Canadian pop/soul singer-songwriter Alexandra Beck has unveiled her debut double-single, “Blemished” and “Blew It”.
“This collection portrays the two extremes that love can make us feel,” Beck shares. “I wanted to show how, one day, a person experiencing romantic love can feel completely and utterly euphoric and, the next day, the extreme pain of loss.”
Produced by award-winning, multi-Platinum and #1 Billboard Hot 100 hitmaker Roy “Royalty” Hamilton III, Beck’s pen went to paper for these two particular tracks during a songwriting workshop with Jud Friedman (Whitney Houston).
“Our co-writing group envisioned writing a feminist love song,” she recalls. “My co-writer, Jake Perry, came up with the guitar chords and I created the hook melody over them.
“Next, I came up with the concept that my boyfriend sees the ‘Blemished’ side of me; historically, women were considered ‘blemished’ if they didn’t correspond to stereotypical gender roles. So in this song, it’s a feminist boyfriend who takes me for who I am as a strong woman with dreams and career goals, and doesn’t try to change me like so many romantic partners of women try to do.
“For ‘Blew It,’ my goal was to write a simple, yet powerful, pop ballad many girls who have given all they’ve got to love — and then lost it — could relate to,” she continues — not having to look far for inspiration. “This was a song I wrote in one night when I felt extreme pain losing someone who I thought, at the time, was the love of my life.
“I remember sitting at my piano at my old apartment and deciding, ‘okay, I’m gonna sing all my feelings out and write songs until I’ve healed.’ (My ex-boyfriend) had ended things so abruptly that he said ‘I expected you to throw acid on me tonight’ the night he broke it off.
“‘No, honey,” I told him, “‘the acid is only for the songs.’
“And ‘Blew It’ is definitely one of my more acidic songs.”
Check out “Blemished” and “Blew It” below, and find out more about Alexandra Beck via our mini-interview.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi guys! My name is Alexandra! Born and raised on Beyonce in Saskatoon, SK (Laughy face emoji). I now live and breathe the West Coast- and I’m located in Vancouver!
I absolutely love to sing & stay active! Running, skiing on the local mountains, meeting new people, and having a lot of fun is a huge part of my lifestyle. I’m also super passionate about social justice- just ask my friends, my family, and my roommates.
Tell us about the writing process behind ” Blemished”.
This song was written during a songwriting workshop February 2020.
My co-writer Jake Perry came up with the guitar chords and I created the hook melody over them. Next, I came up with the concept that my romantic partner sees the Blemished side of me; who takes me for I am. A man who sees me as a strong woman with dreams and career goals, and doesn’t try to change me like so many romantic partners of women try to do. Also, a man who doesn’t expect me to be perfect!
What was the highlight of 2020?
Music-wise being a part of the Jim Beam x Canadian Music Week National Talent Search as a Regional Finalist, Working with the Multiplatinum Producer- Roy(Royalty) Hamilton III. Having more time for music because of Justin Trudeau and EI 😉
Visiting Toronto in the Summer!
Moving back to Vancouver- all my closest friends live in Van & the city vibe is undeniable- why would one leave?
What do you hope to accomplish in your career in 2021?
I’m setting the bar high for myself. I want to get a cut with a major label artist, I want a single or youtube video to blow up. I want to get signed to a major label whether it be a record deal or a publishing deal. I want my music hitting the charts. I want to become an artist on a commercial scale in 2021.
I also want to explore my sound more- I want to be known as an artist with a voice that carries over from one production style to another very easily.
Is there anyone out there you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
These men have inspired my sound so much- but also since they are men & their voices are in a lower singing register we can harmonize in a nice way without our voices trying to compete with each other
- Neyo
- The Wknd
I Would love the chance to work with one of the following rappers! Their music inspires me the most of the artists in the hip hop vein right now
- Drake
- Big Sean
- 2 Chainz
Producers:
- Max Martin(I’m sorry but my music career would be absolutely complete if Max Martin decided he wanted to co-write and produce a record for me!)
- Zedd
And Beyonce just because she was the entire reason I decided to start singing in the first place!