A Conversation with Elexa Dawson

What initially sparked your interest in pursuing a career in the arts for those who may not be familiar with your background?

I’ve always been a singer, and I’ve been playing semi-professionally my whole adult life. I recorded and released two albums with Weda Skirts and loved the experiences so much that I decided I wanted to be recording and performing as much as possible. I have two kids, and when my youngest was out from under my wing, I began actively pursuing a music career and got accepted into a fellowship with First Peoples Fund, and that’s what launched my 2019 album, Music is Medicine. That was my first solo release.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest single?

A lot of my music is inspired by reconnecting to Potawatomi cultural teachings that have been lost through the generations. “Answer” is a channeled message from the ancestors. It is the first song I’ve written that was essentially complete before I’d ever written a word on paper, because it came as a stream of consciousness, with that droning chord that you hear at the beginning, and I am lucky I had the foresight to get an audio recording of that experience. Stanley Hotel took it to the next dimension with the arrangement and the tones and textures they gave it.

What themes or emotions are explored in this song?

“Answer” is about oneness, and about the experience of being a product of tens of thousands of years of evolution and experience. One of the common themes in my work is the idea of being in the current moment as a descendant and an ancestor. I hope after I pass on it will speak comfort and connection, especially to my descendants.

How does this single fit into the larger narrative of your music career or your upcoming projects?

It’s the final single from Wanderlust, which comes out February 2nd. Wanderlust has been almost three years in the making. I wanted to do a full album with Stanley Hotel, who I’ve worked with in the past on both my projects and theirs. The first song we worked on together was “Mother”, I think it was back in 2017, and we decided to include it on this project because at the time I released it, I hadn’t done much to promote it or get it out there and it’s had this slow burn success regardless of my lack of effort, so putting it on the album seemed like a good way to honor it and the long process that has brought about the fulfillment of Wanderlust.

Could you describe the creative process behind this single, from concept to production?

As soon as I write a song, I share it with my Patreon supporters, so that was step one, taking that stream-of-consciousness recording and sharing it with my people to get their reaction and encouragement, and it seemed to speak to people. When I took it to Stanley Hotel, it was only a droning chord and vocal to a click track. I recorded all the songs at Remote Studios in Oklahoma that way, as demos to click tracks, and then they worked up all the arrangements, sent recordings back to me in Kansas for notes, and then we polished them back in the studio with a final vocal track. We had some guidance through the final stages from my friend and co-producer Peter Oviatt, who produced Music is Medicine with me, and then Brody Wellman did the mastering.

What can listeners expect to experience or feel when they listen to this track?

This song is a rocket ship. I highly suggest a dark room and good headphones, or a hi-fi system, and the time and space to let yourself sink into it. Adam Stanley, Isaac Nelson (Stanley Hotel), and Doug Swindell are masters in the studio, and every note and drum beat is calculated for maximum effect. This is a production dream team, and I think this song, especially when contrasted with the first single, “Sweet Sisters” displays the intensity of the range that they accomplished on this album.

Are there any interesting stories or anecdotes from the recording or writing of this song that you’d like to share?

I know we’ve all dealt with a heavier dose of loss over the past few years, but I lost two of my grandparents in two months during the recording of this album, so “Answer” has now taken on an even deeper meaning as this tribute to ancestral wisdom and connection to the other side. We used one of my grandpa’s harmonicas on “Lonely Coyote” to send tribute to his memory.

As an artist, can you identify three key traits that define you?

I’m hopelessly shaped by my upbringing in Oklahoma, singing in church and the school choir, and I think my voice reflects that. As a Potawatomi kwe, I’m often singing about the things in our culture that mean something to me, so I’d say my Indigeneity defines me in that way. Finally, I’m a community-supported artist, and I’m always trying to get my friends involved as much as possible. My partner plays bass with me when he can, I’m a member of two bands, Weda Skirts, and Heyleon, that are really just friend groups with heavy music habits, and I love music festivals, so I think me being a community-focused songwriter comes directly from all of that.

What can we anticipate in terms of your upcoming projects?

I loved the process of making Wanderlust but it’s been four years since Music is Medicine came out and I want to turn around an acoustic album fairly quickly after spending so much time on this one. I write songs that can be interpreted as rock and pop, which is why Stanley Hotel was able to go so many places on this album, but I’d like to put out at least an EP that’s back to my roots, with my more bluegrass-derivative but still soulful material.

Where can our readers find additional information about you and your work?

I’m all over social media, at least Facebook and Instagram, and my website is easy to find. You just have to remember that my name is spelled with an “E” instead of an “A” like the AI friend. I’m also the founder of a nonprofit, Good Way Gardens, which is a land-based arts organization putting art into outdoor spaces in Emporia, Kansas, so you can read all about that as well.