Allie X is being crowned the princess of goth-pop…but who is Allie X? Somehow with no EP or full-length album she has captivated the internet and the media with her bewitching persona and sugary yet dark pop music. The Toronto native kept things mysterious but told us about living in LA, her love for Mariah Carey and her #Xhibit Project.
by: Shannon Kurlander
I want to start out with your name and the whole world of X…what is X?
The X is something that I’m exploring but I don’t have an answer to that. In Algebra X is any possible variable. In music the songs, lyrics and concepts come from an unconscious place. That inspired the whole idea. Now it’s about everyone that takes part in my project.
What is the #Xhibit project?
As opposed to just releasing a video, Xhibit is collaborative…my fans make X art and there is a virtual gallery. We’re making it together.
Coolest fan art or post that you have found through this project?
I have seen a lot that I like. There was a hand-drawn one that I like. I put that one up.
You talk about collaborating with your fans, which is fantastic. If you had to collaborate with another artist, who would you like to collaborate with?
I would work Haruki Murakami. I just really relate to his characters and the world that he creates where it is somewhere in between reality and surreality. That’s kind of what I was reading as I was writing a lot of the material for this project.
Your have a very clear and dark aesthetic…where do you draw inspiration from?
I tend to be a darker personality; it’s definitely not put on. When I analyze my lyrics there are recurring themes…the idea of the shadow self. With the shadow self there’s that part of you that holds all the shame and the bad feelings. The concept that if you have awareness of your shadow self and filter out those feelings in a healthy creative way instead of hiding it and have it become a heavy burden.
Since moving to LA have you noticed a change in the music you create?
LA is such a different place. There’s such a culture of writing here. In Toronto there wasn’t a schedule like there is now where there is being in studios. Everything happens really quickly now and you leave with a finished song. I used to live a week in an apartment with shitty gear and just write. I have become a better writer and I do think there’s something to be said in taking more time. I co-write a lot here but I also like to completely shut myself in an do it myself. This summer it’s actually a goal of mine to do apartment writing and that sort of schedule.
You seem to never be without a killer lip color. What’s your favorite lipstick?
I like pastels a lot and tons of MAC. I tend use their MAC products.
How do you feel about Mariah Carey?
I love Mariah Carey. I totally grew up wanting to be Mariah.
Favorite Mariah song?
“Underneath The Stars”, it was on Daydream.
Can we expect a full-length album debut soon?
I can’t tell that but I will be announcing something great soon.