Everyone has a different way of dealing with their problems, but the solution for a High River singer/songwriter is meditating on an issue until the chorus of a future song develops in her head.
“Songwriting for me has always been a way of figuring stuff out,” said Leslie Alexander, who is gearing up for a performance in Black Diamond later this month.
The artist, who takes inspiration from various musical genres, will take the stage with fellow musician Jenny Allen at The Stop as their tour, Allen & Alexander Do Dirty Laundry, winds down after more than a year on the road. The duo performed in Okotoks in February, but this show will feature some new material as they head in a different direction, said Alexander.
The pair performed their shows promoting their individual, confessional-style albums, but they are now considering releasing both a studio and live record together.
However, making albums and securing gigs wasn’t always easy for Alexander who headed out to the west coast after university to try and break into the music scene.
“Like a lot of people, (I) started out with nothing and busked on the street for a little while until I finally got my first gigs,” she explained.
Alexander later met with established producer John Ellis who wanted to record her songs and helped her to seriously consider her career as musician. He cut her a demo for free to use to apply for a Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent On Recordings (FACTOR) grant, which she received in 1997 and described as a defining moment in her career.
“If I’m good enough to make a board of complete strangers decide to give me several thousand dollars maybe I should take this a little bit more seriously,” she said of the grant.
From then on, Alexander took the bull by the horns, looking at how to secure better gigs and improve as a musician. For years she worked with Ellis producing records, including her newest album, Nobody’s Baby.
Alexander and Allen decided to join forces after opening separately for Jane Siberry in Vancouver, but they were both on stage for the encore performance of Calling All Angels.
“We’re on stage singing beside each other and we kind of looked at each other,” Alexander recalled. “After we finished singing the song, (we) got off stage and she goes, ‘You know we sound pretty good together’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah we kind of do.’”
At first the two musicians didn’t know each other well, Alexander explained, but as time passed they started to learn more about one another and find out the meaning behind their songs. Sometimes the conversations came up on stage.
“There’s a little bit of that element of a couple of chicks talking over a tub of laundry getting all the secrets out,” explained Alexander.
However, the duo doesn’t focus purely on introspective material as both women like to rock, she said.
Originally, Alexander and Allen were each going to do their own set, but from their first show they decided to back each other up on vocals and guitar and everything just came together naturally, she said.
Alexander recently moved home to High River and praised Alberta’s music scene and those who promote and support it, adding she always thought B.C. was more arts-oriented.
“But really since I’ve been back in Alberta, I’ve noticed tons of people play guitar,” she said. “There’s lots going on and it’s nice to be a part of.”
Alexander and Allen perform at The Stop in Black Diamond on May 26 at 8 p.m. For tickets, call 403-933-3002.
For more on the duo, visit reverbnation.com/allenalexander
