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Alex Isley

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Alex Isley
Isley performing at Newport Jazz Festival, 2024
Background information
Birth nameAlexandra Isley
Born (1987-04-16) April 16, 1987 (age 37)
Westwood, New Jersey
OriginLos Angeles, California[1]
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, producer
InstrumentVocals
Years active2012–present
LabelsIndependent
Websitewww.instagram.com/lovealexisley

Alexandra Isley (born April 16, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter and producer. She released her debut EP The Love/Art Memoirs in 2012. Isley has worked with artists including Scarface, Terrace Martin, Masego, 9th Wonder, Rapsody, Tank and the Bangas, and Lucky Daye. Isley has been nominated for two Grammy Awards.

Early life and education

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Born Alexandra Isley, she is the daughter of Ernie Isley of the prolific soul group the Isley Brothers.[2] Isley spent most of her childhood in New Jersey before moving to Los Angeles.[1] She named Stevie Wonder, Prince, Ella Fitzgerald, Toni Braxton, Aaliyah, and Mariah Carey as early favorite musicians.[1][3] She loved singing from childhood and her family supported her pursuit of music as a professional career.[1]

She began classical vocal training at age 12 and later graduated from LA County High School for the Arts.[4] Isley received her bachelor's degree from UCLA, where she studied in the jazz department.[5]

Isley has synesthesia, and described the phenomenon to LA Weekly: "There's a canvas in my mind, and the whole thing is painted, or it's a continuous wave of color...Sometimes I'll start composing something and I'll have to change the key because the color won't sit right with me."[5]

Career

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Isley released her self-produced debut EP The Love Art/Memoirs in 2012.[5] Okayplayer reviewed the EP positively: "please believe Alex’s lush vocals over her own calming production is capable of spawning a generation of love babies much like “Between The Sheets” did."[6]

Isley described her music as r&b with hip hop and jazz influences.[1] Samantha Callender of Essence referred to her voice as "silky smooth vocals that ride neo-soul melodies."[1] She has collaborated with artists such as 9th Wonder on the track "Rain Clouds"; Lucky Daye and Masego on "Good & Plenty (Remix)"; Chromonicci on "Interstellar"; and Christian Kuria on "Toroka."[1][7][8][9]

In November 2019 she released the joint EP Wilton with producer Jack Dine.[10] In May 2020 Isley performed a concert for NPR's Tiny Desk series.[2] That year she was also a featured vocalist for the Cautious Clay track "Reaching", on the soundtrack for Insecure's fourth season.[11]

In 2022 she released Marigold, a collaborative album with Jack Dine. Jackie B. of Soul Bounce reviewed the project positively: "Alex Isley and Jack Dine remain as a melodious match made in heaven as they take us through a cycle from sprout to blossom to full bloom on Marigold."[12] She was featured on Tank's recent single "No Limit" from his 10th album R&B Money.

Isley released the album I Left My Heart in Ladera with Terrace Martin in October 2023. The album, her first to chart on Billboard, debuted at number two on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Albums list and at number 22 on Jazz Albums.[13]

She earned her first two Grammy Award nominations as a featured artist on "Back to Love" by Robert Glasper at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. The song was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance.[14]

Personal life

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Isley resides in Los Angeles.[2] She has a daughter with singer Kenyon Dixon (b. 2017).[1]

Discography

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Albums

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List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
Con.
Jazz
[15] 		Jazz
[16]
Dreams in Analog[17]
  • Released: August 10, 2013
  • Label: self-released
 — —
L U X U R Y
  • Released: December 26, 2015
  • Label: self-released
 — —
Marigold (with Jack Dine)
  • Released: March 30, 2022
  • Label: self-released
 — —
I Left My Heart in Ladera (with Terrace Martin)
  • Released: October 20, 2023
  • Label: Sounds of Crenshaw, BMG
 2 22

Singles

[edit]
List of albums with selected details
Title Details
Same Mistake[18]
  • Released: January 12, 2024
  • Label: Above Ground Entertainment
  • Featuring Destin Conrad
Paradise[19]
  • Released: September 15, 2023
  • Label: Sounds of Crenshaw, BMG
  • Featuring Terrace Martin
Brown Eyed Girl[20]
  • Released: June 14, 2023
  • Label: Sounds of Crenshaw, BMG
  • Featuring Ernie Isley

Extended plays

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List of extended plays with selected details
Title Details
The Love/Art Memoirs
  • Released: May 20, 2012
  • Label: Self-released
The Beauty of Everything, Part 1
  • Released: February 27, 2018
  • Label: Self-released
The Beauty of Everything, Part Two
  • Released: May 3, 2019
  • Label: Self-released
Wilton (with Jack Dine)
  • Released: November 15, 2019
  • Isley & Dine Records

[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Callender, Samantha (2021-02-22). "Alex Isley Is R&B's Breath Of Fresh Air". Essence. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  2. ^ a b c Carter, Bobby (2020-05-15). "Alex Isley: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  3. ^ Sunnucks, Jack (2018-06-13). "young nyc creatives on what aaliyah means to them". i-D Vice. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  4. ^ Carter, Corein (2020-10-13). "Alex Isley is Expanding On the Isley Legacy and Bringing Us Her Unique Jazz-Fusion Style". Sheen Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  5. ^ a b c Sumney, Moses (2012-11-02). "Alex Isley Has Her Own Thing". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  6. ^ Shamz (2012-07-10). "Alex Isley - The Love/Art Memoirs [EP]". Okayplayer. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  7. ^ Duong, Paul (2021-03-17). "Alex Isley, Masego, Lucky Daye "Good & Plenty (Remix)"". Rap Radar. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  8. ^ Robinson, Chloe (2021-03-18). "Christian Kuria unleashes a stunning remix of "Toroka" featuring Alex Isley". Earmilk. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  9. ^ "Chromonicci & Alex Isley Soar On 'Interstellar.'". SoulBounce.com. 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  10. ^ Ivory (2019-11-15). "Alex Isley & Jack Dine Explore Love On 'Wilton' EP". SoulBounce.com. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  11. ^ Alston, Trey (2020-04-10). "Cautious Clay And Alex Isley Argue About Love On Vibey 'Reaching'". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 13, 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  12. ^ B, Jackie (2022-04-05). "Alex Isley & Jack Dine Deserve Their Flowers With 'Marigold'". SoulBounce. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
  13. ^ Zellner, Xander (2023-11-01). "10 First-Timers on Billboard's Charts This Week: ScarLip, Alex Isley, Destin Conrad, Chriseanrock & More". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  14. ^ "2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  15. ^ "Alex Isley – Chart history: Contemporary Jazz Albums". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  16. ^ "Alex Isley – Chart history: Jazz Albums". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Alex Isley". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  18. ^ SAME MISTAKE - Single by DESTIN CONRAD & Alex Isley on Apple Music, 2024-01-12, retrieved 2024-02-17
  19. ^ Paradise - Single by Terrace Martin & Alex Isley on Apple Music, 2023-09-15, retrieved 2024-02-17
  20. ^ Brown Eyed Girl - Single by Alex Isley & Ernie Isley on Apple Music, 2023-06-14, retrieved 2024-02-17
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