Q&A: Alix Page on Love, Growth, and the Next Chapter; A New Era with ‘Bug’ and Her Upcoming Tour
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY JOY VILLANUEVA ☆
ALIX PAGE IS USHERING IN A NEW ERA—with “Bug,” her latest single, which arrived on Valentine’s Day. Known for her deeply nostalgic and emotionally charged songwriting, the rising indie artist has already caught the attention of industry favorites like Gracie Abrams and The Marías. As she gears up for her second North American headlining tour this April, Page continues to carve out her own space in the indie-pop world, blending raw lyricism with dreamy, melancholic soundscapes. With a new EP on the horizon, she’s proving that this next era is one to watch.
Page sat down with The Luna Collective to talk about her upcoming EP Bug, tour, and the evolution of her music. Read the full interview below.
LUNA: You began songwriting in high school—was there a defining moment or artist that made you realize music was what you wanted to pursue?
PAGE: Growing up, watching American Idol was my gateway into wanting to pursue music. At the time, I thought that was the path to making it as an artist. But when I got to high school, I was surrounded by people who had already released music and understood how to navigate things independently at a young age. That was really inspiring for me.
Discovering Phoebe Bridgers was also a huge influence. She made music feel so accessible—playing with her longtime friends who became her band, coming from an arts high school, and just being from LA. It all felt tangible, like something I could do too.
Another big inspiration, though kind of random, was the movie Begin Again with Keira Knightley. The songs in that film are so simple, straightforward, and naturally beautiful. There was something about them that really resonated with me in high school. The way the music just seemed to come to her so effortlessly felt similar to how I wanted to approach songwriting. That was a huge moment for me as well.
LUNA: Your music has such a nostalgic, coming-of-age vibe. If you could offer teenage Alix one piece of advice, what would it be?
PAGE: That’s such a sweet question. It’s funny because I’ve been going back to my high school for the past few weeks, doing a little teaching residency. So in a way, I’ve been reconnecting with my high school self while also working with students who are exactly where I was five years ago.
I think I would tell my younger self to lean into what feels fun and make music with friends for as long as possible. And I’d also say—it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t be afraid if things take longer than you expect. That might just be your path. Everyone’s journey looks different; what works for one person’s career might not work for you, and that’s okay.
LUNA: Your lyricism stands out as one of the most unique aspects of your music. How do you approach writing lyrics, and how has your process evolved over time?
PAGE: My process for writing lyrics has changed a lot over time. In high school, I would come home from school, run to my garage, and just play and write for hours. Since I was in school from 8:00am to 5:00pm every day, that time felt really precious to me—I’d even ditch homework just to have more time to write.
Back then, my approach was mostly word-vomiting—just playing guitar and improvising lyrics over everything. I still do that to a degree, but now my process happens more outside of just sitting down to write. A lot of it comes from journaling, reading more, and making sure I’m filling my cup in other ways—taking care of myself, staying off my phone, staying inspired, and socializing. I’ve realized that when I put effort into nurturing the artist in me—through community, conversation, and being inspired by the world around me—the writing comes much easier. By the time I sit down, I already have things I’ve been thinking about and marinating on.
I always have a note on my phone filled with little lines and title ideas, so when I do write, I usually start with guitar, playing around until I land on something that feels cool or new. Then I’ll pull up my phone, look through my notes, and build from there. It’s become less about forcing ideas in the moment and more about letting them come naturally from the life I’m living.
LUNA: Some of my favorite tracks of yours—”Goose,” “Break the Band Up,” and “Girlfriend”—all have that signature indie-pop sound. Is there a specific songwriting process you follow to achieve that feel?
PAGE: It’s funny because all the songs you just mentioned had completely different writing processes.
For “Goose,” I wrote that one in my bedroom around Christmas 2021. I wrote it super fast and was convinced it would be a slow, heavy song—but somehow, it turned into the upbeat craziness that it is now.
“Break the Band Up” was written in a session with Cameron Hale, who I love—he’s the best. He had sent me a loop, and I was trying to write to it, but something wasn’t clicking. Then we changed the key of the loop, and suddenly, it all came together. We wrote the song in about six hours, and honestly, the final version didn’t change much from the demo.
And “Girlfriend”—that was another co-write, and a really funny, quick one. Lucy Healey, Andy Seltzer, and I got in a room, started with this upbeat drum beat, and worked the lyrics around it. The rest is history.
I think everyone has their inherent influences when they write. My gut instinct always leans toward indie-pop because that’s what my biggest influences are. But collaborating with different people pushes me in new directions. Lucy, for example—she co-wrote “Girlfriend” with me and came up with that super catchy pre-chorus line. And Cameron’s guitar loop on “Break the Band Up”—I would’ve never come up with that on my own. That’s what I love about working with other people. Everyone brings something different to the table, and it keeps things exciting.
LUNA: Looking back at your discography, are there any songs you’d like to revisit—whether to rewrite, rework, or produce in a new way?
PAGE: Yeah, my bassist and I talk about “Stripes” a lot because it was the first song I ever released—I recorded it when I was 17, in the spring of my junior year of high school. Sometimes we talk about what it would look like to keep everything the same but re-record it now, just to see how it would sound with my current skills. That song still means so much to me, so maybe for its five-year anniversary, it’d be fun to do something with it. “Frank” is similar—it was such an early song of mine that if I could go back, I’d probably just do one more vocal take.
And “Pulling Teeth”—I’d love to revisit that one. I think there’s room to strip it back into a more raw version or maybe even push it further into the indie-pop-rock space. That could be really fun. Those three are definitely the ones I think about the most when it comes to reworking older songs.
LUNA: You've had the opportunity to open for artists like Gracie Abrams, Jeremy Zucker, and Sarah Kinsley. What have those experiences taught you, and have they influenced your own approach to performing?
PAGE: Yeah, I mean, the tour with Gracie was my first ever, and it happened right as tours were coming back post-COVID, so it was really special. My band and I still talk about it all the time—whenever we hang out, we always bring up how magical it was. That tour taught me so much about everything related to touring, but the biggest takeaway was seeing how kind and generous she is with her fans. She treats them like friends and family, which was incredible to witness. She’s so down to earth, and watching how she interacts with her audience completely exceeded my expectations of what an artist’s relationship with their fans could be.
The tour with Jeremy was just pure chaos in the best way. There were so many back-to-back shows, and my boyfriend and I actually drove to Vancouver in two days in my mom’s car just to make it happen. It was super fast-paced, but his team was amazing, and playing venues like the Wiltern—some of the biggest shows I’ve ever done—was unreal.
And then Sarah Kinsley’s tour was another incredible experience. Her team was amazing, and I was so impressed by how well she takes care of her voice. Every single night, she sounded flawless, and it was a total masterclass in discipline, hard work, and just giving it her all on stage. She’s literally rolling around on the floor mid-performance, completely in it, and yet she still sounds perfect. She’s just so cool and so kind, and being part of that tour was really special.
Every tour has taught me something different, and I’ve been so lucky to learn from artists I truly love.
LUNA: Heading into your second North American headlining tour, how does this experience compare to your first, and what are you most looking forward to this time around?
PAGE: Yeah, I’ve definitely been feeling nervous about playing in these bigger rooms. Even going from somewhere like The Moroccan Lounge to Bowery Ballroom feels like a huge jump for some reason. So there’s definitely some anxiety, but also so much excitement. I just can’t wait to be back in a sprinter van with my band again—some of the best memories from tour happen on the road. It’s all the random things, the stops we make, the dumb stuff we take pictures of—it’s just such a fun part of it all.
This time, we’re adding a fourth member to the band, which is going to be really exciting. We’re bringing in a guitarist, and I think it’s going to make the whole set feel way more live. We still use tracks, but having someone actually play those lead guitar parts on songs like “June Gloom” and “4runner” is going to be huge. It also keeps the set feeling fresh for the three of us since we’ve been playing the same songs for almost three years now.
Mostly, I’m just so happy to be on the road again. It’s been two years since my last headline tour, and I can’t wait to see familiar faces, meet new fans, and do VIP again. I love that part—getting to do a little pre-show Q&A, soundcheck, and actually connect with people up close. It’s going to be really special.
LUNA: You’re set to perform at legendary music venues like The Troubadour and Bowery Ballroom—what does it mean to you to play these iconic stages, and is there a particular venue on this tour you’re most excited for?
PAGE: Definitely, I’m really excited for The Troubadour. I’ve opened for people there three times now, so headlining it feels really special. The first time I played there was actually on my 21st birthday in 2022, so it’s going to be really cool to come back.
Bowery, too; I played there with Gracie three years ago, and now coming back as a headliner feels like such a full-circle moment. Being in that graffiti-covered green room again is going to be so fun.
This tour is extra special because we’re adding some cities I’ve never headlined before—Denver and Boston, plus Salt Lake City, which is exciting. And Nashville too—this will be my first time headlining there, so I can’t wait. I just love touring, and getting to play these venues as a headliner is going to be really special.
LUNA: “Bug” dropped on Valentine’s Day—was that a deliberate choice? Does love, in all its forms, play a significant role in this new project? Can you tell us a little more about the song and how it came about?
PAGE: Definitely. Half of the songs on this EP were written between the summer and fall of 2023, during the time when I was entering a new relationship. That definitely influenced those three tracks. I originally considered calling the EP Girlfriend, but my boyfriend pointed out, “How many of these songs are actually about you being a girlfriend, and how many are just about you?” And I realized he was right. So when we ended up with Bug, it felt like a more fitting title because the songs are really more about my feelings—how I feel in relationships, how I feel out of them. Even though some of the songs may be about other people, they’re ultimately seen through my lens.
As for Valentine’s Day, that was a bit more deliberate. When we were planning for a February release, we realized Valentine’s Day was on a Friday this year, so it just felt like the perfect timing to drop it.
LUNA: Your new EP is set to release on March 14. What can fans expect from this project, both musically and thematically?
PAGE: It’s going to be six songs in total, and three of them are already released. The oldest song was written in August 2020. For some reason, I kept holding it back from previous EPs, but it felt like the right time to release it on this one, so I’m really excited about that.
A lot of the EP centers around relationships—everything that comes with them, the good, the bad, the fun, and the not-so-fun. I’m really proud of these songs. They took a lot of time, and I really put in the effort to get them to sound exactly the way I envisioned. It honestly felt like it took years off my life, but it was totally worth it in the end. I’m really proud of them.
It was also really fun to see my bassist, Andrew, step into a producer role and take the lead on a lot of the songs. Watching him grow in that way was so rewarding. The whole process took a while—it started in the summer of 2023 and wrapped up around September, so it’s been a long journey. But I’m just so happy they’re finally going to be out in the world.
LUNA: Is there anything else you’d like to share with Luna?
PAGE: I’m just really excited that the EP is finally coming out. The tour’s going to be awesome, like I said we’re doing VIP again which is cool. I’d love to do some European dates too. I’m dying to get back overseas—I love the UK and Europe so much, we’ll keep you posted if that happens. That’s the plan right now: tour and the EP.
