Modeled after NPR鈥檚 enormously popular , "Sessions of St. Louis" is a new video series that features local musicians performing in stripped-down settings. Each single-camera, one-take session focuses on artists in a way that鈥檚 simultaneously intimate and eminently shareable.
, an organization that seeks to highlight creative talents in St. Louis, is behind the effort. Creative director Natalia Parr told St. Louis on the Air that the Sessions series 鈥渟erves to be kind of a music catalog for St. Louis.鈥�
鈥淲e want someone to be able to go to Sessions [videos] asking, 鈥榃hat does St. Louis sound like?鈥� and really be able to look through and find incredible people like Alexia who are making beautiful music,鈥� Parr said.
Alexia Simone, born Alexia Majors, is the latest musician to produced in collaboration with St. Louis hip-hop artist Muhammad 鈥淢vstermind鈥� Austin. Simone is an alumna of Austin鈥檚 intensive six-day training course, Mvstercamp, which teaches skills that include managing onstage presence.
Alexia Simone said her Sessions experience was terrifying but beautiful.
鈥淵ou want it to be right. It's very intimate, it鈥檚 cameras in your face 鈥� but it's really important to block it out. 鈥榃hat are you here to do? You're here to sing, to provide the vibe, give the performance,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淥nce I kind of got away from the spotlight 鈥� it felt like just a good space to express myself. It felt real 鈥� it felt authentic.鈥�
Alexia Simone has enjoyed tremendous response from friends and family, and new fans, too. 鈥淚've gotten a lot of DMs from people I do not know [who] discovered me on 'Sessions of St. Louis' and wanted to let me know they were really touched, they felt something from what I was doing. It鈥檚 been amazing. I'm super grateful just for the opportunity,鈥� she said.
Parr said commenters have left hundreds of suggestions for future artists and spaces to feature as part of "Sessions of St. Louis."
鈥淔or me as a consumer, not only as the St. Louis Gram [creative director], it's fascinating and beautiful,鈥� Parr said. 鈥淵ou're just reminded of how talented our city is and how lucky we are.鈥�
To hear excerpts of Alexia Simone鈥檚 鈥淪essions of St. Louis鈥� performance, and who鈥檚 next in the lineup of musicians, listen to the full St. Louis on the Air conversation on , , or by clicking the play button below.
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by , , , and . The audio engineer is . Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
