Singer and songwriter Alex Vaughn is a new face in the R&B scene, with hopes of leaving a long-lasting impact on the music industry.
In October of last year, Vaughn signed a deal with Love Renaissance (LVRN)/Interscope, then released her first single “Mirage,” a few months after. Since then, the songstress has continued to build an increasing buzz with her peers and supporters alike. She recently showcased her vocal prowess by opening for Summer Walker on a few of her tour stops, along with providing the audience with a stellar set at Pandora’s Playback Now to Next in Atlanta.
Ahead of her upcoming performance at the 2022 Broccoli City Festival in Washington, D.C., The Maryland native – Prince George’s County to be specific – spoke to ESSENCE about her career, how she creates, and her debut album, Voice Notes.
“I am so excited to do my first major festival with Broccoli City,” Vaughn said about her show on May 8 at RFK Stadium. “I’ve been going to the festival for years, and I’ve always wanted to be on that stage as a performer. For it to be now is perfect timing, and I’m very fortunate to give this performance to my hometown.”
As she takes the stage this weekend, the LVRN signee will perform songs off of her new release, Voice Notes. The EP contains three tracks and is a beautiful body of work that brings listeners into the core of who Vaughn is, both as a woman and an artist.
This album is not your conventional project. It was constructed entirely by using the voice notes app on her phone; a process that Vaughn is very familiar with. For most musicians, their debut is worked, then re-worked; before being mixed and mastered to perfection. The “Mirage” singer decided to take a different, more organic approach.
“It’s my most natural form of creation,” Vaughn said of the simplicity of Voice Notes. “It’s just my voice, the piano, and my writing. This was me before I had access to studios, producers, and other writers; I just wanted people to know that this is me. People always come out the gate trying to look polished, but I wanted to show the origin story to the artist that I am right now, and I am not afraid to share it.”
“All the songs that I’ve ever created started with me recording myself at the piano,” she added. “It’s there that I’m always the most vulnerable when I’m articulating my feelings. I wanted to show the world me, in my rawest form, and to show people that it isn’t wrong to own your feelings because it can be quite powerful.”
Make sure to check out Alex Vaughn’s homecoming at this year’s Broccoli City Festival on May 8, where she will perform tracks from her new EP, in addition to “Mirage,” and several other songs. Her full-length studio debut is slated for release this fall.
Voice Notes is available now on all major streaming platforms.