Yansi Alexavier, A Phenom in the Making
“With a vision, a lot of grit and a bit of luck, you can really make anything happen. There were so many people that were completely convinced that something like Listening Room could never happen in Toronto, but then we made it happen again and again, and every negative assumption made about ceilings or possibility were just proved wrong at every corner. ”
“Stevie (Wonder), Frank Ocean…Drake…Teddy Riley, J Dilla, Babyface…D’Angelo…My influences are a little all over the place because of the different realms of music that I’ve spent time in, spaces and genres I’ve occupied.”
When you listen to Yansi Alexavier speak, a few things quickly present themselves. His thoughtful manner of speaking, be it about himself, his friends, his music and his love of music; his varied nature, as a multi-faceted, multi-instrumental musician-writer-producer, his multicultural background, present in his personality and personability with others, his range of influences, from the writing prowess of a Stevie Wonder, to the business acumen of an L.A. Reid; his ambitious and strong driven nature belied by a relaxed and peaceful looking exterior, yet felt with every depth imaginable, through the force of execution in his music, performed, produced or written.
To know Yansi is to know his love for people and community; paired with an excruciatingly detailed, wrestled-with level of self-awareness, listening to him speak about himself feels like peering into spaces too personal for an interviewer to access. Behind his growth as an artist, from his first keyboard in the first grade, to the trumpet in the second; from writing lyrics for neighbourhood heroes to perform, to gracing the big stages himself; and now back to the keyboard, the pen and paper, in a way that showcases a deeply resonant and encompassing feel and understanding for the landscape of musicality, a personable nature and a love for fostering friendships and community have been the engine. The Listening Room, an idea that evolved into a cultural touchstone in Toronto, proves this to be true.
“I think the (one of the) biggest things that Listening Room taught me about the city’s music scene especially is that Toronto is special man… I can honestly say that the musical talent in this city, especially for R&B and adjacent genres is extraordinary.”
Yansi didn't grow up in Toronto. To put it in his words, “I lived in 3 different cities before I even stepped foot in Toronto for the first time.” Yet when you hear him speak about the city, about its artists, its atmosphere, its music, and what Toronto means to him, you’d be forgiven for thinking he was born within the walls of St. James Cathedral; there is a love for this city that can be felt as powerful as any love can be. His latest project identifies with that strong bond and connection, right from the title.
Titled 3!5 (315), after his home address in the city, the album, like its title, acts as a prism, reflecting through it all the traits and cultures that have come to define the man and the city of Toronto. To hear him speak about the place and the atmosphere it had while making this album felt warm and very special at the same time.
“3!5 was the place where we broke bread together, wrote together, listened to music together and spoke about what we want for music, our lives, and our careers.”
The album’s lead single, which is out now, “Moments”, features his friend and collaborator, the beautifully voiced Orit. The song pulls you in through its dark, droning & melancholic bassline, and accompanies you through its waters with a siren song so sweet, the contrast wells up emotions in you that may not have been present at all before listening. The multicultural nature of the city of Toronto and its soundscape is fully present across the album too; Yansi is of Bahamian descent, Orit is Ethiopian, and there are many others from all cultures across the globe, present and showcasing their unique sound through the focused lens of Yansi’s production and vision.
So let's talk to the man. We sat with Yansi and discussed in more depth his musical upbringing, his love for people, connecting them through music, his love for the city, and his plans to showcase the city’s unique sound to the world, starting with this album, and starting always, at the 3!5.
Beyond Culture: Tell us about the first instrument you ever picked up. From that moment, how long did it take for you to know this would be your instrument of choice?
Yansi Alexavier: The first instrument I ever picked up was keys; my dad had gotten me a small Casio keyboard in first grade, and shortly after, the trumpet had come into the picture in 2nd grade. The trumpet definitely took center stage from early because as kid, it was just more exciting, and I got more opportunities to play using the trumpet. But I think when I began to see the big picture with music keys started to become the instrument of choice because of how all-encompassing it is. If you think about it, all of Western music is in front of you with that instrument, just a matter of figuring it out yk (you know)?
In the world of music, who are your biggest influences? How do these influences and the overall history of music impact the way you play, write, and produce music today?
My influences are a little all over the place because of the different realms of music that I’ve spent time in—spaces and genres I’ve occupied, but because of that, I typically like to put them in different categories
So for writing (lyrically), I’d definitely say Stevie, Frank Ocean, Babyface, Linda Creed, Dallas Austin and Drake definitely had the biggest influence on me writing-wise. With each of those names, I’d really sit with their lyrics and try to recreate the feelings that their writing styles were able to convey.
For playing, I’d definitely put Miles Davis up top there; Roy Hargrove is another strong influence. Thelonious Monk, James Poyser, and Doobie Powell are few others that had a big impact on my keys playing especially.
For production and honestly, arranging too, Gamble & Huff, Thom Bell, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Teddy Riley, J Dilla, Babyface, and L.A. Reid all had major impacts on my approach to production but, honestly, music in general and how to approach the business side of things.
D’Angelo, if I had to give another name that didn’t really fit under any category because he was a major influence with every category really.
Listening Room has become a cultural pillar in the city. Having played over 100 of those live shows, what has it taught you about the city's cultural scene? Did it teach you anything about yourself?
I think the two biggest things that Listening Room taught me about the city’s music scene especially, is that Toronto is special man. I lived in 3 different cities before I even stepped foot in Toronto for the first time, and I can honestly say that the musical talent in this city, especially for R&B and adjacent genres is extraordinary. It got to a point where I became almost unmoved by the greatest musicians and vocalists that your everyday music listener would come across because it was just so common to hear that level of musical expertise.
The second biggest thing it taught me is that, with a vision, a lot of grit and a bit of luck, you can really make anything happen. There were so many people that were completely convinced that something like Listening Room could never happen in Toronto, but then we made it happen again and again, and every negative assumption made about ceilings or possibility were just proved wrong at every corner.
Listening Room taught me a lot about myself, but I think the most important thing it taught me was that as an Artist, if I’m not continuing to grow or reach new heights, I won’t really be able to be at peace with that. So each musical/working relationship that I have will have to reflect that constant need for artistic and musical growth if it’s to remain healthy and prosperous.
You've spent years on stage as a multi-instrumentalist; what made you want to shift and focus on writing and producing?
I like to think that artistry works in seasons. There’s seasons for isolation, reflection, study and perfection of the craft, and there’s also seasons for working together, being in the mix, and showcasing the work, and in my case, showcasing the work on a stage. So to me it’s really just a cycle. There was a time before the super stage-focused season of my artistry in my mid teens where I would just stay in the crib and write all day and get kids in the neighbourhood to play what I wrote. So this season that I’m in now isn't exactly new, but just another round in a cycle that I’ve been in for some time now. I think I learned what I had to learn from that season musically and personally, but now I think it’s time to put that stuff on wax and contribute to the art form in a meaningful way.
3!5 is described as nocturnal, emotional, introspective, and multi-cultural - how did those four words become the essence of the project? Can you share the meaning behind the EP title: 3!5? How did you choose the artists who feature on 3!5? Was there something specific you were looking for that fit the vision?
For the first three words, emotional, introspective, and nocturnal, I’d like to think that’s just a reflection of my own personality and the friendships that were essential to this body of work and the environment that surrounds us. Introspection, late-night drives after the studio and deep conversations about life and feelings, etc., are all kind of core aspects of those friendships, and they all kind of naturally make their way into the music. I’m not sure if anything else outside of those descriptions would be authentic to me or any of the 315 homies.
As for the word multi-cultural, I think it’s just another reflection of the city and the collaborators. Let’s take a song like “confidin” (which is my fav song on the project), where the lead vocalist and writer, Orit, is Ethiopian; the background vocal arranger/performer, Ineza, is Rwandan/Burundian; the co-producer is Ghanaian; the string arranger, Matt, is Korean; the mixing and mastering engineer Jad, is Lebanese; and the executive producer, myself, I’m Bahamian. Where else in the world can you have a mix of people like that who are all friends working together on a record from pretty different cultural backgrounds and influences, but at the same time influenced by the context of the culture of the city. The result is something truly special.
The title 3!5 (315) comes from the first 3 numbers of my address. I decided to title the EP that because not only was it the place where a good much of the project was written, but it also served as one of the central gathering places for the relationships that were essential to this project. 315 was the place where we broke bread together, wrote together, listened to music together and spoke about what we want for music, our lives, and our careers. So it seemed fitting to have 315 be the title.
The artists featured on 3!5 are all friends of mine that I’ve made throughout my music journey. I’m really attracted to great minds and even greater people, so after crossing paths with a lot of different musicians and artists in the scene, these folks were not only the ones that stuck out to me creatively but also just stayed solid as good friends. Each of them have their own specialty and bring a unique source of expertise in the music-making process that I can then put all together in a cohesive package to fit a certain vision for the music.
What do you believe is the current state of Toronto’s R&B scene? (e.g., is it overlooked? thriving? Etc.). Looking ahead, what do you hope Toronto's R&B scene looks like in 5–10 years? And what impact do you hope 3!5 can have in unlocking that potential?
I think Toronto's R&B scene is a scene that is full of potential and talent that has yet to be fully realized. Artistically, I think we’re in a pretty good place, but there’s always a level that's a step further that I believe we can reach, especially commercially. All of the elements are there, but I think we just need a little bit of a spark and shift in the work culture here to really get stuff moving.
5-10 years from now, I want Toronto to be the R&B capital of North America. Then, pretty soon after that, the world (just gotta get through those UK folks; they’re pretty hard to beat haha) and I wholeheartedly believe that we can accomplish that.
The impact that I want 3!5 and its future volumes to have, is just a culture of quality and undeniable records rooted in musicianship that permeates the sound of recorded music in this city. I also want these drops to show people that it can be done here yk. That you don’t need to go to some writing camp in LA or Atlanta or wherever else; you can make better more unique records right in your backyard.
Words: Okwura Okorocha
Interviewer: Yves Tambwe
Photography: Courtesy of Yansi Alexavier
