Contact: Nick Loss-Eaton Media, [email protected]
Web: xanthealexis.com
Material: Trauma therapist by day, folk singer by night, Xanthe Alexis is all about inner healing and transcendence. Her delicate-yet-sturdy “songs about feelings,” concern emotionally charged topics ranging from empathy and anxiety to love’s fickle nature. One of her confessional lullabies was written in the shower after a near-death experience. Another explores the weighty issue of domestic violence. Closing out this particular set was “The Offering,” the title track to her most recent full-length statement.
Musicianship: Alexis soothes souls with velvety vocalizations and stargazing lyrics. Soft and supple acoustic strumming provides comfort akin to a crackling campfire, but it’s when her big notes billow forth that the Colorado transplant’s talent becomes most apparent. Radio play combined with a smattering of laudatory mainstream press has materialized, leading to this moment wherein none other than SPIN magazine hosted this stream. Regretfully, they placed her on their Twitch channel, resulting in exceptionally low audience turnout.
Performance: Having set the stage with lit candelabra and a peacock feather, Alexis inhaled incense as her first act before the camera. Moments later, she was requesting people’s astrological signs. Such details perfectly illustrate her mystical personality and sound. A reminiscence regarding the ubiquitous presence of the presenter’s publication throughout her youth was a touching moment. Other comments, such as the “full disclosure” that she was wearing slippers, baffled as well as amused. She may not realize it, but a self-satisfied “Hmmmmm….” followed every song’s conclusion.
Summary: Bearing penetrating material, a charismatic voice and high-profile support, Alexis is an indie hopeful in good standing. Yet her acoustic meditations, given their slower nature and preoccupation with seriousness, seem unlikely to burst through during these troubled times. It’s ironic that her emphasis on mending souls could pose such a barrier. However, much like the “magical things” from her backyard included with each physical copy of her recordings reminds us, miracles can happen.
