Artists

When you’ve grown up with music as your best friend, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll end up working with it in some capacity. For Alex Mills it’s an all-encompassing creative outlet that she channels her soul into, through multiple avenues. A highly accomplished singer-songwriter, DJ and producer, Alex embodies a lifelong love and passion for music in everything she does. From lending her unique vocals to a slew of dance music hits, to DJing for some of the world’s most influential brands, she’s a creative force of nature. Her deep knowledge and understanding of the dance floor, combined with her positive demeanour, natural talent and experience as a raver, are cornerstones of a glittering career. Gigs with Defected and Lovejuice, plus releases with heavyweights like Hot Since 82, Sonny Fodera, Todd Edwards, Solardo and many more, have established Alex as a formidable artist. As she continues to build on her reputation, Alex maintains the same vibrant energy and boundless creativity that got her here in the first place… During her formative years in multicultural Chapeltown in Leeds, Alex was exposed to a wide range of musical styles, from the dub and reggae at blues parties hosted at her mum’s house, to house music through friends in her adolescent years. Naturally, from the age of 8, she started to sing, becoming a fully fledged raver in her teens and, along with her sister Georgia (also a successful DJ), getting involved in Leeds’ vibrant club scene. Georgia began to DJ, and Alex would often join her to sing during her sets. These formative years laid down the blueprint for the Alex Mills we see today, multifaceted, with a knowledge and appreciation of a variety of styles and genres, always with a focus on soul, good energy and positive vibes. Over the past couple of decades, Alex has fully embraced her natural talent for singing and performing. Some of her earliest work was with grime crew Roll Deep on their 2005 album In At The Deep End. Over the following years, she experienced the typical rollercoaster that is the music business, with ups, downs, twists and turns eventually taking her into the heart of the early 2010s house revival in the UK. A standout from this era was the seminal Hot Creations release ‘Something Special’. Working with artists like Hot Since 82 and No Artificial Colours helped establish Alex’s unique voice in a thriving scene and she was soon receiving requests from across the community, working with Joey Negro, Basement Jaxx and a variety of other prominent acts. With each project it was Alex’s vocal ability, and songwriting, that gave the resulting music its distinct character and vibrancy. In the years since that period, Alex’s presence has been intrinsic to the success of a wide range of releases from high-profile acts like Camelphat, Sonny Fodera, Chris Lorenzo, Lee Foss and a dream-come-true collab with Todd Edwards, among others. With tracks such as ‘Worst Enemy’ and ‘Shout It Back’, with GotSome, both being named Hottest Record In The World on BBC Radio 1, she was also labelled the ‘Producer’s Choice’ by Mixmag. Alex has also taken part in songwriting camps across the globe in London, Ibiza, Los Angeles, Paris and Frankfurt, bringing together international talent to create unique records that span the electronic spectrum. She is a go-to voice for renowned producers, bringing flair and originality to their music, whether it’s deep and underground, or leaning into more commercial territory. In more recent years Alex has had the opportunity to showcase her skills as a selector. She picked up a few tips from her sister, while also being encouraged to follow her own path. This helped her to develop her own style, initially playing at a members club in Soho before being given an opportunity by Sonny Fodera to play on a livestream during lockdown, where Alex began to carve out a new path as a DJ. A gig at Warehouse Project with Sonny led to being booked at Parklife, which in turn led to her connection with Wez Saunders of Defected, and subsequent gigs with the powerhouse label. Parallel to this, she also landed bookings with London brand Lovejuice, where she cultivated a reputation for uplifting and energetic performances, rooted in her love for soulful house and vocals. At shows for Defected and their offshoot D4d4nce, Lovejuice and other shows, Alex can often be seen performing her own songs live during her sets, adding a whole other dimension to her performances and forming a powerful connection with ravers’ hearts around the world. Her sets bring together various elements; soul, rhythm, bass, and that all important energetic component, a feeling, that is universal and intangible. As a result of her spellbinding performances, Alex has landed shows at Glastonbury and bookings at iconic spaces such as Brixton Academy, Koko, Drumsheds, Depot Cardiff, and Ushuaia, Ocean Beach and Pikes Ibiza, even playing in front of 65,000 people for the NFL’s UK game (Minnesota Vikings VS New York Jets) at Tottenham Hotspur’s north London stadium. The success of releases like Whitney Houston cover ‘Million Dollar Bill’ and ‘Sensation’ reinforced Alex’s rep as a first-rate singer-songwriter but, alongside her ascension as a respected selector, she hasn’t stopped there. In her spare time she’s been learning how to produce, making edits and original tracks, creating another avenue for her boundless self-expression. Her edit of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Chain Of Fools’ has had widespread support with tastemakers like Danny Howard and Arielle Free, among those playing it in their sets. With so much creative output at her disposal and an innate determination to keep moving forward, Alex has set herself up for a continued rise to the very top. Whether she’s in the studio laying down vocals for another hit dance record, cooking up some banging beats of her own or blazing up the dance floor at one of her DJ gigs, you can guarantee it’s fueled by love, care and passion for the music above all else…