Introducing Alex Mali

This summer, we at Backayard, were roaming the streets of New York when we got an invite to attend a video shoot of an aspiring artist. This artist turned out to be R & B starlet Alex Mali, who has some strong links to the Caribbean, working on the visuals of her new single ‘Hoity Toity’. So we did what anyone would have done, stole some moments with the singer where we picked her brain about several hot topics in her life and career. How did Ms Mali handle it? Well read her answers below to see exactly how she did.

Who is Alex Mali and what is her connection to the ‘land of wood and water’?
I am a female artist (singer/songwriter) from New York. My connection to Jamaica is my mother, born and raised in St. Elizabeth. My father is West Indian as well (Trinidad), which makes me Caribbean-American.

What inspired the ‘Hoity Toity’ song and video treatment?
I heard this piece production, and it gave me very vintage Island vibes. My mind went straight to Mad Cobra – Flex , and I freestyled the hook. Once I had the hook down and I moved to the verse, and let it take shape on its own. I channeled my inner confidence and attitude via Patra, and studied visuals like Buju Banton “Wanna Be Loved” and based on these classics, mixed with my modern everyday life and music style, things came together quickly and smoothly. When I listened to the song, like most of my music, I envisioned the entire video, put pen to paper and wrote what I saw.

For the unintaited, what exactly is Alex Mali’s sound and where does she see her sound transitioning to?
I am an R&B artist, but I branch off into different sub-genres of music. This single happens to be hopping into the Reggae realm, which is pretty new for me, but it is apart of who I am and my culture. I feel like it is necessary for me to keep the culture alive so it does not get lost in translation, and somewhat bridge the gap between generations. My sound is up to the people to interpret, but I do know that I’ll always keep you on your toes.

Your new single Hoity Toity has a featured act. Why did you decide to feature this person and how would you describe his contribution to the track?
I’m very selective when it comes to features on my own personal tracks, but usually if I do feel like I need a feature, I can hear a specific person on the piece and know exactly who I can get that particular sound from. I was in the midst of thinking about a second verse, when I thought .. I need a real hefty raspy voice on this track who can really do it justice ..but who also knows the culture just as I do for authenticity. Instantly, Melo X came to mind. I love the energy he brings to his craft , especially the vibrant, beautiful harmonies he tends to use, and the grit in his voice was absolutely perfect for what I was trying to achieve. Once I pitched the single to Melo, and got such a great response , we just got it done. It was amazing.

Where can people find your music and get in contact with you for bookings?
You can find my music on SoundCloud, and all major platforms (i.e. Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal etc.) and any visuals via YouTube. Feel free to follow me on social media @mainlymali (Instagram + Twitter) and you’ll be updated with any upcoming performance and/or release dates.

For Bookings/Inquiries contact al**************@gm***.com