Child actor all grown up, last month 18 year old Alexandra May dropped her debut EP filled with irresistible pop gems. Here she tells Grazia about the thrill of performing and finding someone amazing to love.
1. What were you like as a kid?
I grew up on a plot with lots of trees and animals. My sister and I built tree-houses and forts as girls, and I loved playing with our toys amongst the rocks and pond. But I’ve always been a real girl’s girl and loved clothes and dressing up too.
2. When did your love of performing first begin?
I started singing lessons when I was seven years old and did competitions as soon as my teacher told me I was ready. The first time I performed on stage, I did a ballet routine in a tutu when I was a tiny tot! I guess my love for performing started as soon as I stepped onto stage for the first time. But the process of gaining confidence and becoming more skilled made the love REAL.
3. How would you describe your sound?
My sound is pop! I’m influenced by retro as well as modern sounds.
4. Is your first single ‘Amazing’ inspired by personal experience?
I do relate to the lyrics. There’s always a story! When AMAZING started to come to life, I loved the song! I t was perfect that ‘Alexandra May’ with a hashtag #aMAYzing would release a song called AMAZING! It just worked. But time passed and during the time I actually recorded the song I was pulling myself out of a toxic relationship, so the song didn’t sit well and it was very hard to be enthusiastic about it. But just before AMAZING was released, a guy from my past came back into my life and turned my world right-side-up. He gave me hope again! We’re good friends, in fact best friends. Now I sing the song with the hope that, one day I will find somebody that’s “So Damn Amazing!”
5. How did it feel to step into the recording studio for the first time?
I will never forget it! I was mentored by Alice ‘SHY’ Gilham from the age of 15 and she booked me into Milestone Studios in Cape Town to record music. It was incredible! I was shaking and my heart pounded. You could probably pick the sound up in the mic! It was the most amazing feeling to stand there singing and doing what I’d only seen in the movies and on Youtube.
6. What do you love most about performing?
The thing I love most about performing is being with the crowd. I love feeding off their energy. In fact the thing I have to control is my own excitement.
7. What is the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?
I’ve received so many gems of advice from amazing people. One that stands out which I received when I was eight years old and was from my first drama coach Jill Avis. She said “You’re not a performer until you’ve made your audience feel something.” And I’ve lived by that since day one!
Download her debut EP, One (David Gresham Records) via iTunes and follow Alexandra May on Twitter @AllyMay_music