Alektra’s Flop is a Success
We all know how complex the human mind is. There’s so much we know and more we don’t. One of the many talents of a good musician is the ability to create a studio and/or stage personality. This is what allows us to express ourselves in ways that our “domestic” self can’t. Eighteen-year-old Detroit native Alektra is capable of invoking two entertainment personas to pursue music different from the other. The other persona is Mi$$ Floppy (in reference to the flop subgenre of pop music), and, as she well knows from our conversations on Instagram, She’s the one I prefer. What she’s done with the odd pair is an amazing feat which I say because I had no idea that she was one and the same at first. Of course, it’s all subjective. When you’re finished listening to both Alektra and Mi$$ Floppy, maybe you could come back here and tell us which of them you prefer.
I want to start our interview by talking about your production values rather than the usual first question being how did you start. The reason is that the first thing that struck me the first time I listened to one of your songs was how impressive the sound was. Where do you record and what’s in the studio?
This is always a funny question to answer for me, a lot of people have asked me “How do you get your music to sound so clean?” and the truth is I use my bedroom as my studio and record with Apple earbuds. I never really understood why people would tell me that legitimate microphones were better than what I was using because frankly, I see nothing wrong in my vocals with my earbuds. They still sound to me like professionally recorded vocals once I've added my necessary mixing.
The complexity involved in your music says to me that you have a rich familiarity with various musical styles and that you perhaps play a musical instrument. Are either of those things true?
I grew up on a lot of 2000s pop and house music, so I am very familiar with those genres. I used to be so indulged in classic Britney Spears, Spice Girls, Nicki Minaj, and more. I could never play any instruments though, I could play percussion very well. It's always easy for me to maintain a steady rhythm and I think that’s why I loved percussion and music so much as a kid.
Who were some of your musical inspirations?
Azealia Banks would have to be my greatest, (not her problematicity though), her flow and charisma on each track inspired me greatly. Whenever I listen to an Azealia rap song i like to study the lyrics and try to implement her style into my songs. Other inspirations such as Chase Icon, bbykocaine, and Ayesha Erotica have been involved in some way or another. Ayesha Erotica’s hypersexual 2000’s pop sound has greatly influenced me on this mixtape.
How did you become such a swell rapper? When it comes to rap music, I am hard to please but you impress me.
It took a lot of practice, when I first started I could never get my words out correctly, my alter ego Mi$$ Floppy definitely gave me the courage to try. Like I said I would look at other rappers and try to study their flow, then go to my closet and look up “Rapping Exercises”, they definitely helped me come out clearer in my tracks.
Your alter-ego, Mi$$ Floppy has quite a catalog! You told me once that this is a side project, sort of you just wasting time. But it seems you put a lot of effort into those songs/albums: three albums, two EPs, and a number of singles. You’ve only got one EP and three singles in your Alektra catalog. Why did you put so much into a project you weren’t interested in pursuing?
It started off as a fun little joke for me that gradually helped me realize I enjoyed creating music, after a while it got sort of boring pitching my voice higher and higher and I decided I would like to try being me for a while. Of course, the community I built around Mi$$ Floppy was not happy about this change so hardly anybody from those group chats chose to support my Alektra catalog. But I've come a long way from that and I'm slowly but surely growing my own platform.
So, when did you become interested in making music?
Around December 2021 is when I had the idea to create a song, I went under the name “I.T. Girl” and made my first song “WRLD DOMINATION”, I actually plan on recreating this track for my debut mixtape. Before that, I went by my actual name, but I never spoke on the tracks. Posting my self-produced beats on platforms gave me so much creative euphoria that I'll never forget.
How did it feel having your first song done knowing that soon more of your music would be out there? Were you nervous or elated?
I was definitely very nervous. My music heavily resembled Ayesha Erotica’s and I knew I would get called a copycat. Even though I was called out for it at the start, I'm grateful for it, because it definitely shaped my own sound that’s more recognizable and iconic. My song “Last Chance” with my producer Paria Moron is what I think of as my closest-sounding song to what someone would describe Ayesha Erotica’s music as.
Are you the type of musician who sits on a stoop playing your guitar and writing songs while the sun sets? What’s your songwriting process like?
If I have an idea for a song beforehand I'll normally jot it down in my notebook along with a random catchy title, but other times I just write after I've heard a beat. It’s definitely not as hard as people think it is when writing songs, just start with a catchy and memorable opening line, and gradually build off of that, and you have a hit on your hands.
You’ve done a few collabos with musicians whose music I like (one of whom I interviewed recently); how did you come to work with them?
I met Ebonii through a mutual friend and we sort of just hit it off! Working with him has always been a dream and he always puts a lot of effort into his music. As Mi$$ Floppy I’ve had a ton of collaborations that I'm so glad came into fruition, such as Jubal Thomas, bbykocaine, and many more. I met Jubal Thomas from his TikTok page and I asked him if he was down to work together, surprisingly he said yes and we made the song “Shameless Genocide”. I plan to work with them all again for my Alektra mixtape and I'm so excited to see what unfolds.
First, let me ask you about Mi$$ Floppy and what kind of person she is. What would you say about her personality and her musical style?
Her music style is very raunchy, with an “I don’t give a fuck” attitude. She’s very unfiltered and isn’t afraid of much. I remember sitting down and writing a whole story about her past and her life, about how she was a princess who ran away from home and became a rap queen. It was definitely fun and unforgettable for me.
Now what about Alektra? Same questions.
Personally, I'm quiet in real life. I never talk about my music to anybody and I could never say the things Mi$$ Floppy says. That’s sort of why I loved doing music as her since I could channel all of the things I wanted to say and put them out into my music. I’ve definitely grown a voice because of it, Alektra is my attempt to rename myself and to change how the world views me.
There’s one song on your Clitoria album that I do not appreciate at all. The name of that song is “Sex Appeal” featuring Jiafei. Why? Why did you put those screams into that song? It fucking scared the fucking piss out of me. You didn’t just do it once, you did it twice! Then you did it in another song. Why, Alektra?
It was a trend in satirical music to include the fake artist “Jiafei” in songs and I just followed through with it haha. Jiafei was a meme originating from “FlopTok”, a side of TikTok known for posting funny memes or stupid satirical comedy. The Jiafei meme is an Asian woman advertising the products that she sells, usually starting the video with an obnoxious or random scene of conflict. She then uses said product to solve the issue in the video therefore making her viewers want to purchase it.
From previous interviews with musicians from Detroit would it be safe to say that your city is a hotbed of musical talent?
A lot of great musicians have originated from Detroit and I believe that it’s definitely one of the more underrated cities in terms of musical talent. Artists like Eminem, Lizzo, and even Aaliyah give my hometown a great name, and I’m proud of it. People who aren’t from Michigan that I’ve met view the state as trashy or nasty but it’s a beautiful state. I love walking outside and hearing people play music in the streets, and cafe performers getting it on. It’s definitely a musically appreciative city.
Your Trinkets album seems to be missing. I have a favorite song on that album (“Kick the Bucket”). What happened to the album and when can I get my fav song back?
I deleted that album, unfortunately. It didn’t fit into my discography and I had just dropped another album prior so I felt it was unnecessary to keep it. The whole project was heavily inspired by Melanie Martinez’s album “PORTALS”, with an outdoorsy fairy theme. I fell in love with the album the moment I heard it and it was right around the time I started making music for Mi$$ Floppy. I came up with my album cover and a tracklist and I started creating the songs! “Kick The Bucket” was my favorite too, out of all the tracks I felt this one just scream “Me”
Is it easy to listen to your voice when it’s realized through autotune without laughing your ass off?
This question is so funny to me because fits of laughter would happen all of the time when I was recording songs for Mi$$ Floppy. I would write some obnoxious lyrics, review my normal vocals, pitch them up and the final product would send me balling my eyes out.
How much work goes into crafting your music?
I’ll spend about a day writing down lyrics, then I’ll speak with my producer about a beat, she works her magic, using programs like Garageband, I work mine, and boom a hit is made! I’m really grateful that it doesn't take long for me to make a song considering how long it takes other people.
How about Mi$$ Floppy’s attitude? Will you smack flames out of a disrespectful bitch like your alter ego would? Have you ever had to irl?
Like I said, I'm really quiet in real life. But if anybody would dare try me though it’s safe to say I have some words in store for just about anybody. These lips ain't just for spitting lyrics because I can read a bitch down like the Bible. There was a moment in real life when I was working my 9-5 job though. Some lady who smelled like Bacon Bits approached me about a coupon and was yelling at me about why it didn't apply to her cart. I was not having it that day and I replied “Because it's expired you dumb bitch.” and I got fired
It’s so hard to not formulate questions that revolve around sex, but that’s all you rap and sing about. Why is there so much graphic, hypersexuality, and fucking in your songs? Is your music a genuine expression of your sexual proclivities and libido, or is it just something you do to be shocking or gross people tf out? So, what’s your story, Alektra?
I view sex as something people shouldn’t be afraid to talk about, it’s nature. Slut shaming has always been a problem in my life so rapping about sex allows me to say what I want to say without any judgment. Hypersexual music also just radiates confident energy that I love and will continue to implement into my music.
Other than your own music (natch) who are you streaming?
I’ve really been getting into Azealia Banks again. Most of my playlists contain her, Doja Cat, Diamond Doll xo, bbykocaine, and more! Doja Cat’s most recent album “Scarlet” has been in every single playlist of mine, I love her new sound and style and while others hate it, I'm still gonna be a fan.
What do you think the general landscape looks like rn for hyperpop artists, DIY rappers, and singers? Does it look good where musicians like yourself are headed?
I think that hyperpop is in a really good stage right now, especially with a lot of trending songs on TikTok. However, I think most people don’t understand what hyperpop means. An artist who I won't name has been getting a lot of traction on TikTok and people are really quick to label their music as hyperpop when in reality, there isn't any pop in the picture.
2024 is on the horizon, what do you have planned for the upcoming year?
I hope to have my debut mixtape “Alektric” out by early 2024! Other than that I just hope it’s a good year for my music. I definitely will be dropping more singles as time progresses and I can't wait to see what the future holds!
Stream Alektra on Spotify and Apple Music, and follow her on Instagram.
