Hiee!! My name is Lexii Lynn Frazier and I am a 20-year-old professional guitarist, singer, and songwriter. I have been playing guitar since I was 12 years old after seeing Eddie Van Halen play his song “Little Guitars” and I haven’t stopped since. I began performing six months after I started learning to play, and by the time I was 14, I was endorsed by PRS Guitars and was performing with various bands all over Las Vegas. I left public school at 15 to tour the U.S., and while I was on the road, I graduated high school through an online program to be able to continue working and get my diploma.
At 16, I was signed to my first record deal with SYCO/SONY Records by Simon Cowell and Louis Tomlinson of One Direction. Unfortunately, at 18 I was diagnosed with a very rare and life-threatening blood disorder called, “Severe Aplastic Anemia,” and was forced to take a hiatus of about a year to focus on my health as I was too weak to play at the time while I was doing treatments. After I had recovered enough to be able to function on my own again, I began playing guitar for various shows and artists and was also recently voted as one of Jammcard’s “20 Under 20” list. Some of these include: Chloe x Halle, Pink Sweat$, The Game Awards, I Am King (The Michael Jackson Experience), Red Dead Redemption 2 – Live, and others. I can also be seen performing with some of these artists on the Late Late Show with James Corden, The MTV TV & Movie Awards, Jimmy Kimmel and more.
I am currently endorsed by PRS Guitars, C.R. Alsip Guitars, Ultimate Ears, FU-Tone, Levy’s, and Gator Cases. I definitely plan on releasing music of my own in the future and am very excited.
What is your definition of tone, and how has it changed over the years?
My definition of tone translates to the soul and character of your playing achieved by combining the style of how you play and your instrument’s EQs. I believe that your tone is one of the most important aspects of playing. My perception of tone is constantly changing. When I first began playing guitar (and other instruments), I didn’t pay much attention to it because I didn’t really know what it was or how it affected the music. I just knew what I liked and what I didn’t. Over time, by constantly listening and studying different genres of music and different players, I began to realize how crucial it affected the actual soul of the notes or chords being played and noticed that tone was one of the key aspects of giving a song or a player its identity.
Which guitars, amps, and pedals are you currently using and why?
I am currently playing PRS Guitars. I have been since I was 12 and became one of their artists when I was 14. I was inspired by female guitarist, Orianthi, to pick up a PRS specifically because I had idolized her when I was first learning to play being that she was the first female guitarist I had ever seen. I am also using Orange Amps. I use the Rockerverb 50w MKIII amp head combined with any 4×12 Orange cabinet when I’m performing live and the Crush Pro CR60 when I’m home. These amps combined with any of my PRS guitars and a little bit of reverb give me a beautiful wholesome tone that still cuts through without having too much low end. As for my pedals, I like to keep my pedalboard very simple and to the point. My board currently consists of the TC Electronic PolyTune 3, an Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, the Fulltone Full-Drive3, an Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail, and the MXR M292 Carbon Copy Deluxe Analog Delay.
Are there certain recording techniques you prefer in the studio?
In the studio, the one thing I sometimes prefer doing while recording guitars is to mic out a live amp instead of going direct but even then, it just depends on the style of guitar needed. If it’s just to track an idea, I’ll record on my phone out loud and sometimes that can sound pretty good too. In the end, I don’t HAVE to do it one way or another because different songs call for different sounds and characters. If it sounds good, it sounds good.
How do you keep your sound consistent onstage?
Keeping my sound consistent on stage can occasionally be tough. Sometimes, backlines can be inconsistent and you have to make whatever amp you get work. Other factors can alter a sound as well like the size of the room, the amount of people inside of it, the shapes of different venues, how it’s treated, etc. The only way I know how to try and keep my sound as consistent as possible is by using my ears and making adjustments on the amps/pedal’s EQs as I soundcheck until it gets to a place that I am happy with.
What does your practice consist of?
My practice consists of playing and jamming over songs that I like. I use my ears to learn everything and then just go over it as many times as it takes until it feels natural to play. I learn new techniques and styles by listening to and playing over different styles/genres of music when I’m at home. Learning songs I like makes practicing really interesting and fun.
What is your advice for young women who hope to work in the music industry?
My advice for any young woman interested in working in the music industry is to be fearless. ALWAYS remember your worth and know that if this is what you want to do, then no one in this world can stop you. Continue to push yourself past your comfort zone and do things outside of what you think your boundaries are. Stay true to yourself and your character, make good decisions, nurture your mental health and always put the music first. When your love for music outweighs anything else, you will be unstoppable.
