Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandria Thomas.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My mom and her 2 siblings, my aunt Jessi and uncle Brandon, all played acoustic guitar and sang… as well as some of their friends. I remember being as young as 5 years old hanging out under the carport catching lighting bugs while they all played and sang all night long. I thought they were the coolest, happiest people in the world (they were). When I was 11, I joined school band and learned the french horn, which I still play, and at 14 I picked up my Mama’s fender guitar and started teaching myself on Youtube. I fell so deeply in love with this form of music. I’ve been playing and singing ever since. I loved to learn songs that meant a lot to my Mama and play them for her. She was my biggest fan. She bought me a beautiful purple Luna when I was 15 that I still have. Unfortunately, she passed away when I was 21. After a couple of years of deep grief, I decided to start writing and let her love live on through me. Writing and performing have become my safe space and the only thing I want to do. It helps me hold onto the best parts of her and our relationship.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road for me… but I want to start by saying that I’m grateful for every obstacle I’ve had to go through in life and I trust the Lord and his plans for me. My dad was not around much when I was growing up, and it wasn’t good when he was. Then when I was 14, he went to prison. Now that I’m older, I’m able to acknowledge that this affected me more than I thought at the time.
My Mama was a beautiful woman — like walking sunshine. Everyone loved her. She was a hard worker, she owned her own hair salon, and she did a damn good job raising me on her own. It was hard to keep us afloat but she never put that on me. She smiled every day at work and found purpose in making people feel beautiful on the inside and outside. She was loving and accepting. Sitting in her chair was healing.
The older I get, the more I am in awe at her strength, resilience, and ability to hold onto her genuine kindness and happiness.
My senior year of college, she got into a single car accident and unfortunately didn’t survive. It was the hardest day of my life. It’s been an uphill battle since then, with multiple cross-country moves including Maine, Alabama, and Tennessee, but I’m grateful for the hard lessons and my widened understanding of life and love.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I took horn playing very seriously growing up and went to Troy University for Music Education. I’ve spent my 20’s so far being a middle school and high school band director! I’ve wanted to do this since the 7th grade. I am also a part of the Nashville Praise Symphony, where I play my french horn. I work full time singing and playing guitar as well. My life is fully focused on music and I am so grateful that I can pay my bills with something that I love so deeply. I’m also grateful to have found my passion so young. I think that being a band director definitely sets me apart and also gives me a much deeper understanding of music that helps me in my singing and songwriting career. When I’m not working I love to 2-step dance… so I eat sleep and breathe music :).
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
What has worked the best for me as far as networking and finding mentors is just saying hello to everyone you meet. Introduce yourself and ask their name…. and ACTUALLY care for others. Even just standing in an elevator with a stranger is an opportunity to meet someone new. I have gotten some wonderful opportunities from people I met in passing 6 months prior. You never know… go to other people’s shows and tell them if you loved their performances! Post clips onto your socials and tag them! It may seem like everyone else is already telling them, but they can’t hear it enough. They’re artists like you. It’s their life work, too. Spread genuine love and make genuine connections and they can turn into great opportunities and relationships later. You never know.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alexandriathomasmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandriathomasmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandriathomasmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alexandriathomasmusic
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6SUIaPjacJfmt9iX7WSJT5?si=PvRR0R2iSJ2n9TknhCyDYw
