Meet Alexandra Maes

We recently connected with Alexandra Maes and have shared our conversation below.

Alexandra, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
From a young age my dad taught what it meant to have a strong work ethic.

Through each new endeavor whether it be an after-school activity, new sport, or hobby he made sure that I followed through with each task and show up each day to work hard and do the best I could. I distinctly remember trying to quit soccer one day and my dad refused to let me quit. While I was livid at the time, I can now thank him because I quickly developed a love for playing soccer that I still have today.

My father was the director for Health and Human Services in my hometown and he would always tell me that one of the first things he looked for in a new employee was examples of their work ethic. I saw by example how good work ethic and follow through could always guarantee good results that were satisfactory.

One of his favorite phrases is “the Maes’ have always been hard workers”. I hope to exemplify that trait and teach my children how to have strong work ethic just like my father.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a musician, producer, and recording engineer working with multiple artists across the nation. Currently I am leading the band Alex Maes & The Connection as a lead vocalist and songwriter, but I also perform for cover bands singing in multiple genres and styles including jazz, blues, rnb, pop, funk, and rock.

I began learning piano and vocals at age six; From there my creativity quickly exploded into songwriting and composing. As a young teen, I brought my skills of songwriting, piano, and singing to my teenage pop rock band called Red Bandana, where I learned how to perform on stage for audiences all across Colorado. At 16 I had already written hundreds of original material and performed on a multitude of stages including Gentleman of the Road Festival (Mumford & Sons), FibARK®, Colorado State Fair, Salida Steamplant, and the Tabor Opera House.

In high school I was awarded the Daniels Scholarship® which allowed me to attend Berklee College of Music where I studied vocal performance and music production & engineering. While at Berklee I studied under Jacques Schwarz-Bart (D’Angelo), Tom Baskett (Vox One) and Cassandre McKinley (J. Geils) to enrich my performance skills as a vocalist. For my music production and record engineering education, I worked in studios with notable bands and artists like The Rolling Stones® and Danilo Perez (Grammy® award winning pianist). These recording experiences provided myself with the opportunity to explore how exceptional records are made. I have also been fortunate to study with multiple notable engineers and producers such as Susan Rogers (Prince’s Producer), Prince Charles Alexander (Grammy® award winning engineer), and Rob Jaczko (Aerosmith engineer). At the end of my Berklee career I was awarded the Silver Award in the AES® student recording competition as a recording engineer, and I was accepted to perform at the Agganis Arena to honor James Newton-Howard for his work with Elton John.

Today I am in the studio working with multiple award winning artists producing, recording, and mixing their musical visions, while also creating and producing my own work as an artist.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The most important skill I have learned and continue to improve upon is listening. As a musician my job is to communicate and translate emotion into melody and form. The more I can observe and listen to the world, myself, and others the better I can communicate a universal truth we seek.

Another skill I’m practicing is learning how to be present and free from distraction. With social media I find myself craving temporary entertainment that distracts me from work or my passions. I’ve been consciously teaching myself to be fully present when doing even the most simple tasks to create better focus and clarity in my life.

The last skill that has impacted my life is learning to create with imperfections. A lot of musicians and producers have talked about how perfection inhibits the creative process. Giving myself the room to be messy and flawed while creating has facilitated authentic art and music that I would otherwise fumble with if I critiqued every new idea.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I am feeling overwhelmed I love to go on a hike, read a book, or journal.

It’s really easy for me to feel anxious about the amount of work I need to do and then procrastinate the work which then makes me more anxious. Instead, I’ve been trying to procrastinate doing activities that energize me rather than draining my energy with scrolling or watching TV. Try to find an activity that is inspiring yet relaxing so when you want to get back to work you feel rejuvenated and excited.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Personal Photos: Sassa Studios Picture 1 Recording: Kevin Barber Picture 2 Recording: Alejandro Welliver Picture 1 Performing: Alejandro Welliver Picture 2 Performing: Holysmoke Photography

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