Meet a Popstar in The Making

by Natasha Wolff | January 28, 2020 10:57 am

DJ Cassidy has been in the music industry for decades. From DJ’ing Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s wedding to collaborating with artists such as Jessie J and Jess Glynne, he has a knack for connecting with the right people and discovering true talent. His latest protégé is singer-songwriter Alexa Joyce, a young artist he met while traveling in France for the Cannes Film Festival. After DJ’ing for Amfar and Chopard at the festival, Cassidy and his girlfriend spent a day shopping and savoring the cultural gems that exist in Cannes, specifically the Fiorucci[1] outpost. “We met Alexa and I was immediately surprised with how much she, at 21 years old, knew about Fiorucci’s cultural impact,” Cassidy says. After bonding over their mutual appreciation for the arts, the two began created music together.

“Ever since I was young I was always told I had a powerful voice,” Alexa Joyce[2] tells me, adding that her top three musical inspirations are powerhouse artists Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, and Stevie Nicks. It is clear that Joyce has always gravitated towards soulful songs. She recalls being a young girl and performing “At Last” by Etta James as well as “Tomorrow” from the play Annie for her family in her hometown of Liverpool. “I discovered quite early on that I could sing songs traditionally sung by men because my voice was deep,” she adds.

There’s something enticing about an artist who isn’t intimidated by covering a song originally sung by an icon like Etta James, or such a celebrated song like “Tomorrow.” Joyce admits that her desire is to make modern music with an old school flare. As she puts it, “I want to get people that are my parents age on the dance floor, as well as people my own age.”

The young singer-songwriter explains that she struggled for a while trying to connect her love of music legends with a modern sensibility, until she met DJ Cassidy[3]. “I want my lyrics to last a lifetime and inspire this generation and generations to come. DJ Cassidy was the first person who truly understood this.”

Joyce plans on making more music in 2020, and truly develop herself into the artist she has always strived to be. “I want my voice to get stronger and I want to be more confident. I want to learn about music and myself,” she says. With a goal to move to Los Angeles and seriously finesse her craft, she admits that moving away from her family would be a bit of a challenge, but with her family’s support, she knows her dream can become her life’s work.

“I have never felt so excited and overwhelmed about the path I want to take and the mark I want to make in music. I want to make my dream a reality, and I believe LA is the place and Cassidy is the person to help make this happen.”

Source URL: https://dujour.com/culture/alexa-joyce-singer-songwriter-dj-cassidy-interview/