LexN also known as Parupalli Bala Venkat Laxman or Laxman Parupalli is a songwriter and music producer from India. LexN is fond of experimenting with new sounds, and he also likes to blend genres. Widely known in the cyberpunk music base, LexN's main genres are Darksynth, Hip-Hop and Dance Pop. The latest releases by him so far this year are highly influenced by the idea of blending experimental soundscapes with a few elements of pop. LexN finds music as his escape from the busy nature of life and he hopes that someday he'll make it to the big charts, along with everyone who has been an integral part of his musical journey.
Thank you for taking this interview! How has the New Year been for you so far as an artist?
This year has been really great for me. I've seen a lot of growth in myself as an artist. I'm making better connections, I'm making better music and I hope that my listeners are enjoying my work.
Can you tell us how you've transformed from the beginning to now as an artist?
I'm a self-taught musician. I was good at writing songs, but the idea of being able to make music on my own always fantasized me. It always kept me excited, because of the endless possibilities I could imagine. At first it was all about just making music, but now it's more about keeping my listeners in my mind, their listening choices and their vibe. And since I started doing that it has been a steady climb to the spot I'm at right now.
How did you come up with your latest project?
My latest project 'BURNOUT' started when Nae Poppy texted me saying that he had this idea of merging moombahton and rap. Nae Poppy has this vibe of alternative rap and RnB and he's a songwriting genius. We sat on a call, talked for around 20 minutes and we almost had a clear vision about the track. I cooked up the instrumental overnight, and sent it to Poppy. He did his recording part in a day. We both then contacted Rhea Kulkarni to work on the track. Rhea is an exceptional songwriter, vocalist and artist, and her vocals on this track are purely magic. The whole track was made in like 10 days, from start to end. It's an honour that I got to work with Poppy and Rhea, they're incredible musicians.
Where are you from originally?
I'm from a city called Rourkela. It's in the state of Odisha, India.
Where do you live now?
I still live in Rourkela. It's more like a on and off kinda thing. To facilitate my work, I sometimes have to go to different cities but mostly it's Rourkela.
Do you think where you live impacts how your music is made?
Yes, the location plays a very vital role. If I was from the big Indian cities, it would've been easier for me to reach out to a certain group of audience, to connect with venues, to play live gigs. But, in the case of my current location, I have to work really hard to maintain a good artist profile and I really have to go searching around for gigs and events.
What was the inspiration to make music your career?
Music has always played an important role in my life. From cinematic soundscapes to rap music, different styles of music made me experience different emotions. The fact that I can do the same to other people through my music got me into making music. Now it has grown into an addiction and I really don't think I can do better in anything else rather than my music.
How do you want to shape your career?
I want to become someone who would help other artists to make great music. A lot of mainstream artists have already done that, and I want to choose the same path.
Do you work on a tight timeline always or do you go with the flow when it comes to your music?
I was always on a tight schedule due to academics, and even now I'm on a tight schedule due to my work. The tight schedule actually helped me to get better at writing and producing songs in a limited time frame and that has helped me a lot to improve my workflow in music.
How did your latest title of your music come to be?
When Nae Poppy was pitching me the idea about the track, we both were thinking about the struggle behind chasing our dreams and how we are burning everyday in order to achieve those dreams. Hence, the word "BURNOUT" became a part of the song, and then became the actual song title.
Is it hard to let go of the music when it is done?
I've always believed that putting out more music leads to great improvement, because you get to know through your audience about the pros and cons of the track. There have been times when I was hesitant to put out my music, but eventually they ended up as released tracks every time.
Do you feel an emotional attachment to your music?
Yes I do. Most of my tracks are inspired by the events in my life and how impactful they were. I always have an emotional attachment to my music, and all music in general.
How would you describe your music in one word to someone who hasn't listened to it yet?
"Exploration"
Where do they go to listen NOW?
BURNOUT is out on all leading music streaming services. It's out everywhere. You name it, Spotify, Apple Music, Instagram Music etc.
What has been the best fan reaction to your music?
Every time a fan tags me in a story, I feel loved. The best fan reactions are the one where they text you telling how good the track was and how they're waiting for more music from me.
Is there anything exciting coming up for you?
I'll say there's a lot coming my way. Musically, I'm trying my best to come up with better music every time. I'm pretty sure that all this hard work, all the sleepless nights will surely pay-off someday. I'm working for and waiting for all the greater things.
Are you performing the song anywhere LIVE?
As the live gigs are coming back to life again after the COVID era, I'm pretty sure that I'll be playing a lot of shows and I'm playing BURNOUT in all of them for sure.
Instagram - https://instagram.com/lexn_music?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Link to LexN's latest release BURNOUT - https://open.spotify.com/track/78Ev0J9IPhujbvv1VyBOEJ?si=4_pemjgaRSS1fYe-BsEiIQ&utm_source=copy-link