Lexi Atkin’s newest single is about moving on from a guy you’ve been undecided on
Being undecided about someone can be frustrating – you may really like the guy, but maybe he’s not the one for you. It could be time to move on, even if you’re not necessarily ready.
Singer and actress, Lexi Atkins, knows this notion all too well. “It’s called ‘Undecided,’ because I was in a relationship, but I wasn’t sure if this was the person I wanted to be with or if it was the relationship I wanted to move forward with,” says Lexi about her newest single.
While the song has a sexy, almost sultry, vibe to it, the lyrics are mainly about a relationship where one person is slowly going their separate way.
We sat down with Lexi to talk about advice within the industry, her time on the Netflix show, “Altered Carbon,” and why the hell she wears so many wigs in her newest music video. Check it out below!
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received from another artist?
I think lately the most valuable piece of advice I’ve been given from another artist would be to make sure you know why you’re an artist in the first place. It can be hard sometimes to put so much of yourself creatively into something that sometimes others don’t understand.
But as long as you know what drives you and why that is fulfilling to you, at the end of the day that’s all that matters.
You seem to be very hands on with your work (doing most things yourself). Why is this, and how do you balance it all?
Honestly it’s mostly because my budget is very small. I don’t have a label, or a team behind me currently, so I’ve had to learn to do most things myself. I would love to have others involved, because I know they would definitely do a better job than myself, but again it just hasn’t realistically been something in my ballpark.
Though, because of these hurdles, it’s been an even more amazing journey as an artist. I’ve been able to be more hands on from beginning to end, and the outcome of the work is even more rewarding. It’s not always easy to balance it all to tell the truth, but it is very empowering to get to produce the art that I usually only see in my mind.
Tell us about your time on set of “Altered Carbon.”
It was such a surreal time! From the second I read the script and auditioned for the role, I was hooked to the show. I remember telling my family that even if I didn’t get a call back, I was going to be a die-hard fan of it!
I’m really addicted to sci-fi and anything futuristic, so this obviously was right up my alley. It was also my first time in Vancouver, which I’ve since fallen in love with. The whole cast and crew instantly became like family to me, I literally never wanted to leave set.
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What was your favorite part about filming?
I think my favorite part about filming was not only getting to work with such a talented cast and crew, but also the fact that the set we work on is so amazing! The ship where my scenes were filmed literally seemed more realistic than my hotel I was staying in!
It made my job so easy, because that world of the show was clearly painted around me. The only downside was, like I said, I didn’t want to leave! My apartment in LA is definitely not that cool.
Where did you film the music video for “Undecided?”
I filmed at the boutique venue OV3, which is located in the historic Santa Monica Airport’s Lear Building. Inside is an 80-year-old army barrack that once served as the headquarters for Lear Jets and hosted President Roosevelt. Lear used to also meet with Mae West in the same spot we were filming, which I thought was pretty iconic.
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You changed your outfit, wig, and basically persona very often in the video. Why is that?
When I first moved here, I wasn’t sure what kind of relationship I wanted to be in. I was basically starting a new life across the country, and in a place like LA, it felt to me that anything was possible. I liked the idea of dreaming about choosing between the ‘fairytale’ of Disney characters I used to love, and from other relationships in films I’ve grown up watching.
In the video, I kind of did my own spin on some of these personas when it came to the style changes. The main girl in the suit tells the story as she dreams about what other relationships and lives there are to live.
You styled the whole video yourself – how did you come up with the outfits?
Well, since I am on a budget, I literally am known for recreating outfits that I already own into something entirely new. Most of the outfits I wore were literally from middle school – I took certain shirts and made them skirts, and vice versa.
I also took old clothes from my brother that he’s grown out of and cut it up and safety pinned it everywhere. Whenever something seems a bit off I just go with it, because usually the outcome turns out to be pretty cool. But again, I’m weird and like things to be different.
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You also produce and edit your own videos – how do you balance it all?
Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming, but I’ve honestly been doing it for quite some time now so I feel like I always get better and better. Also, I have been really lucky to get to work with such amazing teams, even if they’re small. So they make everything really easy at the end of the day.
We’ve also seen you in many movies, working alongside stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Mark Walberg, Amanda Seyfried, and more. You obviously love acting. But, do you prefer acting or music more?
To me, they both work in tandem. I’m really thankful for both careers. When I’m not busy on set or at an audition, I get to be creating musically. Same with the other way around. They help balance my life out, honestly.
You’ve also opened up for big names such as Diplo and Travis Scott. Are you planning on upcoming performances?
There’s nothing set in stone at the moment. I’m still working on releasing music so I can finally start performing again!
What can we expect next from you?
I have a few more singles to release, and then finally my album! It’s been in the works now for about a good year and a half, but again, the whole album I’ve turned into a visual album. And since I’ve had to do a lot of the work myself, it’s unfortunately taken me quite some time now to get everything together. A lot of trial and error, but it’s finally here and almost ready to be shared.
Hair by: Ruslan
Makeup by: Megumi Asai
Photos by: Adam Mont
Video edited and directed by: Lexi Atkins & Louie Knows
