An October Interview With the Ghost of LXI

Photography by Lily Nelson

Alexi Callinicos, a 20-year-old singer/songwriter hailing from Seattle, Washington, possesses a captivating blend of influences. Raised amidst the juxtaposition of tech innovation, poetry, logic, and the vastness of the cosmos, her musical journey began at the tender age of seven. Encouraged by her guitar teacher, she transformed her original poems into lyrics, birthing her debut album, This is the Life, at the remarkable age of ten.

A prodigious talent, Callinicos achieved the distinction of being the youngest member in California to enter Mensa, the world's largest high-IQ society. Simultaneously, she delved into linear equations and poetic verses, showcasing her remarkable aptitude. Throughout her artistic evolution, she concealed her identity as LXI, employing CGI and other methods to strike a harmonious balance between her music career and formal education.

On the occasion of her debuting a brand new acoustic version of “Ghost Of Me”, we took some time to talk to this fascinating artist both about the track itself and her career in general, take a look:

As someone who has been composing music since the age of eight, what inspired you to start your musical journey at such a young age? And did your early exposure to poetry and logic influence your songwriting process?

It was actually my guitar teacher who suggested I turn some of my poetry into lyrics. That experimentation transformed into my first album, This is the Life. I do think my early reading and writing helped me script more sophisticated lyrics than I may have otherwise created.

Your membership in Mensa at such a young age is impressive. How has your intelligence and unique perspective influenced your approach to music, and do you find yourself incorporating deeply intellectual elements into your lyrics?

I think my interest in academia and desire to learn and dig deeper into theoretical principles and scientific solutions helps give me a curiosity that informs my lyrics.

Your debut album, "This is the Life," was released when you were just ten years old. How did it feel to have your original poems transformed into songs by an older vocalist, and how did this experience shape your artistic development?

It was very humbling to have such a response to my music at such a young age. It was almost surreal not to have a mature enough voice (at the time) to convey the sentiment and depth of the words that I myself wrote.

It's fascinating that you maintained a balance between your music career and formal education by concealing your identity as LXI. Can you share any interesting stories or challenges you faced while navigating both worlds simultaneously?

I honestly think staying under the radar, behind the safety of my avatar, helped me stay grounded and protected me from some of the typical attention that can come from artist exposure. That allowed me to focus on school when needed and not spend too much time interacting online.

Collaborating with Grammy-nominated producer Tayla Parx must have been an incredible experience. How did this collaboration influence your sound and artistic direction, and what valuable lessons did you learn from working with such an accomplished producer?

I really learned a lot working with Tayla in LA. Her energy infused me with a renewed love for songwriting, and her holistic approach taught me how to maintain balance in all aspects of artistic creation.

How personal do you go with your lyrics? Is “Ghost Of Me” about your own experiences?

Yes and no. A lot of the time, my songs are wholly inspired by other pieces, books, and movies. Before I met my boyfriend, I had no personal love life to write about, so I had to be creative with getting inspiration from other media. “Ghost of Me” is about the fear that my family would not miss me if I passed away, so there is some personal insecurity that I drew on. I also want to make my themes relatable for my listeners, so I purposefully write things that can be interpreted differently.

The lyrics to "Ghost Of Me" evoke a sense of disillusionment and emptiness in a bustling world. Can you share the inspiration behind these vivid descriptions of “clamoring cities” and so on”?

My family and I went to New York, and this imagery was in my mind while writing the song.

The line "My laugh in a voicemail that you saved" is a poignant reminder of the way memories can linger even after a relationship has ended, but they also seem to point towards the role technology plays in how we experience the near past. Do you think it’s harder to forget and let go of things nowadays?

To me personally, this song is about the grief of a loved one who has passed away. I definitely think technology makes things harder to let go of, but it makes navigating grief so much easier. I lost my childhood dog in January this year, and whenever I miss her a little extra, I look through the images and videos of her on my phone. I mainly think technology’s ability to capture memories is positive.

“Ghost Of Me” is powerful in its own right, but it seems to be particularly important to you given the fact that you now have two different versions of it out. Why is that so?

Due to the depth of the lyrics, I thought it deserved to have an acoustic track that brings out the words in the song. The original production speaks to who I was as an artist when I wrote the song, so both are meaningful pieces of work. 

What’s in the future for LXI? What are you working towards right now?

Writing, singing, creating … Stay tuned!

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Samuel Aponte is Venezuelan-born raised and based.

I joined Rival Magazine after a few years of doing PR work for independent musicians of all stripes; understanding their struggles to be heard in a sea of constant ADHD noise and paywalled access to platforms, I now bring a willingness to always appreciate and encourage the effort and creativity that artists put into their work. Can also find some of my writings on LADYGUNN and We Found New Music.