Canadian Spotlight Alexis Taylor

Canadian Spotlight

As a child growing up, music surrounds us; What type of music did you hear the most back then? How does it differ from what you listen to now?

At the beginning of 2018, Alexis Taylor released her debut single “Blame The Whiskey” which allowed her to appear live on numerous radio stations throughout North America, and take part in events such as Canadian Music Week in Toronto, and CMA Fest in Nashville. The release also lead to Alexis taking home the award for ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’ at the 2018 Tennessee Music Awards, performing at the USO Northwest Gala, and take the #1 position for six consecutive weeks on Reverb Nation’s provincially ranked country artists charts.

Did you come from a musical background?

Yes, both my mom and dad are amazing musicians, and still write and perform today. Growing up, I would always watch them sing or perform - whether on the road, at church, or at home in our music room, there was always music. I truly think it played a huge part in why I decided to follow in their footsteps.

How do you balance your music career with your other obligations in life?

It is definitely tough to find a balance between any career and other obligations. But I find myself making lots of “to-do” lists, and always carrying around my calendar. It helps me to stay focused and organized even if I have a million things going on. Though it’s tough to keep track of what day it is sometimes, my family and friends will always be a priority in my life, no matter what else is going on. Growing up, my parents liked listening to a lot of Christian music as well as country music. I remember getting made fun of in middle school for liking country music, because back then it wasn’t cool to listen to it. So I quickly decided I needed to find a new genre to listen to. After that, I definitely went through a stage in high school where all I would listen to is punk rock and screamo music believe it or not! But now, I mainly listen to country again.

What made you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in music?

I had always loved singing, performing, and writing music. But the first time I realized I wanted to seriously pursue a music career was when I was at a Mayday Parade concert in Toronto, Ontario. I was only 14 or 15 at the time, and it was my first concert that I had ever gone to. I wish I could remember what song they were singing, but I was standing only two or three people from the front of the stage. Everyone around me was belting out the lyrics, singing along every single word along with the band. In the middle of singing along, I had this feeling wash over me as though my eyes were opened and realized I didn’t want to do anything else other than music. I wanted to stand on stage and share my music with the rest of the world. I think my younger self would be proud of the fact that I am still chasing my dreams and pursuing music.

If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry what would it be?

What personal advice would you give to someone wanting to pursue this career?

I think the best advice I could give to someone who is wanting to pursue a career in music would be to continue to dream big. Don’t worry about the possibility of things not working out, or going like you planned. You will regret it so much more if you don’t try. Keep believing in yourself, and keep pushing yourself. Work as hard as you possibly can, and things will start to happen. It’s just a matter of time!

What are 3 things that you have to have with you at all times/never leave home without?

Three things I would never leave home without and usually have with me at all times would be my cell phone, my calendar, and a snack. I think it’s pretty typical to take your phone everywhere these days, but I mainly use it to jot down song lyrics that come to mind when I’m away from my songwriting book. As for my calendar, I’ve tried leaving it at home but of course I always seem to need it when I don’t bring it with me. Lastly, I am always equipped with snacks. Anyone who knows me knows that I love food, and I try to always eat as healthy as I can. So I usually have an apple or banana with me, or a fruit cup just in case.

Given the opportunity, if I could change something about the music industry, I would change the way that music is heard. Streaming platforms can be an amazing thing, and have personally allowed me to connect with a lot of different people that live all around the world. However, as we get further away from the years of buying vinyl and CD’s, we are seeing the evolution of other music platforms. With these changes to the music industry, I feel as though it is harder for smaller artists to make a living. Although every platform is different, many artists do not receive very much money in terms of royalties. It makes it very hard to keep the dream alive when you can’t even pay your rent. In many cases, it forces artists to get day jobs, myself included, and it only distracts from the ultimate desire of making music.

Do you have other interests or talents you would like to share with us?

Yes, I absolutely love photography. All throughout high school and college, I took photography classes and really loved them. Many of the pictures and videos on my social media I take and edit myself. Like music, photography can capture a moment in time and it is another creative outlet that I enjoy

How do you like to enjoy your relaxation time away from the music?

Though music often relaxes me, there are times when silence can be needed as well. On the rare occasion that I get a day off, I usually head to the beach. I pack a good book, a lunch, some sunscreen and drive until I find a place where I can unwind. It’s my favorite thing to do when I am not on stage or in the studio. Unless it’s winter… then I just end up turning off my phone and crawling into bed to watch reruns of “Friends” on Netflix.

Who does most of the songwriting?

I write all of my own music. I love the creative process of it, and the feeling of satisfaction when I finish writing a song. I cowrite quite a bit, which is always a fun and interesting experience with each new person I write with. It can also be incredibly intimidating since I live in a city where there are so many amazingly talented songwriters. However, there are often times when no one else is around, and I get inspiration for a song from out of nowhere. So I try to take advantage of those moments when I can, and make the most of the inspiration when it comes to me.

Have you been involved in any benefit performances? What was it and how did you become involved?

This past September, I was able to sing along with my Dad at a fundraising event for Missionary Ventures Canada in Toronto, Ontario. It was to help raise money for the continuing construction of a hospital in the small town of Nebaj, in Guatemala, which I got to help be a part of in early 2018 during a missions trip. I became more involved with Missionary Ventures after I put together a short vlog on youtube about my time in Guatemala. I am hoping to be working with them more in the near future as well, in both musical aspects and beyond, so I am very excited about that.

When things seem to go negatively at times, how do you turn things into something positive?

When things don’t go my way or I start to get down about things, the first person I call is my mom. She is my support system and is my best friend. She has a way of reminding me how far I have come, and how lucky I am. I also lean a lot on God and my church family at Crosspoint, here in Nashville. I think it is very easy to get caught up in the things we don’t have, and the problems we have in our life rather than focusing on the good. Surrounding myself with people to keep me grounded, and people who love me no matter what has definitely been a huge blessing when I am going through tough times.

As an artists, how would you define SUCCESS?

I think the term success has a very different meaning to every artist. To me, success is when I am able to connect with someone and move them with my music. It’s the ability to break through every other thing that they have going on in their life and truly touch them with the lyrics that I sing. It is such a rewarding experience to be a part of, and is one of my favorite parts about being a musician.