Alexis
May 4, 2014
Alexis Houston may not have always dreamed of success of the musical variety, but the determined former medical student has always been acutely aware that success of any form only comes from commitment. Having made the decision to leave her childhood dreams of being Dr Houston behind her, she opted to pour her heart and soul into ensuring that she approached her musical career with the same degree of conviction and as honesty as she would have in the medical profession.
While her initial goals may not have been situated within the music industry, it is far to say that the industry is truly ingrained in her make-up. The New Jersey native is the daughter of entertainment manager John Houston and Bahamian business woman Marjorie Stuart. As a result, her formative years saw her exposed to the lifestyle which she would make her home.
With her confidence built and the decision made to follow in her family's musical footsteps, Alexis still veered away from the performance circuit. Wishing to build her own name as a credible contender in the music business, Alexis instead opted to develop her craft by concentrating on composition. With her singing capabilities still helping to open doors, her reputation was initially solidified through a series of notable jingles for advertising campaigns (AT&T, Diet Coke and McDonald's).
After briefly dabbling with world of Musical Theatre, where she acted as assistant musical director and scorer for productions including the Negro Ensemble Company's 'Ensemble in Black' and Jean Cocteau's 'The Human Voice', Alexis decided to finally return to the realm of pop music.
At first she was quite content with the success she was having as a producer/writer. "I was passionate about producing and writing so I did that for some years", says
Having lost her father prematurely, Alexis set about exploring the depths of her feeling by throwing herself into the writing of her deeply personal and truly moving debut album 'Speak Love...Life Lessons'. She channeled an array of musical influences, moving through Pop, Jazz, Gospel, Electronica and Rock, and the record established Alexis as an artist with a vocal presence and compositional skills that set her apart from her contemporaries.
After garnering comparisons to Aretha Franklin and Sarah Vaughan, Alexis decided it was time to showcase her talents. Following a number of sensational performances in both the US and the UK, Alexis caught the eye of The Prince Of Wales. With the Royal seal of approval, Alexis was asked to take to the stage for the Prince's Trust, securing a loyal and growing fan-base. Her debut album, 'Speak Love' (released 2010) was received well by media and fans alike, silencing her critics.
The first of her two releases this year is 'Speak Loud' which showcases dance worthy remixes of songs from her debut album, while she will also be unveiling new original material in the shape of EP 'Light'.