LA singer carves niche in rock ‘n’ roll
Glitter. Glamor. Grunge. L.A.-based musician Alexandra Starlight brings a new kind of sparkle to the rock world with her smooth vocals in her latest EP, Alexandra & the Starlight Band.
Starlight radiates with her effervescent personality. Her giggly, upbeat attitude in conversation is captivating. But at the same time, she manages to possess a sense of maturity reflective of more seasoned musicians.
“Honesty as an artist is so important. It is one of those things where the truth will never be overlooked,” she said. “It’s like The Old Man and the Sea. If you go out everyday and put your line out there, you may not catch a fish. But your boat of truths will make something catch a bite eventually.”
Starlight owes her outlook on life as well as her musical talents to her upbringing. Growing up in the bustling expanse of Oakland, Calif., Starlight had an affinity for music from a young age.
“I started playing classical violin when I was five. I had a choice to either take ballet or play violin, but I’ve always hated tutus — since I was kind of a tomboy — so I went with the violin,” Starlight recalled.
She said her father brought rock ’n’ roll into her life with his collection of David Bowie records. Though her mother was a church choir singer with a markedly different musical palette, she also influenced Starlight’s dreams.
From her upstate beginnings to her downtown gigs playing with artists including Kate Nash, Starlight has revved her engines to leave a mark upon the rock scene today.
But the industry hasn’t always been so kind to Starlight.
“There have been a lot of periods where it’s been hard getting a band together; I’ve at least played with a hundred different people,” she said. “There’s been a lot of doors slammed in my face and days where I’m thinking, ‘Oh God.’”
Starlight currently performs alongside her boyfriend Zachary James, who leads a band of his own called “Zachary James and the All Seeing Eyes.”
“He’s my best friend. We write together. We create together,” she said. “I play keyboard and sing back up in his band.”
She describes how as a pair, they enjoy an assortment of activities, like designing their own clothing for shows.
“We went downtown and found red fringe one day and thought, ‘Oh cool! We can make a shirt out of this,’” Starlight said. “Normal clothing out of the rack doesn’t do it for us. We keep getting more and more outrageous.”
Outrageous is exactly what some of Starlight’s creations look like. Her edgy hairstyles with bursts of pink and purple, sequined costumes and bright makeup all bring a touch of femininity to the rock ’n’ roll world.
Starlight said she will always stand by her unique style and character.
“Just be real and be yourself. If you tell the truth and you’re honest with yourself, you will always find an audience,” she said. “I don’t think you will ever find me on the cover of a magazine in a pushup bra and lingerie.”
She sounds a bit like Janis Joplin, and she credits artists like Freddie Mercury and Mick Jagger for inspiring her fashion sense. But no matter the associations, it’s clear Starlight is developing her own angle on the rock scene. From the inclusion of jazzy trumpet samples in her songs to bedazzled vinyl records for her loyal fans, this budding artist knows how to put a twist on tradition.