Lexi and the Bleached Roses is the musical collective of Lexi Cardenas, violinist, composer, and singer-songwriter. In Bleached Roses’ new album, Lexi puts forth her 21 years of classical violin training and years of live music experience living in Austin, Texas to create a sound that bridges the gap between the old and new. Her wide range of influences range from Bach to Arcade Fire.
In this interview spotlight, we chat with Lexi about influences, her latest project, the digital music world and more.
Full Q&A along with links and streams below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
Lexi: We’re from Austin, TX. This band grew out of my solo loop violin project and you can hear that in our music. It’s layered and very cinematic. I think our music is what would happen if a pop song and string quartet had a baby.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
Lexi: I’ve been playing the violin since I was seven years old and have played in orchestras, rock bands, and everything in between. When my last band stopped playing I picked up a loop pedal and started writing. The violin is not a solo instrument so it was a way to be able to play my songs. I first asked a cellist to join me, then synth, and now we’re a full band. Like every serious band, we want to travel the world and play a different show every night, but we set small attainable goals along the way to keep us motivated. First we just wanted to write and record an album. Now that we’re releasing it, we’re going on a small tour. By next summer I’d like to see us going on a larger US tour and getting ready to record a second album.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
Lexi: This is our first release as Lexi and the Bleached Roses, but it is different from anything I’ve ever done. I tried to bring the pop songs I write on guitar and my classical training and put them together in a way that flowed. Some songs on this album are more straightforward while other are a little more avant-garde, but when you listen to it in its entirety it makes sense. With this album, I wanted to push a little farther than a typical song you hear every day, while keeping it digestible enough that you’ll want to keep listening.
Do you face challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? How has technology helped you (assuming it helps)?
Lexi: In a lot of ways, living in the digital age has helped as you can put your music on every online avenue and gain more exposure. Facebook’s sponsoring feature for example, is a fantastic way to reach a new audience when playing out of time shows. At the same time, the internet is so inundated with music, it’s that much harder to stand out.
Where can we connect with you online and discover more music?
Lexi: You can find us on bleachedroses.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/bleachedroses. We’re also on Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, etc.
