Alexis Strum

Last updated
Alexis Strum
BornChingford, Essex
GenresPop
Years active2002–present
LabelsAbsolute Records (2025)
Double J Records (2023)
Mercury Records (2005–2007)
Warner Music Group (2002–2003)
Website Official website

Alexis Strum is an English songwriter, singer, actress, and writer.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Strum was born and brought up in an Orthodox Jewish family in Chingford, Essex. [1] Aged 6, she began writing songs. [1]

Strum formed local bands, performing Elastica and L7 covers, before experimenting with computer-aided production to emulate the sound of a full live band on her own.[ citation needed ] She studied English at King's College London, gaining a degree in English Literature.[ citation needed ] Whilst there she was Music Editor of the university newspaper, Roar, interviewed bands and wrote a fashion and beauty column for the now defunct Insync magazine.[ citation needed ]

After graduating and working odd jobs around London for a few years, she signed a publishing deal with Mike Sault at Warner Chappell.[ citation needed ] She sang on tracks by Thrillseekers, Lange, York (where she was credited as 'Alaska' on the German single, "Yesterday (Silence)") and Ed Case until in 2002; she then signed her first solo record contract.[ citation needed ]

Warner and Universal

In 2002, Strum recorded an album for Warner Records, with producers such as Xenomania. [2] The album was not released and a promotional single, entitled "Addicted," from the album was cancelled due to Lorraine Kelly cancelling Alexis's TV performance after mistaking one of her lyrics to be a drugs reference (the lyric in question related to a flavour of ice cream). [3]

Strum's publishers shopped the songs around; "Still Standing" was recorded by Kylie Minogue for her 2003 album, Body Language and "Nothing Good about This Goodbye" was recorded by Rachel Stevens for her 2005 album, Come and Get It . [4] In 2023, Warner released 10 of the songs as an album titled Addicted on streaming media. [5]

Strum signed a deal with Universal Music in 2005, following a spot at the V Festival, and was due to release a debut single, "Bad Haircut". [1] The video for "Bad Haircut" video features actor Tom Ellis. [6] The album, Cocoon, originally scheduled for release on 10 October 2005, [1] was postponed when the single was cancelled, and a second single was announced, "It Could Be You," co-written by Billy Steinberg, to be released on 13 March 2006 with the album following. [7]

The release of "It Could Be You" was cancelled, when it was announced that another song, "Go My Own Way," was to be featured as the theme song to ITV drama series Vital Signs , starring Tamsin Outhwaite. [8] This was released digitally on 22 April 2006. [9]

The release of Cocoon was cancelled, and Strum was later dropped by Universal Music. The album was eventually released by Double J Records in 2023. [10]

Bo Pepper and songwriting

Strum was the songwriter, and one of the voices, in the UK indie group Bo Pepper. [11] Their first single, "Blinkandyou'llmissit!", was self-released in 2008 on Peppered Records, and they were named "New Band of the Week" by The Guardian in April 2008. [12]

Strum continued to write songs including "Why Not Us" for the German pop group Monrose (2008).[ citation needed ] In 2010, her song, "Got a Grip On Me", was featured in the UK Channel 4 comedy, The Inbetweeners . [13]

In 2011 and 2012, Strum toured the UK playing Eva Cassidy's sister, Margaret, in the musical Over The Rainbow – The Eva Cassidy Story. [14] She next starred in an online drama series created for smartphones titled Persona. [13] In 2015, Strum wrote, produced and staged a play titled "Always the Bride" at the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre, about a group of suburban women who all suffer from "post wedding-day comedown and meet in private to wear their wedding dresses to re-live their big day". [15]

In 2018, Strum wrote an autobiography, The Time I Almost.... A documentary based on it was in development. [16]

In 2023, Strum discovered that she owned the masters to her second album, Cocoon, and began uploading songs from the album to Spotify. [5] The interest led to Double J Records to acquire the right to release the album.[ citation needed ] Separately, Warner Music agreed to upload ten tracks that were recorded for Addicted to form a version of her debut album, and released it on 1 September 2023.[ citation needed ]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Songwriting credits

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kylie Minogue</span> Australian singer and actress (born 1968)

Kylie Ann Minogue, also known mononymously as Kylie, is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fashion world as a major style icon. Her accolades include two Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards and eighteen ARIA Music Awards. Minogue is the highest-selling Australian female artist of all time, with sales surpassing 80 million records worldwide. In 2024, Time named her one of the most influential people in the world.

<i>Body Language</i> (Kylie Minogue album) 2003 album by Kylie Minogue

Body Language is the ninth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released on 10 November 2003 by Parlophone. Following the commercial success of her eighth studio album Fever (2001), Minogue enlisted a diverse group of writers and producers to aid in creating a new album, including Cathy Dennis, Dan Carey, Emiliana Torrini, Johnny Douglas, and Kurtis Mantronik among others. Influenced by the musical works of the 1980s and artists like Prince and Scritti Politti, Body Language musically differs from Minogue's previous albums, which mainly featured disco-oriented dance-pop tracks, and instead explores genres like synth-pop, electroclash, R&B, and hip hop. Lyrically, the album touches upon themes of flirtation, romance, introspection and heartbreak.

<i>Impossible Princess</i> 1997 album by Kylie Minogue

Impossible Princess is the sixth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, released on 22 October 1997, by Deconstruction, BMG and Mushroom Records. The singer asserted greater creative control over the project — writing every song on the album and producing material for the first time — compared to her previous work, assisted by Brothers in Rhythm, Manic Street Preachers, David Ball and Rob Dougan. Influenced by the techno and Britpop revolution in the mid-to-late 1990s, sonically, Impossible Princess is a departure from Minogue's previous work. Conceived as an experimental record, the material encompasses a variety of darker styles from dance music, including trip hop, electronica, and rock. Lyrically, the album focuses on Minogue's self-discovery after a series of trips worldwide and delves into freedom of expression, relationships, and emotions.

<i>Ultimate Kylie</i> 2004 album by Kylie Minogue

Ultimate Kylie is the second major greatest hits album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, and her first greatest hits released under her contract with Parlophone, her record company between 1999–2015. The compilation was released in many different formats including a two-disc edition and a deluxe double disc with a bonus DVD. A separate compilation DVD with the same name, was released to accompany the audio versions. The album includes two new tracks; its lead single, "I Believe in You", and the second single, "Giving You Up". A third track, "Made of Glass", was recorded for the album but not used; it was included on the physical releases of "Giving You Up".

Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenomania has written and produced for artists such as Cher, Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Pet Shop Boys, The Saturdays and Sugababes. In particular, all but one of Girls Aloud's studio albums have been entirely written and produced by Xenomania. Sugababes' "Round Round" and Girls Aloud's "Sound of the Underground" have been credited with reshaping British pop music for the 2000s. Gabriella Cilmi's "Sweet About Me" and Girls Aloud's "The Promise" were named Best Single at the ARIA Music Awards of 2008 and the 2009 BRIT Awards, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love at First Sight (Kylie Minogue song)</span> 2002 single by Kylie Minogue

"Love at First Sight" is a song recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her eighth studio album Fever (2001). It was written and produced by Richard "Biff" Stannard and Julian Gallagher, with additional writing by Minogue, Ash Howes, and Martin Harrington. The song was released as the third single from Fever on 21 May 2002 by Festival Mushroom, Parlophone and Capitol Records. Musically, "Love at First Sight" is a dance-pop and nu-disco song which, lyrically, describes the singer falling and believing in love at first sight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Believe in You (Kylie Minogue song)</span> 2004 single by Kylie Minogue

"I Believe in You" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her ninth greatest hits compilation, Ultimate Kylie (2004). It was written by Minogue alongside its producers Jake Shears and Babydaddy. It was released as the lead single from Ultimate Kylie on 29 November 2004, by Parlophone. "I Believe in You" is a pop and Euro disco song in which Minogue proclaims there are many things in which she does not believe, but that she does believe in her lover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Should Be So Lucky</span> 1987 single by Kylie Minogue

"I Should Be So Lucky" is a 1987 song performed by Australian singer and songwriter Kylie Minogue from her debut studio album, Kylie (1988). Released on 29 December 1987 by Mushroom Records and PWL Records, the song became a worldwide breakthrough hit. The image of Minogue on the front cover of the single was shot by David Levine. The song was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman for Minogue, who went on to produce Minogue's initial four studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turn It into Love</span> 1988 single by Kylie Minogue

"Turn It into Love" is a single released by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was taken from her debut studio album Kylie (1988). The single was released in December 1988 in Japan only. The B-side was a new song "Made in Heaven", which also served as the B-side to both "Je ne sais pas pourquoi" and "It's No Secret" in other international territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hand on Your Heart</span> 1989 single by Kylie Minogue

"Hand on Your Heart" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue from her second studio album, Enjoy Yourself (1989), and released as its lead single on 24 April 1989. Much like her previous releases up to Let's Get to It (1991), the song was written and produced by English songwriting and record production trio Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW). Referenced tracks during composition included "This Old Heart of Mine" by the Isley Brothers and "That's the Way Love Is" by Ten City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Confide in Me</span> 1994 single by Kylie Minogue

"Confide in Me" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue from her self-titled fifth studio album (1994). It was released as the album's lead single on 29 August 1994 by Deconstruction, Imago, and Mushroom Records. The track was written by Steve Anderson, Dave Seaman, and Owain Barton, whilst production was handled by British trio Brothers in Rhythm. It was recorded in London, United Kingdom at DMC and Sarm West Studios. Musically, it is a pop song that incorporates elements of indie music, dance-pop, and Middle Eastern instrumentation such as strings and percussion, whilst the lyrical content talks about Minogue's earnest of seduction and manipulating people to confide into her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giving You Up</span> 2005 single by Kylie Minogue

"Giving You Up" is a song by Australian singer and songwriter Kylie Minogue for her third greatest hits album Ultimate Kylie (2004). The song was first released as the album's second and final single on 28 March 2005. It was co-written by Minogue with Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Lisa Cowling, Paul Woods, and Nick Coler, while production was by Higgins and Xenomania. The song is an electropop track, which features instrumentation of synthesizers and keyboards, whilst the lyrics talk about the thrills of a new romance. The track was her last solo single before she was diagnosed with breast cancer two months later; her next single was "2 Hearts" in 2007.

Miranda Cooper is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and television presenter. Miranda Cooper has worked in the music industry since 1996 when she gained her first recording contract. She worked as a professional dancer for artists such as Dannii Minogue before going into television presenting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What Do I Have to Do</span> 1991 single by Kylie Minogue

"What Do I Have to Do" is a song performed by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue from her third studio album, Rhythm of Love (1990). The song was written and produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman. Originally, the song was planned to be released after the single "Better the Devil You Know", but instead "Step Back in Time" was released and this was released as the third single on 21 January 1991 by PWL and Mushroom. The song received positive reviews from most music critics, who thought the song was an instant rave classic. Its music video was directed by Dave Hogan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shocked (song)</span> 1991 single by Kylie Minogue

"Shocked" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue from her third studio album, Rhythm of Love (1990). Written and produced by Stock Aitken and Waterman, "Shocked" was released as the album's fourth and final single in May 1991 by Mushroom and PWL. The song later appeared on most of Minogue's major compilations including Greatest Hits (1992), Ultimate Kylie (2004) and Step Back In Time: The Definitive Collection (2019). The DNA 7-inch mix of the song also includes a rap in the bridge by Jazzi P.

Brian Thomas Higgins is a British record producer and songwriter who has written and produced albums and tracks for several successful pop music singers and groups, including Girls Aloud, S Club 7, Sugababes, and the Saturdays, through his Xenomania production team. Miranda Cooper is a key collaborator who has co-writing credits in nearly all Xenomania-created tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kylie Minogue videography</span> Videography of Kylie Minogue

Australian singer Kylie Minogue has been credited for ninety-six music videos, twenty-three lyric videos, twenty visualisers, thirteen concert films, thirteen music video compilations and two documentaries. From her eponymous debut studio album (1988), she released music videos for the singles "I Should Be So Lucky, "The Locomotion", "Got to Be Certain", "Je ne sais pas pourquoi", and "It's No Secret", all directed by Chris Langham and released from 1987 to 1988. She followed with two other music videos in 1988—"Made in Heaven" a b-side and "Especially for You" with Jason Donovan. In 1989, music videos for "Hand on Your Heart", "Wouldn't Change a Thing", "Never Too Late" and "Tears on My Pillow" — singles from her second studio album Enjoy Yourself (1989)

"Two Hearts", alternatively titled "2 Hearts", is a song first recorded by British electronic duo Kish Mauve, written for their 2005 self-titled extended play and later re-recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her tenth studio album, X (2007). Both versions were written and produced by Jim Eliot and Mima Stilwell. Minogue's version was released on 9 November 2007 by Parlophone as the album's lead single. The song was Minogue's first commercial single since "Giving You Up" (2005), as she was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2005. After the announcement, Minogue took a hiatus between of two years to recover from her illness.

"Speakerphone" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her tenth studio album X (2007). It was produced by Bloodshy & Avant duo Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, who co-wrote it with Henrik Jonback and Klas Åhlund. The song featured dance, electronic, and funk elements. It heavily used Auto-Tune and vocoder, which caused some critics to liken it to music by Britney Spears and Daft Punk. "Speakerphone" received mixed responses from critics. The song appeared on the Canadian Hot 100 and the Hot Canadian Digital Singles Billboard charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Was Gonna Cancel</span> 2014 single by Kylie Minogue

"I Was Gonna Cancel" is a song by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, released as the second and final single from her twelfth studio album Kiss Me Once. The track was written and produced by American recording artist, songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams who she met while in Los Angeles, California. It was released in the United Kingdom on 11 May 2014 and a day later in the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Templeton, Tom (31 July 2005). "Introducing...Alexis Strum". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  2. ↑ "Xenomania Artists - Alexis Strum". Xenomania. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  3. ↑ Scott, Danni (5 October 2023). "A mix-up over ice cream on Lorraine cost me my music career 20 years ago – but now I'm back". The Metro. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Glanvill, Natalie (17 June 2015). "Kylie Minogue songwriter to stage 'Homeland meets Loose Women' play". Guardian Series. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  5. 1 2 Strum, Alexis (23 July 2023). "I'm finally the pop star I dreamed of becoming – and I'm in my forties". The Independent. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  6. ↑ @alexisstrum (April 18, 2023). "The pop video when Lucifer was my 'boyfriend'..." (Tweet). Retrieved 27 December 2024– via Twitter.
  7. ↑ "Alexis Strum Official Website - News 27 January 2006". Alexis Strum Official. 27 January 2006. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  8. ↑ "Record of the Day: Alexis Strum - Go My Own Way". Record of the Day, part of Music Today Ltd. 18 May 2006. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  9. ↑ "Alexis Strum Official Website - News 22 April 2006". Alexis Strum Official. 22 April 2006. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  10. ↑ "Proper Music - Cocoon". Proper Music. 1 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  11. ↑ @alexisstrum (May 23, 2023). "If you want another uplifting tale of tenacity, strap in, as today we also celebrate the 15th Anniversary of me becoming a sock puppet called Bo Pepper ..." (Tweet). Retrieved 27 December 2024– via Twitter.
  12. ↑ Lester, Paul (8 April 2008). "New Band of the Week - No 302 Bo Pepper". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  13. 1 2 Krieger, Candice (3 March 2011). "Alexis Strum lands a starring role at your fingertips". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  14. ↑ "Over the Rainbow: The Eva Cassidy Story (tour – Worthing, Pavilion Theatre)". What's On Stage. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  15. ↑ Glanvill, Natalie (17 June 2015). "Kylie Minogue Songwriter to stage Homeland meets Loose Women play". Guardian Series. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  16. ↑ "Comic documentary about failure in development". British Comedy Guide. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.