Alexis Naylor You & Her Interview

Cry until you have no more tears left to cry

Immediately after a breakup, you may find yourself in a dark place where it feels like nothing will ever be OK. It can be relentless. Unchecked, this can keep us in bed for hours past what's healthy or wise. The longer we struggle, the more likely we will be overwhelmed by it, allowing it to control our every decision and move. I am here to tell you that eventually, everything will be ok. But for now, mourn. Cry until you have no more tears left to cry.

Alexis Naylor's new song You & Her is the second single off the debut album Pages from a past life which is due for release 8 May 2020. Naylor says the song shines a light on the self talk one has when faced with betrayal from someone you love. "I hope You & Her will find people in the darkest of times and give them strength when they have hit rock bottom" Alexis says. you & her is a high-tempo tune with a smooth groove that works for integrated and community stations.

Alexis Naylor is a Singer/Songwriter from Perth, Australia. As a young girl she learned piano because it was her dad's favourite instrument and musicand performance continued to be a huge part of her life. From studies at JMC Academy and NMIT in Melbourne, all the way to gigs, festivals and overseas tours both as a back-up singer and as a front woman.

'Pages from a past life' is full of haunting melodies, powerful emotive lyrics describing the pain of lost love and Alexis delicious tone reminiscent of Delta, Celine and Dido leaves you wanting to listen again and again.

As a talented emerging artist, Alexis is one to watch… 'Pages from a past life' will be available to buy and stream in May 2020.

Interview with Alexis Naylor

Question: How would you describe your music?

Alexis Naylor : Haunting melodies, powerful emotive lyrics describing the pain of lost, love and everything in between delivered with delicious tones reminiscent of Delta, Celine and Dido.


Question: Can you tell us about You & Her?

Alexis Naylor : It shines a light on the self-talk one has when faced with betrayal from someone you love. There are many layers to this track, but at its core - it's sharing the heartbreak of choices made.


Question: What inspired You & Her?

Alexis Naylor : After having a fiancé walk out on you after 10 and a half years, there is not much else for a singer-songwriter to do than to write about it. I couldn't internalise these feelings without putting them into music, I couldn't physically eat, sleep or talk - I had no words left and nothing made sense. I couldn't find anything other than putting pen to the paper to help process it all.


Question: Is there a particular message you hope listeners take from your music?

Alexis Naylor : When I have been at rock bottom, I seek music that touches deep within, helping me through those tough times, in turn, I hope people find my music in times of need, when they need it the most.


Question: Has COVID-19 affected your music?

Alexis Naylor : I was meant to be driving my campervan VanNessa around Australia to tour my album 'pages from a past life' for the second half of 2020 but have found myself in Perth with border restriction and nothing but time and no where to go. It's the perfect time to balance, reset and find new ways to be myself. I'm currently living with some musicians friends and I find myself jamming, creating content and live streaming gigs. It's been such a breath of fresh air to play with other people and to share some musical joy, and just have some fun - it's what music is meant to be, to be shared and touch peoples lives in times when words don't seem to be enough.


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?

Alexis Naylor : I currently have Above & Beyond's album Acoustic on repeat and listening to a fellow East Gippslander Tom Allen-Graham's latest album. Such lush sounds!


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Alexis Naylor : The inspiration for me was the ability to be someone else, just for a little while. To be able to sing about happiness, pain, love, lost, life and connect with people in a way that words sometimes cannot convey.

Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Alexis Naylor : I have a few people who I would love to work with including but not limited to Mike Posner, City & Colour, Gordi, Missy Higgins, Xavier Dunn, Angus Dawson and Paul Mac.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your musical success?

Alexis Naylor : It is a tough landscape being an independent artist and an expensive one at that. You need to spend the money for sure but you need to sacrifice a lot, which is one of the reasons I choose to live in a campervan full time. I just wouldn't have been able to fund the creation of my latest album without making that choice.


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Alexis Naylor : I would have to say when people reach out, and share their stories, letting you know that something you have written has connected with them, means so much. It bridges the divide, especially when distance makes us feel so far away, the reality is we are so close together. Being something else/ a message that is more than just you, helping someone to feel something they might not have understood. A safe place that let's people know that they are relevant and understood, it's a special gift to be able to create something and share it with others. They let you in and people let you close to them, which is such a privileged delicate position to be in.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Alexis Naylor : It's so hard to say, a typical day is anything far from my normal day. Because being a creative is never being the same everyday – some days you have rehearsals, some days you have gigs, you're collaborating with other people. It's combing your life with other peoples timelines, and I feel like I've never been more tired, but I'm so happy being where I am, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.


Question: What's next, for you?
Alexis Naylor : I really just want to collaborate with other people, there has been some dark times in my recent music, dealing with trauma, and I would love to shift the energy to positive times. By bringing in other people, they bring their own strengths and new ideas to the table. They open you up to genres that you might not necessarily play or do. We're multi-faceted creatives and we should try doing other things as much as we can.


Question: Can you share your socials? (links please)

Alexis Naylor : Instagram 

Facebook 

Website

Spotify


Interview by Gwen van Montfort