Mini Trees
Lexi Vega aka Mini Trees reveals new single “Want Me To Stay”.
Co-written with Jon Joseph, the new single is about a past unrequited love.
Inspired by the likes of Justin Vernon and Sufjan Stevens, the LA-based artist released her first single “Take It Back” in 2018. Followed by her first project Steady Me released in 2019, the musician created a solid audience across the US. Her song “Thinking Of” garnered over 100k streams on Spotify.
Exploring topics like self-acceptance and happiness, Mini Trees’s second EP Slip Away is set to be released on May 29th.
“Want Me To Stay” is now available on major streaming platforms.
Photo credit: Shabnam Ferdowsi
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
My name is Lexi and I'm a musician based in Los Angeles with a little indie pop project called Mini Trees. I started the project about two years ago after bringing some of the music I had been writing to my friend and producer Jon Joseph, and since then we've worked together on a handful of releases including another EP that will be out at the end of this month.
Could you describe us your childhood a little bit?
I was raised by musician parents so for as long as I can remember music has been an integral part of my life. My dad was on tour a lot which meant that we got to travel to see him play, and I grew up thinking that a lifestyle built around music was fairly normal. I started picking up instruments for myself in elementary school and from then on I always belonged to some kind of band.
If you could say something to your younger self, what would you say?
I think I'd say to just be patient, because I was always so eager to grow up so I could play more. I remember being a very angsty 13 year old who wanted to quit school so I could go on tour with my screamo band at the time. I'd probably also tell myself to practice more.
What did your experience as a drummer teach you as an artist and performer?
As a drummer I was taught to always think about what would best compliment and support the song, and otherwise kinda fade into the background. Even though at a Mini Trees show I stand at the front of the stage, I still feel like a drummer who would rather be in the shadows, especially every time I talk into the microphone.
What gave you the confidence to be an artist and release your original music?
At some point I just sort of decided that it was worth trying out, and if I didn't like how it felt to share something that personal I would just stop. It was definitely scary to start putting my music out there, but I knew I would regret it if I never gave it a real shot.
Who was the first person to ever believe in you?
Since I grew up with a lot of musical people in my life, I've been lucky enough to have always had supportive family members and friends around who encouraged me to play and write. I think with Mini Trees in particular, there were a few close friends who I first showed my demos to who really encouraged me to pursue it. Extra grateful for them.
"Want Me To Stay" is your new single - what's the story behind this song?
At a very basic level it's a song about unrequited love from my past, and a relationship that was emotionally draining because I knew they'd never share the same feelings, but would often take advantage of the feelings I had for them. So while I knew it wasn't good for me and always wanted to move on, I'd find myself running back at any chance to be near them and to humor the thought of, maybe this time they'll finally have feelings for me.
Could you describe us the songwriting/production process? Who helped you create it?
The songwriting and production process is typically just Jon Joseph and me. For this song and most of the releases so far, I brought a bedroom demo into the studio and Jon and I worked out the arrangement and tracked all the instruments, with the exception of the clarinets, which were tracked by a talented guy named Max Kaplan.
What did you feel when writing this song?
It's always a little nerve-racking to write a song that's melancholy and vulnerable because I tend to worry about what people will think of me when they hear it. But at the same time there's some sense of relief because it feels like I'm able to get those thoughts out of my mind and take the power out of them a little. I also always hope that my writing can be relatable to others, since I've always found a lot of comfort in other people's music.
What do you like the most about this song?
When we first started working on this song I had a really hard time seeing how it fit in and thought I would scrap it. I think it sat on the back burner for a while before I tried picking it up again and rewriting a lot of the melodies, and at that point I started to get excited about introducing a song that kinda challenged the Mini Trees sound that we had established so far, which is probably what I like most about it.
What made you want to release "Want Me To Stay" as a single?
After releasing Slip Away, which is a much more bubbly and upbeat track, I wanted to release something downtempo, more on the other side of the spectrum. The EP ranges in mood and energy, so I wanted to capture a little of that with the two singles.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
The artwork was designed by a talented artist named Alice Henry. When we had first brought Alice on to work on it, I didn't have much direction for the art and kinda let her do her thing. I've always been drawn to line art illustration and neutral colors, so I appreciate how Alice's vision challenged me to try some bolder, brighter colors, and mixed media. I feel like she really captured the mood of the songs in a really cool and beautiful visual way.
What can you tell us about your upcoming EP?
Slip Away is my second 5-track EP and it'll be out on May 29th. Thematically this one wrestles with ideas around self acceptance and was born out of a time of having a lot of inner conflict that I hadn't been dealing with, so it kinda touches on a lot of things related to mental health. Sonically, I think Slip Away fits in well with our past releases but also feels a little more mature. Maybe that's just because of the woodwinds though!
What biggest lesson have you learned since your very first release?
To allow myself to get excited about little wins, and appreciate the fact that even one person is listening and can relate to my music in some way. I think it's easy for those things to get overshadowed by the things that don't work out (and there are a lot of those).
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
I definitely don't have a comprehensive answer for this, but I think we can always start with trying to listen to and understand each other's unique experiences.
What message do you want to give to the world?
Take care of yourselves during this super weird time and whatever you're feeling each day is okay! We will get through :)
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