Finnish singer-songwriter Lxandra is embracing the transient nature of life

Rising Finnish singer-songwriter Lxandra still maintains a part of this mentality within the depths of her being and, during her development as a musician, there is a flourishing transience that radiates from within.

So, the story goes, that whilst growing up on the sleepy town of Suomenlinna – an 18th-century sea fortress just outside of Helsinki – there was calling within Lxandra to search for something more expansive than what she had grown accustomed to in her isolated island life. “I was really into telling stories, that was always the thing. When I was a kid, I would sit on the toilet and tell my parents to come in with a book and write down the stories that I told.”

From old folk tales of a serial killer who was imprisoned in a cell in one of the fortresses and had died after the inhabitants bricked him in, to the age-old story of ‘there once was a girl…’ there’s an air of mysticism that surrounds her existence, and the need to search for some kind of entertainment.

Music was something that came much later for Lxandra, who trained in classical piano as a child. Despite there always being an element of creativity in her home life, Lxandra never really thought that it would be something sustainable as a career until she was in her teens and had started visiting Berlin – the place that she now calls her home.

Reflecting on how this all started for her, Lxandra notes: “Helsinki as a city is very small – especially the island which is part of Helsinki, but, you know, I was always in these small places where I felt like the odd one and I didn’t really feel like I completely fit in. So, when I went to Berlin I was like ‘this is so nice, I can just be and nobody cares!’ I don’t need to think about how I should be or what I should do so because there’s so many people that you can be anonymous and everyone is doing their own thing. Everyone is doing whatever, so it felt like the right place for sure.”

The idea of being able to branch out and carve out her own path was something that Lxandra didn’t really have to work too hard on, especially as she was used to creating things on her own, in moments of solitude. Despite this, she now thrives in collaborative moments. “If I write alone, it’s way more kind of emotional and can be a bit too depressive sometimes, and those are the songs I’m not sure I’ll release. It’s more this kind of… me in my own world, so I guess it’s good to have people around,” she explains.

What serves as a kind of vitality to her creative work is Lxandra’s ability to juxtapose the darkness and light. A figurative happenstance that surrounded her upbringing, with Finland’s nature of being shrouded in darkness for half the year, and being illuminated by the midnight sun for the rest of it.

Whilst her music is boldly defined by its pop influences, it should come as no surprise that growing up in the Nordic meant that she listened to a lot of punk and metal – which she cites as lending a dramatisation to her sound. “I’m a very happy person but I have my dark side that then in a way comes out in the music, I guess, so I definitely I think growing up there has affected that.”

Visually, Lxandra lives in a bohemian dreamscape reminiscent of the ‘60s and ‘70s era. She looks at the world of poetry in reference to the way that she approaches writing songs which can be seen in the likes of “Hush Hush Baby” and “Flicker”, but at the heart of all of these things, is a colourful element of romanticism and art.

Even down to the music videos, a cohesion is at the forefront of it all, and Lxandra herself is fully immersed in seeing these visions come to life. Delving into the origins of this creative expression, Lxandra says, “I really love colours. They just make me happy… I love buying vintage rather than new stuff.

When you buy vintage, you can find gems like literally from the ‘70s or ‘60s and that’s so cool, like clothes that have a story which I think is super interesting. You never know who’s been wearing them. It’s really cool, I think. I love stories – I kind of live sometimes in a different reality in my own head and make up stuff which is good and bad.”

In an age where social media is such a core part of existence, it’s interesting to see how different people deal with it, and how much they let it become a part of themselves. For someone like Lxandra, who grew up just before it became intrinsic to our society, there is a state of limbo in not feeling too invested in keeping everyone informed 24/7, often becoming something that you feel disconnected to.

“I like to be in this reality because I’m already so much in my head, and if I’m in my head and I’m in there, when am I here? I won’t have time! So, I think it’s better for me that way but I’m trying now to kind of develop what’s my vibe there and what’s my place.”

The idea of having a wealth of information at your fingertips isn’t something that Lxandra takes lightly, despite recognising that it also has its benefits. She is self-confessedly not good at social media, and finds the accessibility of it all quite scary – preferring to look at the technological development of the music industry, especially in terms of streaming services.

Going off on an impassioned tangent, she explains, “I think it’s great because records are just shitloads of plastic. I mean you can consume music in so many different ways. I love also doing this for the reason that you create something that is so abstract it’s not bound to something like any plastic ring or anything, it’s just something you hear, and I think that’s such a great thing and it’s great that you can buy a record online and you don’t need any stuff!”

As someone who grew up on a sea fortress; who would play in old pig pens and make the most of their natural environment instead of a constructed playground of artificial origins, it makes complete sense for Lxandra to care as much about her surroundings as she does the impact that she wants to make on the world around her.

The whole idea of making music is for her to spread joy, and an escape for those who need it the most. “Dip My Heart In Confetti” was a song that was originally written for Sigrid, but was brought to Lxandra just when she needed it the most.

Her producers had sent the song over by chance, but as ever is the world of being in the right place at the right time, Lxandra happened to have been subconsciously seeking this exact means of expression. “I’d just been at this festival here in Finland, and I had just been on a break with my ex-boyfriend and that was my mood at the festival; I was like ‘fuck it’ I’m gonna have fun, and dip my heart in confetti and party my sorrows away… so I could really relate to the song,” she explains in a heartfelt way that truly sums up the power of how music can affect the emotions.

In her latest single “Glide”, which was written whilst she was in Los Angeles, Lxandra tackles the emotions of being stuck in a situation that isn’t necessarily fulfilling everything you need. Without wanting to get stuck in the negativities of the moment, she decided to channel the prettiness of the scenario as a whole.

“It has this kind of LA sunset vibe in the sound, and the inspiration behind it was just this kind of maybe a relationship or just maybe something in your life that holding you back and you don’t really know where it’s going – to just really rather not overthink it and just go and see what happens; but really, if it’s something that holds you back, just to get free from it because usually if it feels like it’s holding you back, it’s not the right thing… I have a lot of songs that are a lot of power and emotion I wanted to just do something chill.”

This idea of feeling out a situation whilst you’re in it is the ultimate prerogative for Lxandra, and being able to actual feel is something that she wishes everyone can benefit from enjoying her music.

“Whatever is it – I just want them to feel, and maybe feel like they’re a part of something and to know that there is someone else out there feeling the same. I guess for me it’s just, I’m a really kind of emotional person and I love making that connection with music because it’s who I am. I love drama and emotion – not like in life drama, but I love that about music – it can give you comfort it you need it, or strength if needed. So, hopefully my music gives whatever people need in that moment.”

In the run up to her debut album, Lxandra is learning to take each day as it comes, and to not get caught up in the little things. Some of the best advice she has been given as a person who is prone to be incredibly passionate about things, is to not take anything too seriously.

In a dramatically joyous explanation, she justifies her way of thinking as such that her all or nothing attitude often makes her think that this is her whole world, “and if this doesn’t go right, I’ll die!” Though a little enthusiasm never hurt anyone…

Whether it be visually, or expressed through her soulful tones, you can be sure that Lxandra is aiming to tug at the heartstrings and ensure that there is a purpose for every step we find ourselves at in life. Whilst the child within us may be lying dormant most of the time, there are still moments where we can let go of the burdens of life and surrender ourselves to sheer, unadulterated, joy.