Photo credit: Dave Zylstra
Lex Allen
It’s undeniable that the repeated attacks on the rights of the LGBTQ community over the last three years (the most targeted being trans folks of color, both in our own city and beyond) have left many feeling despondent, angry, or some combination of the two. And although at times it can make one feel immobilized, that anger—in the words of the great poet and activist, Audre Lorde—can also become a “powerful source of energy serving progress and change.”
Milwaukee soul-pop and non-binary artist, Lex Allen (who uses they/them pronouns) decided to do just that and channeled some of that anger and discontent into their latest EP, I.D.E.N.T.I.T.Y.
“To be honest, I was really pissed off and was getting really angry” Allen says. “I was like ‘That’s my sister and that’s my brother. These are my people.’ I didn’t know where the songs were going to go. With everything going on in the world, [the song] ‘I.D.E.N.T.I.T.Y.’ just made sense. It’s very hard and has hip-hop, synth and some pop. It brought out a side of me that I didn’t really know I had. I have grit!”
If you’ve been in Milwaukee for a minute, chances are you’ve seen Lex Allen and their unmistakable bun at some point (for today’s interview, the bun is a bright, spring-appropriate shade of cyan blue), whether it was on one of the billboards for their “Colors in Bloom” partnership with Diverse & Resilient, at a local high school’s GSA meeting, during a performance at PrideFest or at one of the city’s many local music festivals. “I’m really grateful to be given these opportunities,” they say. “The momentum is there and I’m embracing it and really being part of the shift in the community here.”
I.D.E.N.T.I.T.Y. works as a sort of homage to celebrating yourself and example of the importance of staying true to you. The title track kicks off with a fierce rallying cry, as Allen channels Grace Jones and Prince levels-of-boldness (“My I-D-E-N-T-I-T-Y... Respect my identity,” “Don’t give a damn if you get me / Open your eyes, see the beauty”). There’s urgency in the message here, but Allen maintains a certain sense of toughness and tenacity throughout these entire three-and-a-half minutes, especially with lines like “United we stand / divided we fall / Indivisible with liberty / and justice for some.”
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“Certain people are considered to be the hierarchy,” Allen says. “But I feel like if you can watch injustices and be OK with it, you’re watching it happen to yourself. Having that awareness being brought to the forefront—injustices that happen in the LGBTQ community, with women’s rights, rights of people of color... I want people to think ‘That’s injustice for one person, but what if that happened to me?’ I’m hoping they see that humanity in it and hope that it changes their mind.”
From there, the EP slides into the smooth, alluring “Your You” (a song dedicated to those moments of intense, non-romantic intimacy) before diving into the perfect pop-like bounce of “Let Go,” which Allen says is about finding your own happiness.
The singer-songwriter shows absolutely no signs of hitting the pause button any time soon. In between diving back into photography projects, headlining Milwaukee’s Summer Soulstice Music Festival in June, finishing up a screenplay, a Pride edition pop-up performance in the Twin Cities and playing at a Lizzo-headlined 2019 Indy Pride, Allen teases that there’s even more new music on the horizon.
“I have a few singles that will be spread out through the summer. I’m bringing more sparkle, focusing more on my LGBTQ family and my POC family. Just being like ‘I got y’all.’ It’s been a lot of work but it’s been fun. I don’t have the desire to stop.”
Lex Allen will perform with other acts in an all-ages show sponsored by Riverwest FemFest at Exclusive Company, 1669 N. Farwell Ave., on Friday, May 24 from 6-8 p.m.
