Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexia Simone
Hi Alexia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up interacting with music in many different ways but like most singers, the majority of my time was spent in the church where my mother was raised. My grandmother had a very sweet voice, I remember her singing to me a lot and playing music for me. She loved herself some Ray Charles. She passed her love of music down to my mother, who served as the director of both the main choir and the young-adult choir when I was little. My mother also sang in several ensembles like The Legend Singers, The Gospel Symphonic Choir, and more. I can’t even count how many rehearsals I’ve sat in, just listening: perfecting harmonies and enunciation, directors correcting people’s pitch and helping them find their note, learning how to read music as a singer, and musicians practicing, which led to impromptu jam sessions. People often joke about how they remember my mother coming to rehearsal super pregnant and how I was already tuned into the music in the womb. As a baby, I was passed around the room and would sit in each section for a bit, therefore I knew everyone’s note. I feel like my ear for music was developed and nurtured very early because of the environments my mother was in and even the different singers, composers, and musicians I was able to learn from.
And that’s just the musical aspect—or rather, my general love and appreciation for musicianship and the process. Aside from directing the choir, I think the most profound part of having this vocal powerhouse so close to me was that she was the first performer I recollect seeing as a child. I would watch her sing lead during service and although everyone would be in worship, her delivery, stage presence, and energy was always so captivating. The power in her voice, the way she made people feel. Music became spiritual to me. I’ve seen her perform many genres of music at almost every major performance venue in St. Louis, from Powell and The Fox to the Touhill. Music was her dream, her first love and she passed it on to me! If you can imagine, she exposed me to so much music—especially Black female vocalists. She introduced me to artists like Minnie Riperton, Roberta Flack, Deniece Williams, Phyllis Hyman, Chaka, Whitney, Aretha…the list goes on. My mother instilled in me the idea that no two singers sound the same and that there’s beauty in each of our unique sounds and tones.
So, that’s where it all started. Music and singing came to me naturally. I want to say I was in middle school when my father put my siblings and I in piano lessons, which furthered my knowledge and ability to create, communicate through music, and understand theory. We took dance class growing up and participated in recitals, which has not only contributed to my performance and stage presence, but I was introduced to different genres of music in those classes too. My uncles wrote poetry and would openly share it with me, so writing was something I gravitated to early as a means of expressing my big feelings. My sisters and I even had a group called Girl Fantasy when we were younger—Destiny’s Child was our inspiration, and we studied them like the Bible. Our vocal arrangements and harmonies were so tight. We would write songs together, make up choreography, we even cut a demo tape with plans to shop it around to record labels. That tape never made it in the mail, but this has always been my dream. So, a couple of decades later, to be hitting the stage and sharing my own music with others completely blows my mind. Little Alexia would be so proud.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I talked myself out of pursuing my artistry in college. So in high school leading up to my freshman year, I was definitely recording myself, still writing, making videos of me singing, and uploading them to YouTube. People definitely knew I sang in and would support. Talent shows, I was in the choir, did a couple of plays, even had a solo at graduation. Then there was church of course. Honestly, I was scared to keep going and with what I had going on, it just didn’t seem possible or like the most fruitful use of my time. I think it also had a lot to do with who I spent my time with, you know? I wasn’t necessarily surrounded by a bunch of artists and creatives, despite knowing they existed, that influenced my way of viewing the possibility.
Fast forward to now, I think my biggest struggle wasn’t even coming out as an artist. It was getting up on stage and performing, even though I sang and danced in front of people my whole life. Something about going to church and singing music that I didn’t write in front of a group of people that have literally watched me grow up felt a little like karaoke to me as an adult. But the idea of getting up in front of a bunch of strangers singing music that I wrote, music that is real and personal to me, was simply terrifying. I have no other words to describe it other than a lack of confidence and stage fright. My body was rejecting the stage at one point it made me so anxious.
Making the music came easy to me, but I grew up experiencing music differently and inherently knew that performance was a huge part of me and my artistry as well. I had to shake that feeling, it was nothing more than fear, but fate is always sitting on the other side of that. I spent 2023-2024 on almost every stage that was presented to me so I could break that cycle within myself and it’s been so rewarding. It’s never too late, ever.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
By day, I’m a comms girly! That consists of public relations, copywriting, social media, email marketing, and I do a little design work. All the things. By night, I’m a singer, songwriter, and performer. I’d consider my style of music to be Alternative R&B. Since my arrival on the scene, I’ve dropped two projects (Late Bloomer in 2021 and A Beam of Black Light in 2023), and I’m very excited to be releasing my third project (Multiply) at the beginning of February. I’m most proud of the fact that Alexia Simone is even recognized in this space and that I took the steps necessary to see that through. I’m proud of the catalogue I’ve built in this period of time because it’s not only true to me, but has resonated with so many. St. Louis is experiencing a true renaissance and I’m grateful that my contributions are recognized amongst many legends and creatives I respect.
I specialize in collaboration and curation! That’s apparent in my set lists, the events I host, the creative direction around my projects. I think what’s special about all of my projects so far are the beautiful people that have come together to make them happen, most of them being from St. Louis. Producers, musicians, writers, photographers, videographers, stylists, artists, project management, media relations, and more. I believe in my own ideas and know they’re on point, but there’s nothing more important to me than having support and productive perspectives around me. My experiences growing up were unique to me, as they are to all. I was immersed in music in such a special way, only I can understand how it has shaped and prepared me for the moment I’m currently navigating. My ears are truly anointed and I think that’s so tight because life is funny that way. It was always meant to be and I think the nature of my favorite compliments thus far have spoken to the evidence in my presentation, development, my pen, and how I continue to carry myself as an artist. I belong here.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
My favorite part about St. Louis is easily the immense amount of talent that comes out of it. No one artist or creative is the same, everyone has their own vibe, style and approach. That individuality is what makes this city, especially our creative scene, come to life and continue to thrive. We’re just different.
My least favorite part is that we often get overlooked for opportunities because we are considered a smaller market. It can feel discouraging as a creative to see other cities get more recognition or access to bigger platforms, even though the talent here is just as strong—if not stronger. It’s a constant reminder that we have to work even harder to prove ourselves, but it also drives us to push the boundaries and build our own spaces for success.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/alexiasimone_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Alexia-Simone/61566125546301/
- Twitter: https://x.com/alexiasimone_
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@alexiasimone_
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/alexiasimone
