What’s something that we all have in common? At one point or another, we will be, or have been, teenagers. Nothing paralleled the pure bliss of our first prom, our first time driving a car, and our first time knowing that the world was ours. But in the midst of a pandemic, these memories are so suddenly revoked from today’s teens, and it has us thinking, “what now?” For Lexi Jayde, an on-the-rise artist from Los Angeles, California, she chose turning an awful event into something we can all relate to: music.
After the release of her single, “Oldest Teenager” this past July, Lexi Jayde has had everyone belting the soothing and sympathetic lyrics of her hit song. As an 18-year-old, she refuses to let her youthful years pass her by, and that’s where her creative genius comes into play. With two music videos painting moments of first loves and all-too-real teen nostalgia, Lexi Jayde is the image of fresh-faced juvenescence in the record label industry. Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway with her hands out of a Jeep sunroof, we know Lexi is going places, both literally and figuratively.
Just a few scrolls through her social media, and it’s clear Lexi is also a quintessential Instagram icon. Decked out in cozy yoga fits and classic Chuck Taylor’s, her style is undoubtedly as immaculate as her singing voice. But Lexi likes to keep it real with her fans. She acknowledges her struggles with the toxicity of the Internet and the occasional hater, but always stays cool, calm, and collected.
The young star is only getting started in both the music and acting industries. Posting quick minute snippets of her future projects, Lexi Jayde keeps us all hooked for more pop-indie newness. And she can only hope her songs give us as much joy and peace as it gives her to create them. So, who’s excited?
SHEESH! was lucky enough to get the inside scoop on Lexi Jayde in an interview below.
“Oldest Teenager” has been my anthem since summer! How did the crazy state of the world influence your creative process for this song?
LEXI JAYDE: I wrote this song when quarantine first started! It was a weird time and the world was in such a state of shock. I remember it was a gloomy day and I was in my room just feeling so lonely and down. Everyone was feeling the exact same way in that time, and I just wanted to write something about what I was feeling in those moments. It took Danny Spadaro and I (he co-wrote Oldest Teenager with me) probably about 2 hours over Zoom to finish it! The lyrics just poured out of me. My goal was to make a song people could really feel something from and relate too, and I think the goal was achieved. I’m so happy everyone loves it and jams to it, and I’m so stoked to release more music that people can feel the same thing from.
“Everything is wrong / Even though I do the right thing / I feel so alone / Always staring at my phone.” What did you feel while writing these lyrics and how do you hope people feel while listening to them?
LEXI JAYDE: Actually, those are some of my favorite lyrics from the song! Those words are exactly how I felt during the process. I knew that not just me, but so many other people in the world were feeling the same way I was. During this crazy time, we don’t get to see a lot of the people we love, nor do the things we want to do. It can be lonely and sad and it’s hard to stay busy. The first couple of weeks were hard being stuck in your house, and it led to the point where not even going on my phone was fun! I just wanted to be real with my fans because I know that everyone has felt that way before, and I’m glad everyone can relate to it.
Your lyrics tell vivid stories, do you feel like you tend to write songs about the good times, the bad times, or both? How has making music helped you get through these experiences?
LEXI JAYDE: I’m glad you noticed! I love being visual with my music and telling a story. I think that not only with the 2 songs I have out, but the new music I’m releasing is definitely a mix of the good and bad times. My music is my life story! Everything I write comes straight from my heart and truth. Making music has helped me in so many ways, it’s insane. It’s become a safe space and a place where I can express myself in any way I want to. It’s therapy! Somehow writing these feelings on paper just makes everything better. Being a teenager I feel I’ve been through a lot of things that people can relate too, and that’s what I wanna express in my music.
Another creative passion of yours is acting; if you could star in the remake of any movie, which would it be?
LEXI JAYDE: Ooo tough question! I love acting and it’s just always been a huge passion of mine. I think If I were to star in any remake of a movie, it would either be 10 things I Hate About You, or The Notebook! Even something like Pulp Fiction would be sick! I just love movies from the 90’s and early 2000’s. Something about the films during that time just hits so different from the movies being made now.
As a young multi-talented teen, what advice do you have for people trying to break into these industries?
LEXI JAYDE: The advice I would give is to never give up. It’s a hard industry and it’s not always pretty. It comes with many ups and downs and you have to learn to keep going even when times are rough! There are so many times where I’ve wanted to walk away and quit, but I didn’t because the passion I have for the business will never go away. I do it because I love it. If you have the dream, don’t let anyone or anything stop you from pursuing that dream.
How do you stay positive despite the toxicity of social media? Is there anything you do to help pull yourself out of a negative headspace?
LEXI JAYDE: In all honesty it’s very hard. I feel lucky to be surrounded by such amazing people in my life who help keep me grounded and happy! My friends are my family and I’m so grateful to have those people in my life. I’ve been in social media for a while and I’ve seen it all. I’ve met people who are fake, been turned on, but it’s made me into the person I am now. Two years ago if you would’ve asked me this my answer would’ve been different, but now I have learned to not let any hate get to me and I could really care less about what people think! Social media is a great space, but it’s also a space where people can bring other people down with a click of a button, all in a blink. I tell everyone, always stay positive and be kind, you never know what people are going through, and social media can blind you from the true reality of life.
Last month you previewed a snippet of what appears to be a new song on Instagram, should we be looking out for new tunes or any projects coming out soon?
LEXI JAYDE: Hehe yes! Gosh, I’m so excited to share my music with the world you have no idea! It’s all been a crazy hard working process for me and it’s all going to be worth the wait. I’m going to keep sharing some snippets of songs I have, but 2021 is going to be crazy! I would say just stay tuned and be on the lookout.
Follow Lexi Jayde on Instagram and Spotify to stay tuned with what’s next from her.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
