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Alexis Strum

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Alexis Strum
BornChingford, Essex
GenresPop
Years active2002–present
LabelsDouble J Records (2023)
Mercury Records (2005–2007)
Warner Music Group (2002–2003)
WebsiteOfficial website

Alexis Strum is an English songwriter, singer, actress, and writer.

Biography

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Early life

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Strum was born and brought up in an Orthodox Jewish family in Chingford, Essex.[1] Aged 6, she began writing songs.[1]

Strum formed local bands, performing Elastica and L7 covers, before experimenting with computer-aided production to emulate the sound of a full live band on her own.[citation needed] She studied English at King's College London, gaining a degree in English Literature.[citation needed] Whilst there she was Music Editor of the university newspaper, Roar, interviewed bands and wrote a fashion and beauty column for the now defunct Insync magazine.[citation needed]

After graduating and working odd jobs around London for a few years, she signed a publishing deal with Mike Sault at Warner Chappell.[citation needed] She sang on tracks by Thrillseekers, Lange, York (where she was credited as 'Alaska' on the German single, "Yesterday (Silence)") and Ed Case until in 2002; she then signed her first solo record contract.[citation needed]

Warner and Universal

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In 2002, Strum recorded an album for Warner Records, with producers such as Xenomania.[citation needed] The album was not released and a promotional single from the album was cancelled following lack of interest.[2] However, the publishers shopped the songs around; "Still Standing" was recorded by Kylie Minogue for her 2003 album, Body Language and "Nothing Good about This Goodbye" was recorded by Rachel Stevens for her 2005 album, Come and Get It.[citation needed] In 2023, Warner released 10 of the songs as an album titled Addicted on streaming media.[3]

Strum signed a deal with Universal Music in 2005, following a spot at the V Festival, and released a debut single, "Bad Haircut".[1] The video for "Bad Haircut" video features actor Tom Ellis.[citation needed] Another song, "Go My Own Way," was featured as the theme song to ITV drama series Vital Signs, starring Tamsin Outhwaite.[citation needed] The album, Cocoon, was cancelled, and Strum was later dropped by Universal Music. In 2023, the album was released by Double J Records.[4]

Bo Pepper and songwriting

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Strum was the songwriter, and one of the voices, in the UK indie group Bo Pepper.[citation needed] Their first single, "Blinkandyou'llmissit!", was self-released in 2008 on Peppered Records, and they were named "New Band of the Week" by The Guardian in April 2008.[5]

Strum continued to write songs including "Why Not Us" for the German pop group Monrose (2008).[citation needed] In 2010, her song, "Got a Grip On Me", was featured in the UK Channel 4 comedy, The Inbetweeners.[6]

In 2011 and 2012, Strum toured the UK playing Eva Cassidy's sister, Margaret, in the musical Over The Rainbow – The Eva Cassidy Story.[7] She next starred in an online drama series created for smartphones titled Persona.[6] In 2015, Strum wrote, produced and staged a play titled "Always the Bride" at the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre, about a group of suburban women who all suffer from "post wedding-day comedown and meet in private to wear their wedding dresses to re-live their big day".[8]

In 2018, Strum wrote an autobiography, The Time I Almost.... A documentary based on it was in development.[9]

In 2023, Strum discovered that she owned the masters to her second album, Cocoon, and began uploading songs from the album to Spotify.[3] The interest led to Double J Records to acquire the right to release the album.[citation needed] Separately, Warner Music agreed to upload ten tracks that were recorded for Addicted to form a version of her debut album, and released it on 1 September 2023.[citation needed]

Discography

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Albums

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  • 2002: Addicted (Released on 1 September 2023)
  • 2006: Cocoon (Released on 6 October 2023)

Singles

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  • "Bad Haircut" (Released on 26 September 2005)
  • "It Could Be You" (Released on 13 March 2006)
  • "Go My Own Way" (Released on 10 April 2006)
  • "Karma" (Released on 25 October 2024)

Songwriting credits

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  • "Memory" - DuMonde Vs Lange (2001) - with Dominik De Leon, Jürgen Mutschall and Lange
  • "Yesterday (Silence)" - York Featuring Alaska (2001) - with Jürg Stenzel and Torsten Stenzel
  • "Everything" - Sita (2022) - with Ian Bouman and Paul Westcott
  • "Still Standing" - Kylie Minogue (2003) - with Ash Thomas
  • "Nothing Good About This Goodbye" - Rachel Stevens (2005) - with Brian Higgins and Nick Coler
  • "Why Not Us" - Monrose (2008) - with Guy Chambers

References

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  1. ^ a b c Templeton, Tom (31 July 2005). "Introducing...Alexis Strum". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  2. ^ Scott, Danni (5 October 2023). "A mix-up over ice cream on Lorraine cost me my music career 20 years ago – but now I'm back". The Metro. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b Strum, Alexis (23 July 2023). "I'm finally the pop star I dreamed of becoming – and I'm in my forties". The Independent. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Proper Music - Cocoon". Proper Music. 1 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  5. ^ Lester, Paul (8 April 2008). "New Band of the Week - No 302 Bo Pepper". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b Krieger, Candice (3 March 2011). "Alexis Strum lands a starring role at your fingertips". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Over the Rainbow: The Eva Cassidy Story (tour – Worthing, Pavilion Theatre)". What's On Stage. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  8. ^ Glanvill, Natalie (17 June 2015). "Kylie Minogue Songwriter to stage Homeland meets Loose Women play". Guardian Series. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Comic documentary about failure in development". British Comedy Guide. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
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