Lxandra on Rebirth and Five Stages of Grief in 'Might Not Wanna Wake Up'
Finnish alternative pop artists Lxandra has released “Blonde,” the first taste off their upcoming EP Might Not Wanna Wake Up. Lxandra delves into the denial that comes with early stages of heartbreak and looks back on brighter days in “Blonde.” Their creative tapestry weaves together the gentle notes of piano, ethereal vocals, candid lyrics, and vibrant production, ensnaring the hearts of a global audience.
In crafting their sonic fairytales, Lxandra adds a touch of wonder to reality. Their aspiration is simple yet profound.
“I want people to feel. Maybe, it gives them strength or makes them feel melancholic. Maybe, they know there’s someone else who feels the same way,” Lxandra says. “Music is a very personal and private experience for me. I’m grateful I get to share it and be vulnerable.”
Might Not Wanna Wake Up is Lxandra’s personal experiences with undergoing the stages of grief and finally reaching acceptance.
“‘Blonde’ definitely sets the tone for the rest of the EP and it’s beautiful and messy. It explores a journey that goes through the five stages of grief and touches on denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance,” Lxandra says.
Lxandra's belief in music's universal power to connect people is the cornerstone of their artistic journey. What sets them apart is the profound impact their music has on people's lives, seamlessly weaving itself into their memories and daily existence. This transformative perspective on life has significantly influenced their latest work, infusing it with an authentic introspection that profoundly resonates with their listeners.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Thank you for talking to Unpublished Magazine. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t yet familiar with you, can you tell us what inspires your creative persona and artistic style?
[LXANDRA]: Everything, all the experiences I've had. I love dark children's stories and I used to listen to all kinds of artists, musicians and songwriters growing up.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Say if someone hasn't heard of your music yet, which song would you introduce them to that best encapsulates your artistic growth and maturity?
[LXANDRA]: “Blonde” because that’s the newest one I put out. “Blonde” is the first chapter to this new story and era in my career, so it’s like opening a new world. From my first record Careful What I Dream Of, “Rabbit” and “Drained” are a few of my favorites.
[UNPUBLISHED]: You released your latest single “Blonde” that is a sneak peek off your upcoming EP Might Not Wanna Wake Up. What is the inspiration behind the track and what did the creative process look like?
[LXANDRA]: The song was originally written a few years ago. It was one of the songs that didn't end up on the album, and so it was hanging around and I still really love the song. When I was putting together the EP, I felt like that definitely represents the first part of the stages I want to capture in the project and I really wanted it to be the first track. We reimagined it to be this dreamlike world with the production. In the beginning of 2022, we had violins recorded for it and it was a longer process, but all the songs found their way back eventually.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Does “Blonde” set the tone for the rest of the EP, if so, what can listeners expect from this new era of music?
[LXANDRA]: “Blonde” definitely sets the tone for the rest of the EP and it’s beautiful and messy. It explores a journey that goes through the five stages of grief and touches on denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What is your favorite song off the EP and why do you love this song? Is there a certain lyric or message that stands out to you the most?
[LXANDRA]: I really like all of them. Since the beginning of my career, I wanted to have this freedom to express myself and put out personal stories. I really love all the songs. The one I felt most scared to release was “Sublime” because it is the most personal to me. I usually don’t write songs that are so angry and it was fun to tap into that energy and play around with humorous aspects.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What was the hardest song for you to write for the project, either lyrically or sonically?
[LXANDRA]: “FU4EVER” was such a scary thing to write, and now that it’s finished, I feel so good with it and I’m excited to have it out into the world. The last track on the EP “F2F” really found its way melody-wise and lyrically. That song came as a puzzle because I wrote the lyrics a year ago and then the chorus made its way back to me.
[UNPUBLISHED]: If you can describe Might Not Wanna Wake Up in three words, which three would you choose and why?
[LXANDRA]: Rebirth, grief and acceptance. The EP captures a journey I went through in my life and it goes through stages of accepting parts of myself and that healing and growth is never linear and messy.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What message do you hope listeners can take away from Might Not Wanna Wake Up?
[LXANDRA]: My hope is that the listeners feel seen and understood. I guess that's always the thing with my music. I really hope people can relate to some sort of comfort or strength or they feel understood.
[UNPUBLISHED]: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would love to share with Unpublished?
[LXANDRA]: I feel really good. I'm just very excited about everything and I'm just really looking forward to this EP coming out in November and getting to play more shows and developing this new chapter and new version of this project. I used to be scared, but now everything is clearer now and I feel more secure and getting to enjoy this chapter of my life. There's so many exciting things about this to make music to share with people, so I'm just really trying to have a good time.
