The enigmatically named Alexa Dark is a Spanish-American singer-songwriter who grew up in Europe, the Old World spirit of which she has clearly absorbed.
European influence notwithstanding, she admits she can’t cook — not essential to be a musician, to be honest — but Spanish music and the immutable Latin passion for life flows through her veins. You can hear it in her songs.
She started writing music and poems as a young teenager, as most kids do. But she was serious, and talented, and played in clubs in London as both a solo performer and as part of bands while still in her teens. She moved to New York City a few years ago, at 19, and has been releasing what she calls noir alt-pop singles since summer 2021.
She put out her first EP, the seven-song, indie pop/alternative Dark, Vol. I, at the end of March, without a major label but in collaboration with AWAL, a UK distribution company that helps artists get their music out, and to keep control and ownership of it.
“I wanted to incorporate a lot of the mystery and cinematic emotion in noir and classic films. Femme fatales like Lauren Bacall are a big style influence for me,” she explains, by way of inspiration for the record and, I guess, how she dresses.
Her musical influences are refreshingly varied. She loves Portishead and the Arctic Monkeys but also Nancy Sinatra and Francoise Hardy. She particularly admires the Riot Grrrls. “When I discovered their movement and music in my early teens, I felt so understood. It was all so electric and daring, and definitely paved a new path for the rest of us women in music,” she says.
Alexa now lives between New York and Los Angeles. She’s an exciting artist, and she’s going places. Which, in her already nomadic life, means going to even more places.
You can hear her on all the major platforms, like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and probably whatever you listen to.
Should we know you?
I’d like you to.
Tell us three things about yourself that are important.
I write my own lyrics, and love to play with poetry and language to tell a story. I’m an avid reader. Books and poetry by writers like Pushkin and Sylvia Plath have a big influence on my songwriting.
I come from a pretty multicultural and international background — I grew up in London, Barcelona, Munich, and New York, and my family is from all over the map. The idea of home is something I always come back to creatively.
I take a lot of inspiration from old movies, specifically film noir like The Big Sleep and classic old Hollywood films like Roman Holiday.
How would you classify your music?
Dark, moody, haunting, cinematic, and mysterious.
How has your Spanish heritage influenced your music?
My first real relationship with music was the Spanish singers my mom would play in our kitchen, like Joan Manuel Serrat. Their deep lyricism and entrancing melodies inspire me. There’s something about Spanish culture that speaks in a sort of melody — from the little songs you learn as a kid to the dancing culture that moves everyone.
How has your Spanish heritage influenced your cooking?
I’m sure my Spanish side of the family is very disappointed that I’m not a great cook. But it has heavily influenced my eating — I love any and all Spanish food, especially the fresh seafood, but what I crave most is my grandmother’s paella.
Who’s your biggest influence?
Probably Nancy Sinatra. I’ve been obsessed with her voice and ‘60s style ever since I first heard “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” and her James Bond theme [“You Only Live Twice”].
Who’s your smallest influence?
Jean-Luc Godard. Seeing the world through his eyes in his films taught me so much.
Who would you rather have dinner with, Françoise Hardy or Billie Eilish?
Françoise Hardy.
Who’s the most exciting musician in 2023 (besides you)?
I’ve been loving Vendredi Sur Mer lately.
Do you believe in magic or God, or both?
I think God, or whatever you want to call it, is in all of us. And I think there’s magic everywhere.
How do we make America great again?
The past few years have shone light on the deep cracks in the system and deep division in our society. But they’ve also shown the power we have when we unite to fight for change. If we remember our power, we remember our greatness.