FEATURE:
Spotlight
to Alexa Joyce, I did think she was a New York artist. Maybe because I have the city on my mind. Joyce has spent quite a bit of time there, and I can well see her spending a lot of time there soon. With a couple of incredible singles under her belt, including Sex on TV, you know she is going to be a massive name! I will come to a couple of interview soon. Even if these are the first steps in her career, Alexa Joyce is so distinct and has crafted a unique sound. Based in London, I do hope that she plays in the city, as I would like to see her live. This is someone “building a world filled with disco nostalgia, unapologetic glamour and pure escapism, taking inspiration from the larger-than-life energy of Donna Summer, Madonna and the Spice Girls while creating something distinctly her own”. Those are the words of Bello Mag. I am going to start out with their interview. I do really love what she has put out so far. In interviews, she comes across as grounded, humble and pure to her roots. Though she is constantly fascinating and there is this ambition. In years to come, Alexa Joyce is going to be headlining massive venues:
“BELLO: Your music draws inspiration from artists like Madonna, Donna Summer and the Spice Girls. What is it about these artists and their approach to pop music that continues to inspire you?
AJ: The Spice Girls have me in a chokehold. I have their wallpaper on the walls in my apartment. I love that they are all so individual and different, yet united through girl power. They answered back, they were unapologetically themselves. The 90’s to me was pop with personality and that’s something that really inspires me. Their music was about love, friendship, and having a good time.
Donna Summer was a defining voice in disco, one of the genres I’m most in love with. She captured everything that makes disco so special. The escapism, the confidence, the glamour, and freedom. One of my mums favourite records to dance to when she was clubbing when she was younger was “Last Dance.” I’d have killed to be in a club when DJs spun those records!! I guess I have her to thank for that.
Madonna is the queen of pop. I love how her music tells a story, and she has reinvented herself so many times, yet remained true to who she is. She’s pushed boundaries and challenged stereotypes throughout her whole career and is an incredible ally to the LGBTQ community. She paved the way for all the women in pop music. Without her, there would be none of us!
BELLO: Your debut single, “I Want Ya,” introduced listeners to your sound and personality. What inspired the song, and what did you want people to feel when they heard it?
AJ: I think “I Want Ya” was the perfect introduction to my sound and personality. I think it really captured the disco nostalgia and my personality at the same time. The song was really inspired by two records I love and was listening to on my way to the studio: “Knock on Wood” by Amii Stewart and “The Way You Make Me Feel” by Michael Jackson. Both of the songs have a shuffle you don’t hear much in modern music. I always want to get up and dance when I hear both of those songs, which is exactly how I wanted people to feel when they heard “I Want Ya.”
BELLO: You made your live debut at the Stonewall Inn during NYC Pride. What was that experience like, and what did it mean to make your first performance in New York City?
AJ: The experience was amazing. It was a real pinch me moment. Stonewall is such an incredible place. The energy was unbelievable. It’s where modern Pride began. I feel extremely attached to the LGBTQ community. Pop music simply wouldn’t exist without them. New York is just an unbelievable city, especially during Pride…it’s so visually inclusive. There’s simply nowhere like New York. It’s where Studio 54 was!
BELLO: You’ve been described by Mark Ronson as his “favorite new (Scouse) popstar.” What did it mean to hear that from someone whose work and career you admire?
AJ: Erm what the helly!! Still can’t get over it!!
Mark is genuinely a genius. That word’s thrown around so often, but he genuinely is. He’s the Quincy Jones of our generation. His ear is next level and my respect for him is indescribably. I grew up singing in bars and clubs across Liverpool. I would always sing, “Valerie.” It’s my nan’s name, the song was written by Scousers, The Zutons, and that was how I first learned about him. His mum’s also a Scouser! So he is definitely an honorary one. But it feels incredible, not only because I have huge admiration for him, but because he’s a genuinely lovely human who’s been nothing but kind to me. I’m so grateful he even knows my name.
BELLO: Your music embraces glamour, confidence, sexuality, and the joy of pop. How important is it for you to create music that makes people want to dance and have fun?
AJ: It is the most important thing to me, especially when creating. It’s my why. All I’ve ever wanted to do is make music that calls people to the dance floor. It’s my dream for one of my records to fit into a timeless playlist and not feel out of place.
BELLO: You’re just at the beginning of your journey, with more music on the way. What can fans expect from you next?
AJ: More joy! I hope to be able to connect and build my fan base more over this next year, especially through live shows. It’s amazing to have social media as a tool for people to discover me, but I really want this to exist in real life. Connection is one of the most special things about music.
BELLO: If you could accomplish one thing with your music over the next year, what would you love that to be?
AJ: It’s always been my dream to play huge stages and festivals. I think it would be amazing to have the opportunity to play some of those festivals, especially Glastonbury and Mighty Hoopla!
There’s some pretty amazing tour rumours around right now. I’d love to open up for some of the pop girlies who are killing it right now. I know that’s kinda three answers in one, but I’ve never been one to dream small”.
I am going to move to EARMILK and their conversation around the release of Sex on TV. Released earlier this month, it follows the brilliant I Want Ya. Mark Ronson has shouted out and highlighted Alexa Joyce as his favourite new Pop artist (I am not sure if he added ‘scouse’ in there, but, either way, it is a pretty major compliment!). I can see her producing her album when that arrives. The two of them working together in a big way:
“Born and raised in Liverpool, rising contemporary pop artist Alexa Joyce blends disco glam with northern grit, bringing her own confident energy to today’s pop landscape.
Joyce’s musical journey began with her debut disco-pop single “I Want Ya,” and she’s now entered a new chapter with “Sex On TV,” an infectious, confident track that sets the tone for what’s ahead.
As she continues carving out her place in pop, Joyce is embracing this next era with arms wide open.
Having grown up in Liverpool, a city with such a distinct musical identity, we asked Joyce how her upbringing has influenced her. “I think growing up in that city influenced me in so many ways. It’s so full of history and culture, and obviously was the home to one of the greatest bands of all time. But the people are the most impactful thing about the city; their warmth and wit is something I feel is so unique and special. Their sense of community is incomparable to anywhere else in the world."
Joyce continues, "Just look at the football, for an easy example. I always say if you moved to Liverpool from anywhere in the world, someone would make you feel at home in 5 minutes. And the girls are the most glamorous on the planet. It’s a city full of strong women, and I’ve been brought up in a family of them. My nan always encouraged me to put my makeup on because they call it “war paint” for a reason, because if you look better, you feel better. The girls go out in the height of winter in the mini-est outfits and the highest heels, and it’s the most iconic thing ever. Scouse girls are the best. Their larger-than-life attitude definitely gave me the confidence to pursue my dreams, and that northern grit has definitely never allowed me to give up. I definitely don’t remember the exact moment I thought this is what I want to do, but I definitely know there hasn’t been a second I’ve wanted to do anything else. I truly believe this is what I was meant to do, and I’m so grateful that I’m doing it!”
That combination of confidence, community, glamour, and resilience runs through Joyce’s artistic identity. Her Liverpool upbringing not only shaped the way she sees herself, but also the kind of energy she wants to bring into her music: bold, unapologetic, and designed to make people feel something.
That same sense of spectacle can be found in the artists she looks to for inspiration. Citing Cher, Madonna, and Kylie Minogue as artistic influences, Joyce reflects on the performers who have helped shape her creative vision. “Urgh, I love them all so much! I’ll start with Madonna because they don’t call her the queen for nothing! Her impact on music, fashion, and culture is beyond any artist's wildest dreams. Her music feels so free – it’s inviting and exciting. She is the most incredible performer, but I admire most how she has consistently challenged double standards towards women, and throughout her career challenged age stereotypes, because women don’t just disappear after they turn 35, and her advocacy for the LGBTQ community”.
Let’s finish off with 1883 Magazine. They provide this really extensive interview with Alexa Joyce. I think that she is someone that everyone needs to know about. Such a strong and singular voice in modern Pop, there is no doubt she is going to be a future icon. Like I said, I can see her spending a lot more time in New York. For now, she will want to focus on her next steps and maybe gearing up to an E.P. in the future:
“I think I’ve been incredibly lucky to meet and work with amazing collaborators like Dave Gibson, Tushar Apte, Tele, and Burns, just to name a few that really just got it and got me. They made what I wanted it to sound like in my head come to life! Making these records has been the most amazing experience of my life so far. I do remember ‘Sex on TV’ being the first record I played to my manager Josue that I feel made him look at me like, ‘Oh shit.’ I remember us doing laps around Central Park in New York, just replaying it and feeling so excited. That made me feel like I was on to something.”
That moment captures the excitement surrounding this new chapter for Joyce. “Sex On TV” isn’t simply another release in her catalogue; it represents a point where her artistic identity, collaborators, and sonic direction began to click into place.
Ultimately, Joyce’s ambitions for the song extend beyond creating a catchy pop record. At the heart of her music is a desire to give listeners the same feeling she gets from the artists and songs she loves: a temporary escape from everything else.
“I hope most people just feel joy when they listen to my records. That’s what I really intend to do with music – make people feel good because that’s how music makes me feel. I hope I’ve managed to capture that disco convulsion that every producer I’ve ever worked with is probably sick of me talking about. I just want people to feel excited and have a good time, and provide people with a sense of escapism. I think the world needs more feel-good now”.
“What were your inspirations for Sex on TV?
In general, my inspirations are disco and pop. I want [my music] to sound like if Donna Summer and the Spice Girls had a baby, but this song was super inspired by iconic pop albums. I made a full playlist of songs that made me super inspired. There’s a lot of Madonna on there, there’s Frankie Knuckles. There’s Pharrell, Lauryn Hill, Kylie Minogue, like “Padam Padam”. There’s some old school pop songs on there as well like “The Way I Are” from Timbaland, “Promiscuous” by Nelly Furtado, “Houdini” by Dua [Lipa]. I’ll send it to you!
Please do, it’s like a whole lifetime in pop.
Yeah, exactly. I always think that the song is a little bit… this will sound cringe, but a bit cooler than my other records. I feel like it definitely shows a different aspect of my personality.
I also wanted to ask about growing up around your mum and both your grandmothers, around clearly very iconic women who –
were super glam?
Yeah, and what they taught you.
Yeah. I’ve grown up in a family full of women. I’ve grown up around strong, powerful women. Being from Liverpool, I think the women are so glamorous, so fab. I don’t think you’ll find more bougie women anywhere than in Liverpool.
My nan’s a clear example of being proud of your appearance. She’s 88 years old, and every day she’s got a full face of makeup on and a slick red lip. My nan always says they call makeup war paint for a reason. It’s a confidence thing, because if you look better, you feel better. And I do think it’s a tool you can use as a woman to help enhance your confidence.
It goes back a lot to disco, Studio 54 and the gay community, all of the things that built disco. So I guess it makes sense.
And that’s what I mean when I say that if it was a star sign it would be a Leo, because it’s so larger than life. Extra in a good way.
Going back to the start of your career, what made you take the plunge and come to London?
It’s really weird. My friend Ali sent me this TikTok yesterday. It says, “When I was little I never played bride. I played a famous pop star who was booked and busy, and that says a lot about who I am today.” That was me. Literally, that was just me the whole time, with the Britney mic.
Yeah, that shows who you are.
Literally. Obviously I was aspiring to be in that world. I used to look at the BRIT School, Sylvia Young, and I always wanted to do something like that. But I think you have to start there at, like, 14. It was just never accessible.
It’s so crazy, because Liverpool is such a musical city, with immense musical history and so much culture, but it doesn’t have a music industry. The music industry is in London. Liverpool’s got an amazing music college called LIPA, but most people I know who’ve gone there went because at the end you get to shake Paul McCartney’s hand. Which to me is a perfectly good reason to go.
What does it feel like to play your music live?
I’ve literally only played iconic venues so far. First off, Abbey Road, obviously, being where I’m from and the Fab Four [The Beatles] making that famous. That was such an incredible experience, and being able to take my parents to it made it even sweeter. I was saying to my dad, everyone knows the Abbey Road crossing, and when you go up to the steps, you’re basically not allowed past that gate, so no one can get a picture on the steps. So for me and my parents to be able to do that together was super special.
You’re someone who came up with no connections to the music industry, which, I don’t know if it is rare, but in pop culture discourse it feels rare now to be able to make it with no connections. What’s your advice for people who want to make music and don’t even know where to start?
Honestly, I’m not gonna dismiss how hard it is, because it’s really, really, really difficult. But I think believing in yourself. It’s really cheesy. I used to do anything. I interned at Modest! Management, who at the time I knew of because they used to manage One Direction. I would do anything. I would knock on every door. When I first moved to London, I would research everything. I would go to things on my own. I think I was, and I still am, unhinged. I will do anything.
I just think you’ve got to really back yourself. I always think if you can see it in your mind, you can hold it in your hands. People should just go for it, because if it exists, you can have it. And I understand people have help, you hear all the time about kids who’ve got money or connections or whatever. But I do think it will mean that much more when those things happen.
I’ll never forget Mark McDonnell from Modest! or Darryl Parkinson, who was an A&R [Artists & Repertoire] from Warner who put me in one of my first sessions. I’ll never forget people like that who gave me a first chance, and that’s all it is. You’ve just got to keep banging on the door until someone listens, because it can literally take a million nos, and it takes one person to say yes, to believe in you.
That’s what I think about my manager now. He believes in me so much, and having that one person really back you to the hilt is incredible. It was him who was the first one to say, “Yeah, I get it.”
So I’d just say: if you think you want this, go for it. Before this, the whole time, I was working at Charlotte Tilbury and they wouldn’t let me have the time off work. So I would still go to New York, but I would log on at 3am and still be working. It’s hard. And I feel so grateful now, just to be sitting here talking with you about it, because this is my full-time thing now. That’s all I’ve ever really wanted, to be able to say, “Yeah, I’m doing music.” How cool is that?
So honestly, don’t give up on your dreams.
Final question, what’s your relationship like with social media? I feel like you use it in a very… I want to say it in a specific way, but to you it’s probably not very specific.
I’ve got to be really honest, I’m still trying to find my feet with it. I find it really weird. Now that I’ve released music, I’m finding it a lot easier, because I’ve got something to share. For the next couple of weeks, when I’ve been planning what I’m gonna post, I’m really excited to feel like I’m now entering the visual world of what I’m trying to create. But I think it’s really difficult. Everything becomes this thing of “you’ve got to get content, you’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that”. It’s really hard.
There’s an increasing pressure on newer artists that you’ve got to do everything. You’ve got to do content. It’s actually really hard. But I’m still learning and trying to get better at it, and hopefully, as I grow, that will grow too.
Obviously I feel like I’ve got a very clear visual identity in that sense. But it’s really hard now, because you want to get it right. I feel very strongly about getting the right balance between being aspirational but attainable. Someone I met the other day said, “Your personality is so disarming,” and I was like, “What do you mean?” I think sometimes when people put images on social media, they’re not always a representation of who someone is as a person. But I suppose what’s really great now, with Instagram and TikTok, is that you can have that very visual thing on Instagram, and with TikTok you can have a bit more fun.
I’m still trying to find the balance of that, for sure”.
Go and connect with Alexa Joyce. Such a mesmeric and utterly brilliant talent, she is destined for great things. I have only just come across her work, though I am instantly and utterly hooked! Sex on TV is the latest single from an artist to be very proud of. Some great interviews out there with us. There are a lot of young Pop artists coming through right now. However, compared to Alexa Joyce, I feel that…
FEW can match her.
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