Getting To Know... Lexxicon

With a sound that has been compared to the likes of PartyNextDoor and Swae Lee, Toronto-based rapper and singer Lexxicon is now back once again to share his latest groove 'Doing To Me'.

Taking his cues from the RnB, hip-hop and afrobeat genres, 'Doing To Me' is a smooth and groove-filled return for the artist. With its infectious rhythm, subtle production, and his own honey-soaked vocals running the length of his new offering, his latest delight is a rich and solid release from an act we can't wait to hear more from.

So with the new track exploding right now, we sat down with him to find out more about his background and what has inspired him over the years.

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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?

I first fell in love with the drums despite never learning how to play it, I just love when you're at a live show and you can feel the drum beat banging in your chest. Even growing up in church the drums brought every song to life. I actually first learned to play the clarinet and I was terrible at it, I struggled so much just to be able to play twinkle twinkle little stars which is embarrassing. But still the first instrument to capture my attention was the drums especially when the player would go mad with the banging while staying on beat and just giving so much energy.

What has been the most prominent inspiration behind your music so far?

The most prominent inspiration behind my music has been my emotions, I am definitely a feeler and being able to turn those emotions into songs I think is my greatest asset. Also watching Rihanna’s career is a huge motivation to keep pushing and moving forward and to grow as an artist. Even when I have my own days of not wanting to create anymore I have a good small team around me that really keeps me focused and that keeps me grounded and motivated.

What kind of music did you love as a teenager?

I really loved listening to Avril Lavigne, Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Spice, Akon, Lady Saw, Beenie Man & David Guetta. They each had songs that would get me hype and make me want to dance or just put me in a good mood. I tend to listen to different styles of music as long as it moves me and I can feel the vibe, so as a teenager I would go from Dance music, to pop, to R&B to Dancehall in the same day. What can I say I just love a catchy melody.

Can you remember the first song that made you want to pursue a life in music?

Yes I remember clearly the song that had me locked into watching the entire music industry, it was Pon De Replay by Rihanna. When that came on I was in New York at the time and it was playing on the TV and I was so in love. I think that was the first time I heard anything related to dancehall on such a mainstream level. She was the new island girl on the scene and I felt that I could relate to her being Jamaican and that song really made me obsessed with music and the music industry and I was like maybe I could be an artist.

Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?

Right now I love Stefflon Don, Alicaì Harley, Koffee, Khalid, PartyNextDoor and Drake. I always have Stefflon Don Senseless on rotation at some point in the day as well as Alicai Harley - Tek It To Dem. Then I also find myself listening to the Drake Views album at least once a week because there are so many tracks on there I love. Those are the main artists I'm listening to at the moment as they all have their own swagger and vibe.

How many of your songs have you written about people in your life?

I would say a lot of them have been about people in my life, especially my last projects Bashment Trap House and Tropical R&B. Tropical R&B specifically was mainly about the people closest to me in my life and it was all inspired by the pandemic and coping with the reality of the BLM movement as well. People in my life really inspire my music and everything that I do.

What has been the most unusual moment in your career so far?

I think the most unusual moment was when I was walking with a few friends downtown and someone shouted “Hey its Lexxicon I loved that last song you did.” It was an unreal moment just because I didn't expect it to happen as I am still so early in my career but it was a great feeling to know that people are watching and appreciating the music and that Toronto has my back.

Outside of music, what is your biggest passion?

Other than music I would say my biggest passion is fitness. I love taking different dance classes to learn new choreography just for fun and to stay moving. I recently started this new boxing class to try something new and it's been amazing so far. Before that I would just go to the gym 3-4 times a week to keep my energy up and cardio of course. I don't think people see how much fitness is linked to a live performance. You really need stamina to get through the whole show without being tired, especially if you're jumping around like I am.

If you weren’t a musician, what other path do you think you might have taken?

If I wasn't a musician I would have been an Actor because I did musicals in high school where I had to learn a lot of lines in a short amount of time and how to interact with everyone that made the production happen like tech support, set design, vocal coaches and the instrumentalists. I also like the idea of becoming a different character and really tapping into the parts of you that can bring the character to life.

And what advice would you give to other musicians looking to start a career in music?

I would tell them to just go for it, if you have the passion and the creativity to believe in yourself and try to make it happen, You don't want to look back and have regrets because you didn't try. Every superstar in the world had to find the confidence to just try and start their music career. Other than that I would say make sure you have a clear vision of who you want to be or other people will create it for you. Finding your own sound is most important as I think thats whats going to make the difference between you and other artists, know what you want to say and what don't want to say in your music, and be ready to be a boss because starting a music career is starting a business and without great leadership it will all crumble.

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Lexxicon's new single 'Doing To Me' is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it in the player below.