win.
Check out Arielle Alexa's interview below where she discussesd overcoming her nerves of persuing a career in music, working hard independently within the industry, motivations to continue music despite obstacles that comes with the business, and much more:
News For People: When did you decide to pursue a career in music?
Arielle Alexa: I’ve always known from a very young age that I wanted to be a singer. It is without a doubt the only thing that I ever envisioned myself doing. I would make up songs and sing them to myself and I’d picture myself performing for huge crowds in sold out stadiums. What held me back for a long time was my shyness. I was so afraid about what other people would think about me. Would they think I had a nice voice? Would they like my music? Or would they just not like it at all. That fear definitely held me back. I finally decided to pursue music seriously when I felt like I was at a breaking point. I realized that I wasn’t being true to myself and I was letting that little voice in my head keep me from singing. I started off in musicals which lead to getting connected to more people in the industry like other singers, musicians and producers. I think that when I let those walls down is when I learned more about my talent and my drive and I haven’t stopped since!
News For People: How would you describe your music?
Arielle Alexa: I would describe my music as mainstream with blends of r&b and pop. Coming from the Caribbean I never shy away from that so I always make sure to bring that vibe into my music whether it’s with the lyrics, tone or just the overall sound.
News For People: What would you want people to know about you as an artist?
Arielle Alexa: I am very very determined as an artist and being in quarantine has brought out that determination and hunger to achieve success. I had just started working on new music right before the COVID-19 pandemic so I was consistently in the studio but that of course all changed. I’ve now taken the time to learn how to record myself and have spent a lot of my days writing new music and recording.
As an independent artist I do a lot of the work myself. I am my manager, booking agent, record label, publisher, pr and more. It’s a lot of work but it’s forced me to learn all of the ins and outs of the business. I’m still learning every day.
News For People: Who are some of your influences in trinidadian music?
Arielle Alexa: Our music is so ingrained in our culture that I’ve been consistently influenced from a young age. From going to calypso tents to experiencing Dimanche Gras as a child to then playing carnival and being surrounded by soca music today. It’s not something that could be or should be ignored. That vibrance, energy and pure happiness in our music is what influences me.
News For People: What are some of your inspirations that you include in your music?
Arielle Alexa: It all depends on what I’m feeling at that moment. When I’m writing I write about what I’m feeling or what I’ve experienced or can relate to. The inspiration doesn’t just come from me though. It can come from a photo that I see, another song that I hear or something that someone else says that triggers a memory. It changes every time.
News For People: What are your thoughts on the current status of trinidadian music?
Arielle Alexa: I think that the opportunities are there. Not just for Trinidadian music but for music in general. We now have the opportunity to be in full control of our music and our careers. We can build a fanbase and get our music directly to our fans on our own without the need for a record label. There are so many talented artists in Trinidad alone and not only in the soca genre. We have crazy talented singers and rappers in every genre. It’s really exciting to see and hear all of that talent.
News For People: How do you plan to release music differently from other artists?
Arielle Alexa: One thing that I wanted to do differently this year is really take the time to connect and get to know my fanbase and understand what they want to hear from me. I release weekly music covers on my Instagram page and I’ve been doing it since late 2019. Even though I had released music before that it was still a daunting experience because I really wasn’t sure how people would receive it. Thankfully people love it! From my first cover to now I’ve been able to more than double my Instagram followers and really form a connection and true appreciation for every one of them. Due to this I know that I can release music and actually see the effect that it has on my fans! It’s a great feeling.
News For People: What was the inspiration behind your latest single and music video, "2 Easy?"
Arielle Alexa: I had toured India with Dwayne Bravo performing our song “Love You Baby” in 2019 along with DJ Ana. When that tour was over DJ Ana along with Ultra Simmo suggested that Dwayne and I do another song together and they pitched 2 Easy to us. We loved it! And it was at a great time too because we were scheduled to tour India again at the end of 2019. That was a really fun song to work on and I’m incredibly grateful that they gave me the opportunity to be on it. We got a lot of airtime on the radio and people really loved it not just in Trinidad and the Caribbean but in India too!
News For People: Are you working on a project that people can expect?
Arielle Alexa: I’m happy to say that I am currently working on a project. It’s called The Bedroom Sessions, because I recorded everything in my bedroom while in quarantine. The first single will be released in the next couple weeks and it’s called Don’t Waste My Time. It’s basically an anthem for ladies who know what they want when they want it and just don’t got the time to waste!
Once the first single is released I’ll be releasing more singles in the coming weeks. I’m really excited to see how people respond to it because it’s been some time since I’ve released a solo record.
News For People: What motivates you to continue your journey in the music industry?
Arielle Alexa: Pursuing music is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. There are good days and there are bad days but it’s also my passion. There have been days that I just want to give up and forget all about music but I know that if I were to stop the disappointment that I would feel would be unbearable. Music is everything to me so the journey to get there is all worth it.
News For People: What message do you hope people receive from your music as an artist in the industry?
Arielle Alexa: I want people to see that although the journey may be difficult and daunting once you continue and fight and genuinely believe in yourself beautiful things can happen.
News For People: What advice would you give to a young artist who is also pursuing a career in music?
Arielle Alexa: The first thing I would say is Youtube and Google are your friends. I know it sounds silly but I’ve learned a tremendous amount about music and the music business by carefully studying what other people have done in the past and what they are doing today.
The next piece of advice I would say is just be yourself. If you have an idea for a song go for it! It’s easy to second guess yourself especially if you’re not getting the feedback that you expect but that’s all part of the learning process. The only way that you can improve is by actually trying.
News For People: Do you have any plans prepared in the music industry that people can expect after quarantine?
Arielle Alexa: I’ve used this quarantine to connect with people in the music industry that I never thought I would be able to get connected to so I’m very excited to see what comes of it especially after I release my first single.
News For People: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Arielle Alexa: Follow me on Instagram @arielle.alexa to stay up to date on my latest releases and feel free to shoot me a dm if you’re a new artist starting out and need some advice!