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Twenty-something Lexi - Songwriting | Love and Lyrics | Chasing Dreams
119 Plays1 year ago
Joe and Rush hang out with generational icon Lexi Cline. She's sharp, talented, kind, and poised for big things. A singer songwriter in L.A., Lexi is making good decisions and inspiring lots of people to follow their dreams along with her. This is a listen of delight. Mash play. You'll be happy.
Today, Twenty-something Lexi is the most interesting person in the world. Follow Lexi and enjoy her musical arts - @lexiclinemusic. Listen to her music on Spotify, TikTok.
SUBSCRIBE to keep up with the most interesting people in the world. New episodes release every Friday.
Learn more about the podcast here.
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Transcript
Are 20-year-olds part of Gen Z?
00:00:00
Speaker
Is that gen? Why? If you're in your 20s now, I think it is. Is it? Yeah, we got a check. We got a how do they just how do they decide? Can we have our producer factor? Yeah. So generation Z is what I'm talking about. Yeah, newest one. Yeah, she's Generation Z. She is. Yeah, I guess. She's in her 20s. No, but I mean, if you're 20, you're in Gen Z. I think so.
00:00:25
Speaker
Okay. Let's Google up what some of the characteristics are Gen Z and then we'll say, Hey, have you written, have you written a song about like this? How old am I right? How old am I right now? I'm I can feel I can feel the gen me falling into the generational gap. Hey, let's, hey, let's look on the internets and let's see what they say about this generation Z.
Exploring Gen Z traits
00:01:10
Speaker
All right, here's what the internet says. Digital natives, Generation Z is the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age, surrounded by smartphones, social media, and instant access to information. They're highly comfortable with technology and tend to be early adopters of new digital platforms. Diversity and inclusion, Generation Z is known for embracing diversity and promoting inclusivity.
00:01:33
Speaker
Entrepreneurial spirit. Generations, and she definitely has that. Generation Z shows an entrepreneurial mindset driven by a desire for independence and self-expression. Classic, classic Lexi. And these are like all my kids. Hi. Hey, this now, what's your seat? Let me explain to you what you're seeing.
00:01:55
Speaker
whoa okay you're seeing joe all right let me let me just explain all right we're trying so hard to be cool on this
00:02:08
Speaker
So Lexi, you're seeing Joe, you're seeing Joe in his bedroom, basically. And this other video is Mabel, one of his kids. And we've been trying desperately with another shirtless son to figure out how her headphones could hear you because she wanted to join in and be able to be a part of this.
Introductions and Los Angeles vibes
00:02:31
Speaker
So we are very family friendly. And yet we are very low budget. It's OK. I'm here for it.
00:02:37
Speaker
Nice to meet you. It's my buddy Rush. So, so, so tell me, tell me what, um, what is the, uh, tell me like where, where are you are in the world? Like where are you on the planet? What is, what is, what is your context and world look like? So right now I am in Los Angeles, California. Um, it is still sunny out. I don't know where you guys are, but.
00:03:04
Speaker
where exactly exactly in Mar Vista, which is pretty close to like Venice. Do you know where that is? Yeah, I do. Yeah. Oh yeah. Okay. So yeah, over on Venice and on that side, Venice is crazy. Before I moved to Venice, I was actually living in Sherman Oaks.
00:03:28
Speaker
So it's okay. So that's where you are. So you're down there in LA and Lexi, one of the cool thing, the cool thing about our podcast is that this conversation begins with us knowing virtually nothing about you. And so it's a great, it's really cool because we get to meet somebody from
00:03:46
Speaker
The start, I mean, we do know what we do know a little bit. We know a little bit of what you're doing kind of on social media. And actually, Joe, she did tell me the other day that she has a song that's releasing and she just got a new job. I did. So maybe maybe tell us about that song and what you're doing. Yeah, it's really cool. Yeah. Yeah. OK, so you got it. So you got a new song that's dropped. Yeah.
Lexi's journey from Colorado to Nashville
00:04:08
Speaker
So I am a singer songwriter and I originally moved to Nashville actually at the age of 19 to pursue a career in music.
00:04:16
Speaker
Um, no kidding. Yeah. And I am from Colorado and I love my family. So moving away from home was, um, it was really tough, but I was like a huge country fan, like Carrie Underwood fan. And I really, really wanted to go experience what it'd be like to be a singer.
00:04:34
Speaker
in Nashville. And so I hold on a second. Hold on a second. So you're telling me like, this is what I'm imagining, Lexi, right? You're getting off the Greyhound bus, right? You got your cowboy boots on a little bit of like one traveler, you know, type suitcase, you know, and big dreams. Is that like, I mean, did you actually do that? Yeah, I did. I mean, it was less of a, it was less of a movie scene, though, than I think you might think.
00:04:59
Speaker
It was less of a Western. It was less of a Western movie. But you're 19. You're telling me that you're 19 and you have a conversation with your folks and you're like, I want to do it. And mom and dad say, sure. Like we know somebody in Nashville. Yeah. So I actually got through my first year of college. I went to Colorado State University my freshman year.
00:05:21
Speaker
as a psychology major and just thought maybe I would be a doctor someday. I definitely had a moment where I really wanted to be a doctor, but I was also really good at singing and could play the guitar and was really more passionate about singing and probably a little bit better at it than being a doctor. But I ended up just going to my parents after the end of my freshman year and I was like, I really think I could move to Nashville and really give this a go. They were really supportive of it.
00:05:50
Speaker
actually posted on Facebook, both of them posted on Facebook that because they have a pretty decent network. Like my parents know a lot of people in the Denver area that kind of, you know, it's, they say like, you know, if you know one person, you know, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so just through our network, we were like, maybe we can see if anybody's out in Nashville that would maybe welcome you into their home for a little while while you kind of get your feet on the ground.
00:06:15
Speaker
So we ended up posting on Facebook and we, Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young were actually on American Idol and we know them through a connection that my dad has. Um, and I was able to move out to Nashville and well, I was, I think it was 2019 or not 2019. Cause that would have been, no, it was 2018, I guess.
00:06:38
Speaker
Yeah, that's crazy. Before the whole pandemic. Yeah,
Performing and adapting to the digital space
00:06:44
Speaker
exactly. And then I moved out there and basically lived with them for about a month before I got my feet on the ground and I moved in with some other people.
00:06:52
Speaker
So had you performed a lot when you were in Colorado, like in high school? Had you performed at school or other places? Like, how did you get acclimated to, you know, I'm assuming more like being on stage, though, what you're doing now is with your music is a lot of kind of online release, you know, making videos and stuff. But have you performed a lot? Yeah, I have performed a lot. And you're very right. It's become a very digital space for artists.
00:07:18
Speaker
Because it's a lot about, you know, posting and TikTok and content orient, you know, you have to be content oriented. And so that's definitely, you know, something I've had to evolve into. But yes, I did a lot of performing in Colorado, I do still perform as much as possible. When it, you know, works out here in LA and in Denver, I've performed a couple shows. What is it about?
00:07:42
Speaker
creating in that space that would draw you to give kind of, I don't know, your thought, your effort, your heart to it. What is it about it that works for you?
00:07:56
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, that's a great question. I think from when I figured out that I could sing, a big goal of mine was just I really wanted to connect with people and I wanted to figure out how I could make a difference. That was always my little goal and dream as a kid. I was just like, I really want to make a big difference someday and I want to do something cool.
00:08:17
Speaker
I don't know. I guess just when I figured out that I could sing, I used that in my writing as much as possible to just connect with people and relate with people through my lyrics and stuff. It's evolved over time as I've gotten older too, to just different phases of my life and what I write about during different phases and how old I was when I did my first song, Better Late Than Never versus my latest song that dropped today behind the scenes. They're very different.
00:08:45
Speaker
tones and lyrics, you know, completely different lyrics because they're completely different times in life. So it's just interesting how I utilize a lyrical space to try and relate to people with what I'm currently going through to make people feel better. So your following is really growing.
00:09:02
Speaker
Right now and what do you you know? I wonder like how often do people contact you similar to the way that I did Not necessarily to do something like like podcasts or whatever But um, do you get people that contact you trying to relate to them with your music and they say hey Thank you for writing this it really connected with me in this way or it's helped me I think that's what you're getting at when you're talking about wanting to make a difference but
00:09:29
Speaker
What's that like? When I drop a song, my intention is for listeners to be able to engage with the music and add it to their playlist because they like the song, because they like the story that I'm telling, because they like the groove. There's something about the song that captivated them enough to add it to a playlist so they're excited to listen to it again. That's the goal of mine right now, to not only grow as an artist, but also to grow as a person to make that difference. It's just trying to get people to like what I'm doing.
00:10:00
Speaker
What's been maybe a meaningful connection with a listener that comes to mind? Somebody that said, hey, this song in particular has really connected with me and you somehow heard about that. What's a story that maybe comes to mind?
00:10:19
Speaker
Sure.
The story behind 'A Few Years More'
00:10:20
Speaker
The first thing that comes to my mind is I'm 24. So I just released a song called A Few Years More and it's about being 24 and feeling like you don't really know what you're doing and kind of feeling like a little, not like lost, but maybe a little lost at this time in our life where it's like, we're not really
00:10:40
Speaker
teenagers anymore but where I don't really feel like an adult but I am an adult and I'm learning how to do all these like new things in life that I've kind of had to you know learn and you know whatever like normal normal adulting things but I wanted to articulate a song that kind of talked about that and normalized it for other people because it is hard to be 24 and it is hard to like
00:11:03
Speaker
Find the job that you want and work a nine to five or maybe you don't want to do that or maybe you want to move to a different state or city or country and it's just like it's a time in your life where you can kind of do.
00:11:14
Speaker
make some big choices for yourself to make yourself happy. And I wanted to write a song that it's okay to feel lost in your mid twenties. Um, so I had a lot of people reach out to me and just say how much they connected to the song and like how much they loved it and like how they, you know, felt heard and seen because they're in the same place and they're trying to get a job. And it's like,
00:11:37
Speaker
That's for me. That's the coolest part is like getting that kind of feedback where it's like man I really really liked what you did there and I really connect with that So that song was really great and then I dropped a song today called behind the scenes and it's basically the song is about shedding some light on not the so Positive like basically the false reality of what it looks like to be an artist on social media because not everything you see on social medias as it seems and
00:12:05
Speaker
Behind the scenes like that wasn't the theme of the song because artists posts, you know and creators post a lot on social media, right? Because we have to but that doesn't always mean that like everything we post is exactly how we're feeling we're you know, like we're we're dealing with a lot of comparison and
00:12:21
Speaker
Social media can be a tough place when you're trying to compete with other creators to get where you want to be.
Reality behind 'Behind the Scenes'
00:12:27
Speaker
So the comparison, the competitiveness, the protectiveness, and the loyalty that everybody kind of has as a creator is something that we don't always share on social media because we're just trying to show the happy parts. So that's what that's all about. I think that's a great thing to expose because that is a really common experience for people even just historically. So are you familiar with the band Rush?
00:12:52
Speaker
The band. Yeah. Oh, maybe not. But you can look on Spotify. Have you ever heard of the Bee Gees?
00:12:59
Speaker
The Bee Gees. Yes, I've heard of the Bee Gees. What are you doing? Well, I know, I know, I know. Small little cloud exploding. I know. Just listen. I know. To this bearded guy that I just met. This is how. Hey, this band needs a lot to me. 24 or something. And I just, you know, I'm drawing her in. I'm drawing her in. Anyway, so later, later, go to Spotify.
00:13:26
Speaker
Go to Spotify, look up the band Rush, and listen to the song, Limelight. Because it's very similar to what you're describing, but obviously, it's a much older generation experiencing the same thing. And with that, so our vulnerable question here, and remember, Joe says this with ground rules, like you don't have to answer anything you don't want to. That's probably scaring you that I'm setting it up like that. It's not that scary. But you're 24.
00:13:57
Speaker
You're 24, and do you feel lost? Do you feel... Do you know where you're going right now? You're kind of getting there, you've got aspirations, you're making changes and moves and... Yeah.
Feeling lost yet excited about the future
00:14:11
Speaker
Do you feel lost? Definitely. At lots of points this year, yes. I can tell you that after getting my recent job, I feel a little bit more like I'm on a
00:14:24
Speaker
path that I want to be on, which has made me feel a little less lost. But there's still that lost feeling when it comes to not really knowing what the future holds as well with this position that I've committed to. So yeah, absolutely. I think I feel lost, but it's not a bad feeling to feel lost. It can also be exciting.
00:14:48
Speaker
What is it, what is it about? I mean, explore. It's so fascinating. I tell you what, Lexi, look, flattery is a false gauge, but I just, I really enjoy listening to how you think the, that you're, you're reflecting upon how, how you, how both you process, how you're seeing yourself, how you're viewing the world, why it is now, what is it about?
00:15:15
Speaker
And it's interesting too, I think that songs in particular, that there's this beautiful connection with a lyric where we're able to cognitively name a truth or a fact or a reality.
00:15:31
Speaker
And then, and then our emotions get to connect with that truth through song. So it's both, it's both, it's both truth, right? Facts and, and the emotions both united together. And it's so remarkable that then our memories or something about that, our memories remember those things and really fascinating.
00:15:55
Speaker
And there's a question in here somewhere. I can't find it. Have you heard of the band Rush? It's so great. My grandparents' uncle was like a roadie for that band. Well, anyway, there's a really great song there. All right. What is your question? I was in the middle of asking a question. I'm like, you know what?
00:16:16
Speaker
I'm going to take a moment here just to explain this place. All that being said, all that being said, how do you access that lyrical space for you? Where do you go? What is it that moves you to get into that kind of space?
00:16:43
Speaker
Yeah. Kind of like, how do I know when I want to write about that kind of like, when you're on to something? Yeah. Yeah.
Songwriting inspiration
00:16:52
Speaker
That's a good question. I think for me, um, I was actually on the phone earlier with a co-writer and friend of mine and she's on a lot of my songs. We, we write a lot together. And she told me, she was like, I just haven't been feeling the most, um,
00:17:08
Speaker
Passionate about what I want to write about kind of saying like I don't really know what I want to write about I've been feeling kind of in a lull You know, I can't figure out what I want to talk about and write about and I feel like that's It's really common for songwriters to get to a place where like you feel like you've plateaued and you're like I have no idea what to say I have no idea what to write about right now and it takes like
00:17:31
Speaker
almost having to go through something in life to be excited like, oh, I need to write about this. That is so cool. I need to talk about this. For me, it's like when I turn the corner on something. It could be a relationship. It could be a friendship. It could be a career change. It could be
00:17:51
Speaker
You know I mean people write a lot about love and I think that's really amazing but lately I've been really having a good time writing about like what it's like to be an artist and the hardships of that and what it's like to be 24 and the hardships of that and like what it's like to be in a relationship and the hardships of that and like I think almost kind of like when it feels emotional to me I want to share that and that's kind of how I know.
00:18:14
Speaker
I don't know if that answers your question. No, it really does. It's a good answer. Yeah. Do other people inform your thinking? Get you going on where you see something in somebody else's life and you're like, yeah, that's what I should write about next because of them. Yeah, totally. I live with roommates and I live with three girls. Anytime one of them comes home and is like,
00:18:41
Speaker
Oh, this guy or like, Oh, this isn't working. Like, Oh, I guess in this that I'm like, Oh, that's a really good idea. Oh, that's a really good idea. So like it helps to be around people to kind of tell their stories too. Um, and I've written a couple of times. I had a friend who I wanted to write about what she was going through. And it's not something that I ended up releasing, but, um, it is a good exercise to kind of take.
00:19:07
Speaker
you know, maybe what somebody else is going through and challenge myself to write about that. Um, cause that's not the easiest thing to do. Like I definitely think it's easier to write about what I'm going through just and say it in my own words and hope that other people relate to it. But it's kind of fun when somebody else is like, Oh, um, I'm going through this, you should write about that. And I'm like, you're right. I, that's a good challenge. I'm going to go try and write about that. So, um, yeah, definitely friendships help.
00:19:33
Speaker
spark ideas for sure.
Mid-twenties existential musings
00:19:35
Speaker
Especially when we get into a really good banter conversation and it's like, man, everybody feels this way. I should write about this. Yeah.
00:19:43
Speaker
What would you say are some of the major themes right now that you get a sense like with your friends and in your apartment and the things that you're listening to, the things that you're watching? Is there a particular mood? Are there themes? I mean, obviously, you just wrote 24 that you published that, but what are some other themes that you're
00:20:11
Speaker
that you're engaging in that you feel like is kind of a cultural moment or a way in which that you and your friends are thinking about life. Gosh, um, that's a, I mean, I think that like with my song a few years more and being 24, like that's a really good thing that we're all going through just because people my age are like,
00:20:35
Speaker
dealing with, you know, losing a job or like, you know, losing a family member or just like trying to figure out what it is that they love to do outside of work or like they want to go out on a date and it feels weird, but like, I kind of want to go. Like I just, I have a lot of conversations about that and like being in your mid twenties, feeling lost in your mid twenties has just been like a really big theme of mine this year that a lot of my friends talk about. So I feel like that's a big one. Um,
00:21:01
Speaker
you know, I don't know. I don't know if there's anything else off the top of my head that I have. So cool. Yeah, the the so Alright, so you're seared 2027 or no, 2424. You are 24.
00:21:19
Speaker
Yes. Okay. So 24, 24. So where, if you could imagine and dream of what life would look like for you at 34, what would you, what would you want to be in that space?
Lexi's future aspirations
00:21:35
Speaker
At that point, I'd really love to have a pretty decent following. I'd love to have had the opportunity by then to have gone on tour as an artist, headlining for my own shows. And prior to that, maybe be the opener for an artist that's bigger than me to kind of
00:21:53
Speaker
pave the way for an opportunity to continue to grow. I'd love to get to a place where I do have a hit. I do want one of my songs to reach top 100 or the opportunity. I really want a hit and I continue to write and be passionate about my music so that I can have that opportunity.
00:22:15
Speaker
to make that difference that we kind of talked about at the beginning. And then I'd also love the opportunity to be at home at that point and live in Colorado and I'd love to have a family, things like that. So yeah.
00:22:27
Speaker
I've met a lot of really cool people and I have a lot of friends here and even friends from home that live here. So I do, and my boyfriend's here, like we, I'm in a good place. I'm in a good spot. Um, and then also just hold on, hold on, hold on boyfriend. You said boyfriend. Back up, back up, back it up.
How Lexi met Dallas
00:22:44
Speaker
Records, records, okay.
00:22:50
Speaker
What's his name? What's his name? Is he in your songs? Yeah, his name's Dallas.
00:23:03
Speaker
What? It's Dallas. That's a very pilot name. Is he like an airline pilot or is he like a pilot? Is he like, yeah, you know, I also, it's just like that I skateboard and, you know. He can be a private pilot, he can be a regional pilot. He's a pilot pilot. So he has his commercial license, but in order to get to
00:23:30
Speaker
the airlines, you have to have 1500 hours of flying. It takes a long time to get there. So he's on that path right now. He'll probably be at the majors in about a year. So he's on it. And how did you meet? How did you meet Dallas?
00:23:44
Speaker
You met him there. He's there. He's there around there. Don't tell me, don't tell me you met him in Texas. Don't tell me. Not Texas. Nope. Nope. I've actually never been to Texas. So where, so where did you, where did you meet? Where did you meet Dallas? So I was in Nashville and he was doing a cross country trip, um, in his plane to get hours. And he actually got stuck in Nashville because of the weather. Um, but he's actually, he lives, lived in California his whole life. So it,
00:24:12
Speaker
You know, it's kind of cool that he got stuck there and we met at a bar. So hold on. So what happened was is the Greyhound bus came in and it was raining and you stepped off with your boots. This is under this bar. And there was Dallas and there you were. And you were a little overwhelmed, you know, you don't catch a girl in the city and he's like, Hey, listen, classic CMA. What's your name? And you're like, well, you know, my name's like, she's like, I'm Dallas. I'm stuck here.
00:24:37
Speaker
Hey, I'm just trying to make it. I'm just trying to make it. I'm working on this song. It goes to a wide shot, you know, and then you turn and then the lyrics drop, you know. That's so hilarious. It's always a movie scene, always. No, but it is kind of cool that we did happen to me, you know? I mean, it's kind of like, that's cool. It's a good story for sure. So.
00:25:03
Speaker
Here's an idea because Joe and I are also kind of quirky. I think that we could write a song and send it to you.
00:25:16
Speaker
I don't know what would happen. I know. Listen, what I think. Listen, no, what I'm thinking about, honestly, I think that that our podcast doesn't have an official theme song. So I think if we can commission you, you can commission. You can write a jingle for us. I think what you guys are doing is cool because it provides like an organic space for people to feel less overwhelmed and just, you know, being conversational. Maybe you can learn more about somebody than if it feels a little bit
00:25:46
Speaker
And we hope you felt that way today.
Podcasting: Organic conversations
00:25:51
Speaker
Yeah, I honestly do. It was such a joy. It was such a joy spending time with you and meeting you. It's nice to meet you, Lexi. Nice to meet you too. And best of luck to you. And I'm going to be checking out Martini's, Martini's in the Clouds. Let me know what you think. I will. Thanks so much for meeting with us today. You're so welcome. Thanks for having me.
00:26:17
Speaker
Oh, super fun. Yeah, really fun. I really enjoyed our conversation with her. And you want to know what? Man, she's like, she's sharp. Yeah, she really is sharp. She really is. I was like, she's got so much potential. I was like, I was like, you're like, you're not just like, hey, because I think some people are like, hey, I'm gonna be a singer songwriter. And then the other ones are like, not like, this is how you like, like, I'm gonna like, I'm actually gonna
00:26:46
Speaker
I'm going to work. I'm going to technically go work at this. I'm going to crank. We're going to do this. Connect to the right people. Yeah. It's not like an idea. This is how I'm going to make it. I appreciated that too. I really appreciated that.
00:27:04
Speaker
So, Babel, I have a question for you, actually, because you were on the show with Lexi. And my question for you is, what was the number one thing that you took away from what Lexi was talking about that you thought was the most interesting part of our conversation or something that was just important to you that you remember and you want to keep thinking about? I think just how passionate she was.
00:27:32
Speaker
Like, when she was 19, she went to Nashville to produce music. I just think her, like, passionate, how she's passionate about that is really interesting, or very inspiring. I think it's inspiring just because I skip hobbies. Like, I'll get into something and then I'll lose it, or maybe get back into it. But if I know someone who's very compassionate about
00:28:01
Speaker
that stuff that it inspires me to keep on doing with that, if that makes sense.
00:28:24
Speaker
Well, that's it for today. Our next episode is going to be released one week from today. So make sure to check us out anywhere you get your podcasts. And if you could rate the podcast, we'd love to be able to share what we enjoy with as many people as possible. So we appreciate it. Thanks for listening, everybody. See you next time.
00:28:49
Speaker
Boys and boys, so much fun, we're making noise No one is allowed to be