Alexa Melo – DOPE SICK

By starrymag | July 11, 2018

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

 

A) Indie pop experimental? Honestly, I never know how to answer this question. I’ve been through an RnB phase, a folk phase, a very long rock phase and now I’m very inspired and influenced by electronic based productions and I think all of that blends into my sound.

 

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

 

A) I’ve had so many influences in my life throughout my many phases, but the influences that have really stuck with me and continue to influence my current music is Radiohead, Pink Floyd and Bjork. Those three are constants.

 

 

Q) You are releasing “DOPE SICK” as the first single from your first original EP in nearly three years, what made you pick this song as the lead single?

 

 

A) After showing many of my trusted musician friends and family the video and song, it became clear that “DOPE SICK” was going to be relatable to the most people and have the strongest emotional impact. I wanted to lead with something I felt like people could connect with.

 

 

Q) What was your process for writing this song?

 

 

A) Well the first lyrics of the song came to me while I was driving alone up the west coast, moving from Los Angeles to The Bay Area. I was moving out of desperation because I had reached rock bottom in LA in many aspects of my life, especially I needed to get out of an unhealthy four-year relationship. “DOPE SICK” is about the insanity of loving and craving someone or something that only hurts you and learning to associating that pain with love and pleasure. It’s about something being both your medicine and your disease. I finished writing and producing the song on my laptop in a storage closet that I temporarily moved into in Berkley. It was weird times.

 

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans will connect to?

 

A) The song is about having weaknesses and feeling powerless to them. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people can relate with that struggle.

 

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

 

A) The blood being dropped into the water is supposed to be the inside of a morphine drip in the IV bag I have attached to me at the end of the video. Every time you see the blood drip, you also see a flashback of a memory from the relationship that I’m trying to “quit.” Now that the abusive relationship has ended, the only “dope” I can survive off of as someone who’s addicted to the pain, is the memories. I know it’s super dramatic but the director, Daniel Garcia, did a fantastic job of being tasteful.

 

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) I produced everything myself in my room. 100%.

 

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Alexa Melo performance?

 

 

A) Jury is still out on that one. I had vocal cord surgery a couple years back and since then producing my own music and performing acoustically at scattered events is about as much as I’m confident doing for now. My voice has become quite fragile post operation. I’m trying to be patient with myself about it, but I’m jumping out of my skin to get back on stage, ASAP.

 

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) Unfortunately, I haven’t done much performing outside of Los Angeles, but I had this little spot I performed at constantly on Hollywood BLVD called Moscow. I loved the scene, I loved the vibe and I loved the people. I had incredible times there.

 

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

 

A) Radiohead. I would die.

 

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

 

A) Sevdaliza. Her album ISON is the darkest, witchiest, trippiest album I’ve heard in years. She’s my new inspiration.

 

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Because you can’t be an independent artist without dedicated fans who support you. They are the foundation. They give me confidence and inspire me to not give up and in a crazy industry, like this one, that is extremely important.

 

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. There were so many times this industry and life in general pulled the rug out from under me and the reason I keep getting back up again and making more music is because of you all. Thank you.

 

 

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Watch “DOPE SICK”