MA: Hello, what is your name and what is your background?

Alexis: My name's Alexis Garcia! I'm a Portuguese girl who lives in a really small town in California. I'm not really too interesting I suppose! I was always pretty shy, so I spent a lot of time listening to music and discovering genres that a lot of people my age don't listen to much.

MA: What is your favorite genre of music, and why?

A: My favorite genre has to be new wave, for sure. A lot of new wave bands have a really distinct style which really drew me in because they're all kind of...strange I guess? The lyrics in a lot of new wave songs aren't something you'd hear nowadays. Combine weird, sometimes even wacky lyrics with a catchy synth-pop-like beat and you have something that's fun to listen to and can really lift up your spirits when days get rough. Also, as an artist, the lyrics can serve as a great inspiration for new drawings!

MA:Do you believe that there's a double standard pertained to women in the music industry? In the entertainment industry as a whole?

A: I do believe there is a double standard in the music industry. Women are still very much expected to be pure, docile creatures, and this is especially true for female singers. I believe Madonna said it best in her speech where she won 2016's Woman of the Year award: "If you are a girl, you have to play the game. You are allowed to be pretty and cute and sexy. But do not act too smart. Do not have an opinion that is out of line with the status quo." Where as male stars can sing about what they want with little to no criticism, if women even dare to sing about sexual experiences or personal problems they're accused of being a slut or a liar, and are mocked in tabloids for weeks. It's incredibly disheartening and sets a horrible example for girls who look up to these stars. Though with the #metoo movement and more and more female celebrities speaking out against these injustices, I can't help but feel like something revolutionary is about to happen.

MA: Have you ever experienced any sort of discrimination and/or bias due to your taste in music?

A: Honestly, it hasn't happened to me much. However I have caught some skeptical looks whenever I went out in my Oingo Boingo shirt. If it was more socially acceptable, I'm sure a few people would've come up to me and asked if I just liked how the shirt looked or if I actually liked the band, which has actually happened before a few years back when I wore a Nirvana shirt. Needless to say, I was too paranoid to wear that shirt again, yikes! Also, does not finding a specific band tee for sale count as discrimination? Cause if so I have a few choice words for Hot Topic (I'm kidding!)

MA: List a fun fact about you that nobody knows!

A: A fact nobody knows about me...is that I sang lead in a barbershop quartet for about 2 years! It was a lot of fun, I sang in a few concerts and if given the chance I'd absolutely love to do it again! Hopefully I'm not too rusty.

~~~~

As for the interview, she states, "Thanks for this super fun opportunity!"