Stevvi Alexander has toured the world extensively singing with artists including Barbara Streisand, Fleetwood Mac, Diana Ross, Sheryl Crow, Justin Timberlake, and Britney Spears. Her latest project was with Game of Thrones where she functioned as the lead singer performing the epic music of composer Ramin Djawadi. Since 2009, she has been the acting vocal contractor for “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” working closely with The Roots.
Through her company Choirgirl Music, she also regularly hires choirs and vocal sections for shows including “SNL”, “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and the now wrapped “The David Letterman Show” among others. In 2014 she was featured in the Oscar-winning film “20 Feet From Stardom” and holds a masters degree from NYU in Music Therapy serving the community as a board-certified music therapist. She is also the proud momma to her 28 year old son who is a successful film editor in his own right and a cute little rescue pup named Sheriff.
Stevvi is a close personal friend of mine that I meant years ago on tour and I loved talking to her about the world of being a background singer. We also get into a big talk about physical and emotional pain in the second half!
In this episode we talk about:
- how she became an in demand backing vocalists
- growing up with music
- how she believes you have to put yourself in places to be found
- signing and getting dropped from record deals
- getting chosen by Diana Ross to sing with her when she was 22 and had just singed a record deal to Ross’s label
- growing up as the pastor’s daughter, having a kid at 16 and making her dream career happen
- choosing the path of being a backing vocalist vs. being a front person
- how the entertainment industry is about who you know BUT also who you are.
- how she deals with criticism/feedback on the job singing
- dealing with different/stronger personalities
- getting past fears, doubts, and performance anxiety that come up when singing and working with such icons
- how she uses mantras to keep her present and stay out of negative thoughts on stage.
- the power of affirmations and mantras and how they must be personal to you in that moment
- how word choice can call you even more into what you want
- Stevvi having a sudden chronic pain condition and how that effected her mentally and physically
- Stevvi’s research on neural pathways and how emotional and physical pain is linked
- why I feel like my fibromyalgia and struggle with chronic pain has been a gift
- Central sensitization
- advocating for yourself and feeling your best
- keeping your vision alive as a mother
- Which keychain she chose from my line and why!
LINKS to other things/people/music we mentioned!
PS. If we mentioned something and I forgot to include it here leave a comment Beand I will track it down for you!
Lisa Fisher (backing vocalist for The Rolling Stones)
20 Feet From Stardom documentary
My I call bullshit on selfcare being selfish video.
Books that Stevvi read in her search for healing her pain:
Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry
Healing Back Pain, The Mind-Body Connection
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Check out her website www.stevvialexander.com
And PublicART her music project
F THE SHOULDS. DO THE WANTS.
Forget what you have been told you should do or should be.
Instead ask yourself, “What do I want?
Learn how to listen to what it is that you truly feel & want so that you are living your most present, aligned, and alive life.
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