Crankbox-music

Alexandra Kelly - It's Complicated

Interview by Chris Koppers

Alexandra is a wondrous musician with a lovely voice. Moreover, she supports hotathon.com, a fundraising campaign.

In this interview, Alexandra talks about her projects, how all started from the beginning, her sweetest moments, and more.

--- Interview ---

What are you working on right now?






I’m actually working on a lot of projects right now, but my main one is something called a Hotathon Campaign. Hotathon.com is a website that pairs musicians and non-profit organizations to run a fundraising campaign through music downloads. I have partnered with two organizations that are close to my heart, and will be selling downloads of two songs to raise money for them. It means so much to me to be able to give back through my music and Hotathon.com is allowing me to do that. I am also planning on recording a new EP to pair with my two albums available on iTunes.

How did you learn about Hotathon.com?

The founders of Hotathon.com saw me perform at a show at Rutgers University, and approached me after my set. They told me about their website and what they do, and I was sold. I have always wanted to mix my music with a charity and these amazing people gave me the chance.

How did you start getting into music?

I have been in music ever since I was a little girl. My parents say that I was singing before I could talk, and I was always a performer. We have the family videos to prove it! I started playing piano at age 4 and writing songs when I was 12. For a long time I just wanted to sing, but I found that writing allowed me to express more of who I am. Soon after that I taught myself how to play guitar, and started performing out at age 15. Things picked up from there and I haven’t looked back.

Where will you see yourself in 2015?

Wow right now it’s hard enough to focus on 2012! But I guess in 2015, I see myself writing and performing full time. I would love to tour the world playing music and inspire people with my stories. I hope that by 2015, people will know my name and my music.

What are your sweetest moments when it comes to perform your music? 

The sweetest moments when I perform my music are those moments in between songs when I get to tell stories. Every song has a story behind it and I love to share my personal anecdotes with my audience. It gives context and meaning to the songs, and I think it helps them connect to me on a more personal level. I also love when people come over to me after a show and tell me I did a good job. I play for me but I also play in hopes that people love what I do, so when they tell me they loved my set it means the world to me.

Please tell us more about your instrument.

Well like I said, I started playing piano when I was 4 years old. When I started writing songs at 12, they were mostly just melodies and words, but I tried to add some piano once in a while. When I was about 14 some big name people started seeking out my music, and a very close friend in the industry told me,“Hey, you know that a guitar is more portable then a keyboard, right?” After that I taught myself how to play guitar and I’ve been writing music on both instruments ever since. As for my voice, I have been training with an amazing vocal coach, Dr. Bill Riley, since the age of 15, and he has not only helped me vocally, but professionally as well.

What is your favorite song of all times?

I would have to say my favorite song of all time is “Blue” by Joni Mitchell. My mother brought me up listening to a lot of Folk music, and I can remember hearing that song and my world changing. Joni is so fearless in her melodies and interpretation, and you can hear emotion in every note. I also love how beautifully her lyrics are written and that song will always give me chills.

Where is your favorite spot to perform your music?
To be completely honest, my favorite place to perform my music is at home with my family and friends. They are always brutally honest, and are the first to tell me when something doesn’t sound right. They also make me laugh harder then anyone else, and that just makes performing for them fun, carefree, and creative. If I had to choose a venue, it would be The Bitter End in NYC. They took me in as a young performer at 15, and have become like a second family. There is so much history in that venue and it's an honor to play there.



http://www.facebook.com/?sk=ff#!/pages/Alexandra-Kelly/40602456142

twitter.com/zankellymusic

Thank you for taking your time, Alexandra.