Lexa Gates is a singer/songwriter, rapper, and producer from Queens, New York, who has gained attention for her deeply introspective and raw songwriting that blends multiple genres. Starting her musical journey by composing melodies at age nine, she began self-releasing tracks on SoundCloud around 2019, often working out of her own DIY basement studio. Her sound is frequently described as having a nostalgic, somber, and laid-back essence, drawing comparisons to artists like Mac Miller and Amy Winehouse. Gates effortlessly moves between sung and rapped sections, utilizing stream-of-consciousness, diaristic lyrics that speak to existential dread and the mundane realities of life. Her breakthrough came with the 2023 single “Angel” and her debut album on a major label, Elite Vessel (2024), which helped solidify her presence as a rising, genre-fusing force in hip-hop.
