“The best part is that both my work in philanthropy and my DJ career deliver happiness—either on the dance floor or to people in LA.” This words reflects Alexa Perl‘s approach to both her art and her humanitarian efforts. As an emerging DJ and producer, Perl brings the energy of classic house music, enriched with vibrant disco and nostalgic 2000s influences, into her tracks. Her creative process is deeply tied to her upbringing, with a father who introduced her to the world of house music and a personal journey through Europe that cemented her love for the genre. Particularly influenced by her time in Ibiza, she merges soulful piano with high-energy beats to create tracks that are meant to get everyone on their feet.
In our interview, we talk about her love for house music, her creative collaborations, and how she balances philanthropy with her career as an artist.
Photography and Interview by Christopher Brown
Your latest single, ‘Say My Name,’ reworks the iconic Destiny’s Child smash. What drew you to this track, and how did you decide to bring on Phebe Edwards as the vocalist? Can you walk us through your process of choosing to reimagine it?
After my first single ‘Give Me More,’ I knew how much I loved this early 2000s vibe, and after realizing the original “Just a Little” by Liberty X is not a super well-known track in the States, I thought it would be fun to choose a really well-known track that I am confident will bring people to the dance floor in any state or country. And what better choice than the iconic “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child, a song that people know and love from so many generations and demographics. I knew it was a little risky choosing such a respected and well-produced song to mix and work with, but once I saw my vision of bringing a classic house piano behind that vocal come to life, I have truly never been so excited for a sound. It’s beautiful when classic house sounds like a soulful piano can be worked into a vocal so seamlessly. I’ve been friends with Phebe for a few years and have seen her shine through so many labels, so it was a quick decision to reach out and have her come in and record the vocals. I also felt like her voice would allow this track to have just enough uniqueness that would set it apart from the original, allowing it to be a true reimagined version rather than trying to recreate the original.
Your experience as a competitive dancer has shaped your connection to music. How does your background in dance influence the way you structure a track or DJ set? Do you consider how people will move to your music as you create it?
My background in dance hasn’t had a huge influence on the structure of my sets or been part of the creative process for the way people will move on the dance floor. It really was more of a driving factor for my inspiration and connection to music itself. Also, my background in dance and my dance skills are an added bonus to my sets as it really allows me to connect with people at my shows who are also feeling inspired by my songs through dance.
“It’s been an interesting transition learning how to turn my hobby into a career, but every day I am slowly able to dedicate a little more time to it.”
Your foray into DJing and production began during your travels in Europe. What specific sounds or experiences inspired you to bring that European vibe back to the States?
There are a few instruments that to me are very classic house sounds—a soulful piano, the saxophone, bongos—that I absolutely am having so much fun implementing into my songs. They were such a big part of my childhood and, as you mentioned, part of some of my experiences in Europe. Watching the way the crowd connects to these sounds and seeing how I personally am filled with such emotion with a specific Euro sound made it hard to want to come back to the States and not bring that sound and especially that feeling with me so other people can experience it too. While we may not have islands like Ibiza in the States, music is a big part of those experiences, and we have the opportunity to bring the emotion and power of that anywhere we want.
Collaborating with session players and live instrumentalists adds a unique dimension to your music. What do you think live elements bring to electronic music that traditional production might lack?
We all have access to the same loop packs from companies like Splice and Loopcloud, and they are often great for finding sounds and starting ideas off. However, working with live instruments is when I can really work with the instrumentalist to get their own personal ‘in the room’ moments that you can’t just get online. When those moments happen in the room, they are based on our energy working together and how we connect on sounds in the moment.
“When those moments happen in the room, they are based on our energy working together and how we connect on sounds in the moment.”
You’ve had the opportunity to perform at a variety of venues, from Los Angeles hotspots to international stages in Switzerland. How do you adapt your set and performance style depending on the location and audience?
I love the thrill of the unknown—you really never know what kind of crowd you’re going to get. It can depend on the time of day, time of year, if there’s another big event happening in the city that day. I always prep a pretty long, thought-out playlist just depending on the venue, but once I’m there, I can pretty much only determine my first song and let the rest flow. You have to be ready as a DJ to look up at the crowd and see what people are responding to in order to choose the music. My performance style, though, always stays the same—I come showing up ready to party and dance all night, no matter where I am. I work hard at making sure I show up that way always.
Philanthropy is a big part of your life, particularly your work with The Change Reaction. How do you balance this important work with your music career, and how does it influence your creativity?
Coming onto four years at my job at The Change Reaction, I can confidently say I’ve developed a healthy balance for myself. When I am on at work, I am giving 200%. I show up for my team and do everything I can to even go the extra mile so that on the days that I am working from home or have weekends free, I can dedicate my time to DJing. It’s been an interesting transition learning how to turn my hobby into a career, but every day I am slowly able to dedicate a little more time to it. The best part is that both my work in philanthropy and my DJ career deliver happiness—either on the dance floor or to people in LA.
You’ve achieved a lot in a short time. What upcoming creative endeavors can we expect from Alexa Perl? Any new music in the works you can share?
Yes, so excited that my third release is coming out in just two short weeks. It’s another interpretation of a classic 2000s vocal by Christina Aguilera. My goal is to continue at this pace through the end of the year, coming out with singles every few weeks.
Follow Alexa Perl for more:
www.instagram.com/alexaperl_
