FEATURE: Spotlight: Frex — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Frex

__________

THERE are not too many…

interviews out there with the amazing Los Angeles-based Frex. She is a wonderful artist who I hope people check out. I think that next year is going to be her most successful one yet. It seems like a new project – whether an E.P. or album, I am not sure – is coming along soon enough. I have a few interviews that I want to include. Working up something quite recent. A standout name in a busy market, there is no doubting the fact Frex is going to take some big steps in 2024. I really love what she does. She has played in the U.K. before. The final interview I am sourcing is Frex speaking from a gig from Folklore Hoxton. I am quite new to her music, so I am working back a bit and catching up on things I have missed. I want to start my going back to 2020. Swidlife spoke with an awesome talent about a rising talent whose music was already standing out and turning heads. Her debut (and only to this point) album, Blu, came out in 2018:

“Frex has shown an artist on the rise, on the cusp of acclaim throughout the years. Having paid close attention to LA-based Frex for a while now, she continues to release some of the most enchanting songs we’ve heard thus far. A lot of music falls into relaxing or “chill” genres these days, but Frex’s more mellow moments are uniquely soothing, a trait not shared with much other music.

We recently had the chance to catch up with Frex for an exclusive interview to discuss all the music and everything that goes into it. Check out the full interview down below.

So let us begin with introductions. For those who don’t know, where are you from?

I’m from this small town in Pennsylvania called Mechanicsburg. Not much ever happens there [laughs.] Although Bret Michaels is from there, that’s pretty cool.

Let’s backtrack a little. How was it growing up in Mechanicsburg?

It was… hmm. There’s a straightforward kind of mindset where I’m from. You go to school, and college, get a job and have kids. Creativity isn’t encouraged, which led to me feeling misunderstood a lot of the time growing up. It’s a lot of farmland with a lot of narrow-minded people.

Is that when you thought LA was the best option for you?

Not quite. It took a little more time. I went to school for business in Philadelphia for a little bit before deciding it wasn’t for me. But when I was in Philadelphia, I met some people who also made music, which helped. That’s when I started coming out of my shell a little bit more.

Can you recall when you told yourself, “yeah, music is what I want to do”?

Oh, I always wanted to make music! Always, always, always. I just never thought I could.

What made you think you couldn’t?

The idea just seemed so impossible to me. As I said, I’m from a small town, so no one thinks that kind of stuff is possible. Plus, I didn’t get that much support from anyone for a long time.

Did you always think it was possible, or did being in LA and near the music industry put things into perspective?

Coming to LA changed everything. I visited in June of 2016, and that’s when I was like, “oh.. shit is different out here,” and after that, I started taking music more seriously. I never thought it was possible before, and it took a long time for me to believe in myself.

When did you officially decide to move out there?

January 2018. Funny enough, godchild and I moved out here by complete coincidence around that time.

Let’s talk about your last album, “Blu.” How did that album come together conceptually?

So at this point, godchild and I were both working remotely, only sending each other stuff instead of working in person. Crazy how it all came together because “blu” is only eight songs, and I probably only made like 15 songs for the project, way less than I would make now.

It was a cool time for me creatively because it was the first time I had a producer to work with at my disposal. It leveled up my sound. Luckily, all the songs we created on blu just felt cohesive to us.

The concept of “blu” was that most of the songs had pretty sad lyrics despite some of them sounding happy. “blu” was my sad-girl era. But, for “blu,” I made an effort to get in the studio and make finished songs. Until then, I was making pretty loosely structured songs, so I wanted to make something people could take seriously.

How do you push yourself out of your comfort zone sonically?

Pushing boundaries sonically became easier once I realized that not everything I create has to be released. That’s the beauty of making more and more music. If you’re consistently creating, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re making a hit. You can create what you feel at that moment, which opens up space to do something you usually wouldn’t.

Nowadays, when people talk about artists and artistry as a whole — it’s far more than just music, and it seems like you have the total package. Outside of just music — while staying true to yourself, how much attention do you pay to what else goes into being an “artist?”

There’s a lot that goes into it. For a long time, I felt tired of “branding.” It felt phony to try and cultivate an image for myself. Then I realized I was only hurting myself by running away from it. I started actively trying to improve my social media presence. It isn’t “uncool” to try. The only people who will tell you this are people who wish they could do what you’re doing. So yeah, as an artist, I feel like it’s about expressing yourself as much as you can, as authentically as you can. It’s not about trying to be cool. It’s about doing what you think is cool. There’s a difference”.

I will fast forward things to last year. With E.P.s and an album under her belt, there had been plenty of music and live performances from a wonderful artist. I feel 2024 is one where Frex will take things to a new level and release a follow-up to 2018’s Blu. RAYDAR chatted with Frex about her career path so far. Some of the artists who inspire her. It seems like acts such as SZA are really important to her. Let’s hope that they get to collaborate sometime soon:

“She made waves upon the release of “Out The Blue” and 2017’s White Sun EP—a pivotal start in her artistry. After refining her sound, Frex reintroduced herself to the world through enchanting singles “History” and “Homebody,” subsequently followed by her debut offering Blu. The eight-song project, which boasts a lone feature from FIH, is a thoughtful reflection on themes of self-identity, love loss, and the feelings that encompass those emotions. She further cemented her presence with 2020’s “Come Around” and “Don’t Wait,” as well as “Slide” and “Kill For You” the following year.

With her recent situationship-inspired and R&B-tinged maxi-single Mixed Feelings, two songs created in 2019, Frex embraces her abilities and steps into the limelight as an exciting name to keep a lookout for. Both the titular track and “Love For Granted” are produced by frequent collaborator Godchild and serve as a warm welcome to the singer-songwriter. With her obsession with the early to mid-2000s R&B vibe—as well as Rock and Alternative—that groups singers and rappers like Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Usher, and Gorillaz, Frex pulls from a variety of music icons which is evident in her songs.

Did you grow up surrounded by music? How did you discover your talent for songwriting and develop your expressive vocals?

I’m not from a musical family. Although, my grandpa played piano and sang. I also recently learned my great-grandpa used to play the banjo along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, which I thought was cool. My oldest brother also must’ve been an influence because he was in a band for a little bit and made like three songs, which I thought was crazy. I couldn’t even wrap my head around how music was recorded at the time, but this was like 2008 and I think that’s when recording equipment was just becoming more accessible to smaller artists.

Anyway, my brother got a new laptop and let me keep his old one, which had a few guitar loops he had played in GarageBand. I recorded myself singing over them through the laptop microphone. That was my first recorded song. I was probably like 10 or 11 at the time. Before that, I had always been singing, writing poems, and was always very intrigued by music. As time went on, I started playing acoustic guitar and making beats but ended up quitting for a few years for two reasons: I gave up on guitar when I couldn’t play a barre chord and the beats on Soundcloud were WAY better than anything I was making.

I started writing to beats I found on SoundCloud, which is where I ended up getting in contact with my long-time friend and collaborator, Godchild. I also started going to a “real” studio with an engineer, which is when I ended up making Blu. I think recording with an engineer really allowed me to get more comfortable with my voice and allowed me to try experimental sounds which I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own.

Who are some of your past and present musical inspirations?

My mom was always playing whatever was on MTV or VH1 in the early 2000s, so all of that music had a profound effect on me. Ne-Yo, T-Pain, The-Dream, Sean Paul, Gwen Stefani, Gorillaz, Rihanna, Norah Jones, Avril Lavigne, Ashely Simpson, Kelly Clarkson, Robin Thicke, Maroon 5, Usher. She also played her favorite oldies like Madonna, BeeGees, and Earth Wind & Fire.

My oldest brother in the band gave me his old laptop which had a lot of Rock and Alternative music on it. I listened to Death Cab For Cutie, Phoenix, Escape the Fate, The Used, Asking Alexandria, Saosin, Anthony Green, The Killers, Dance Gavin Dance, and so much more.

My other brother was always making mix CDs, which usually had a lot of rap on them like Snoop Dogg, Soulja Boy, Chingy, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and many more. My early inspirations were all over the place and I loved downloading artists’ discographies and listening to everything I possibly could. My list of inspirations goes on and on and on, but as far as current inspirations I would say Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Don Toliver, Kenny Mason, Phabo, Kurtis Wells, Tierra Whack, Isaiah Rashad, Tay Iwar, and PartynextDoor. There are so many more though. These are people with projects I couldn’t stop listening to.

It’s been nearly four years since the release of your debut project, Blu, how have you grown as an artist since then?

Sheesh! Sometimes I forget people have only heard what I’ve released because I’m on the other side of it knowing everything I’ve made since Blu and everything I’m capable of. I think I recorded about 10 songs for Blu, and released 8 of those. Since then I’ve made somewhere close to 200+ songs. The amount of energy, hours, and research I’ve put into my craft since Blu is something that won’t go unnoticed.

I’ve gotten way better at writing and WAY better at singing. I’ve become more comfortable with my voice, and don’t always need so many layers or effects when recording. I’ve learned how to play guitar—even the barre chords—and am more comfortable with music theory. I’ve grown with Godchild, and we’ve had a countless number of sessions since Blu. I’ve educated myself by doing my research and listening to a bunch of older classics. I’ve stepped into my sense of fashion and started doing more research in that lane.

Most of all, I’ve learned so much about how the music industry works and what it’s really like to be an artist, even if it’s constantly changing. After all of that, I feel I’m finally ready to put myself out there in every sense.

As a musician, songs can be relatable and quite therapeutic to the listener—what do you want young women to take away from your music and journey as a whole?

Stay true to yourself and your vision. I know that’s basic, but it’s true. Remember who you are and where you come from, because more than anything, people appreciate authenticity. People don’t want perfection, they want realness. Don’t do anything that doesn’t align with YOU. Don’t let anyone, especially men, try and tell you who YOU are. Get comfortable with saying no. Be your biggest cheerleader even when no one sees you”.

I am going to wrap up soon. Back in September, Wordplay spoke with Frex after her headline set at Hackney Folklore. It does seem that the U.S. artist has a connection with the U.K. A growing and passionate fanbase here. There is a lot of love out there for her. Let’s hope that Frex comes and plays back here through 2024:

“You have recently played All Points East and had a headline show at Hackney Folkore in London. Could you tell us more about how it went?

Honestly I tried to manage my expectations before the shows just in case the whole thing ended up being a total flop, but it definitely went way better than I imagined. The festival had some people who knew every word to the released stuff, and then some people who I think stumbled across me just by being at all points east, and they were vibing. As for my headline show, I’m so happy and almost surprised at how many people showed up. one guy said he found out that same day that I was performing and travelled 2.5 hours to see me. Another girl told me ‘oxford circus’ inspired her to move to London. plus people were singing along and that always warms my heart. It was special.

If you could curate your own festival line up, which 3 artists would you have headlining?

SZA, Rihanna, then maybe a band like the Strokes or Tame Impala or something like that.

Who/what do you consider to be the biggest influence on your music?

Instead of telling you my biggest musical inspirations, because the big ones are sort of basic, I will just tell you that all of the songs I write are heavily influenced by real life situations I find myself in, involving people I am romantically delusional about. My music is influenced by romantic fantasies, heartbreak, connection, nostalgia, naivety, and harsh truths.

What’s the proudest moment to date for you as an artist?

Having the nerve to fly overseas for my first headline show and have it go as well as it did was pretty amazing. I feel like if I pulled that off I can do so much more. I feel like I really connected to everyone who attended the show, so to know my music has this far of a reach feels like a big accomplishment.

Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

I know everyone says this, but focus on yourself. don’t focus on who isn’t supporting you, what artist or producer you can work with that you think is gonna make you blow up, or how you’re “not getting enough numbers”. Stop focusing on the externals. Tap into the things you like, and use it. Do the internal work and self-discovery. More than likely the reason you blow up will not just be because of a feature or a retweet, but because of all of the hours of work you put into your craft that no one else witnessed but you. Also, don’t be afraid to show it to the world.

What have you got planned for the not so distant future?

I’m going to New York Fashion Week this year which I’m excited about. I also have a project coming out very soon, but like actually. I’ve said I have a project for years now but this is actually the one, so I’m excited to finally give people a body of work”.

There are a lot of great artists being tipped for big things in 2024. It can be easy to miss some and regret it later! I think that everyone can get something from the music of Frex. An interesting artist whose music definitely stands out from a lot of her peers’, next year is going to be one where she builds on her hard work the past six or seven years. Someone ready to release another project and showcase the next stage of her career. Though she is based in Los Angeles, the incredible Frex…