Season 2 Episode 7 // ALEXA DARK - A film noir soundtrack

Alexa Dark has only two songs out but it was enough to make a lasting impression on us as she is somehow creating a bridge between Adele’s sophisticated pop music and Chris Isaac’s moody and anachronistic bluesy ambiances. But with « Blind Faith » and « Fate To Black And Blue », Alexa is also making a statement that goes beyond music. Both songs are accompanied by perfectly curated music videos that propose a powerful and haunting universe. Imagery, style, and music go hand in hand for Alexa and we’re happy she takes the time to carefully craft this 360 experience for us. Delicacy and intention don’t prevent raw emotions from surfacing through her prism. As a result, the fascinating and obscure world she paints for us seems to be only redeemed by beauty. This resonates with me a lot as I recently came to the conclusion that pain is somehow only tolerable if we find a way to transform it into art. Ultimately, I think that culture is that movement of putting something unbearable to a safe distance just to be able to look at it in the eyes.
« I'm drowning in a sea of static
I'm sleepless in a bed for two » - Blind Faith
« We sit at that bar
Jukebox doesn’t start
So I play a sad song in my head
I know you’re leaving soon
No curtain call for you
But I watch the credits roll again » - Fade to black and blue
Every word Alexa sings seems to be taken from the script of a French film noir but her narration style has more to do with a Lynchian dream. It’s seductive because it is elusive and the power of Alexa Dark lies in her ability to hide as much as she reveals. In a way, her music is an antidote to the frenzy of transparency that has taken onto the world. It’s also the perfect refuge from the contemporary summons of assigning people to frozen and closed identities. On the contrary, Alexa Dark diffuses herself in the shadows and navigates between the many unexplored regions of the soul. That might be because of her multicultural background. She’s of Spanish descent, was born in New York, and grew up in London. That’s where she discovered record stores, Françoise Hardy, and punk rock. That’s also where she first performed at age 13. The experience she gained performing at a young age and her exposure to a diverse world of many cultures has informed her art and vision.  As she said on the podcast, Alexa doesn’t want to be "stuck in one place, with one idea, one culture". That’s why she keeps moving and adding more layers to her perspective. Right now, she spends her time between New York and Los Angeles and we’re glad she stopped by our studio to share her vision, philosophy, and journey with us. Alexa Dark might be writing the soundtrack of a film noir, but it’s a kaleidoscopic and unpredictable score.
www.hangingonsunset.com
www.instagram.com/hangingonsunset.com
www.teamnowhere.org

---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hangingonsunset/support