A couple dances in the background while someone plays the trumpet, her yellow dress captured in the movement. Dollar notes lie scattered on the floor. This image is just one of the nine pictures featured on Forward Ever, the new record by Londoner rapper Lex Amor.
“Each song has a corresponding picture. They have different interpretations but all tell a story of London,” Lex Amor tells me through the background noise of a bustling coffee shop reaching me over our call. London is her home, a city that has profoundly influenced her music and her life. “It is the contact lens through which I see the world. It’s how I understand art and navigate life through that lens.” She dedicated it as an „ode to the city“.
Becoming More Intentional
Lex Amor humbly describes herself as a “participant on the sidelines,” she has brought other musicians together, such as during the “Lex Amor + Friends” event with Boiler Room x MXQ. Not only being influenced by the city but also leaving a mark on this city’s music scene. “Music comes as a reflection of where I am in life,” the artist says with a smile.
Her previous album, Government Tropicana, was released four years ago—a period during which she grew both as a person and an artist. “I didn’t know what being an artist meant or how to act.” In those years, her perspective on the world shifted, and her circle became closer to her belief system. “I am more introspective and intentional now.”
When I ask Lex Amor what inspired her to create this new album, she pauses for a second. “Music is my walking stick that helps me navigate.” I can’t help but smile. What a poetic way to look at music. It perfectly suits the album’s title, Forward Ever—a testament to continuous movement, and overcoming obstacles with music as a constant companion.
“Whether you like it or not, every day you see and learn more. It’s about the process of doing that intentionally. You have to go with the flow of life so it doesn’t go against you.”
Maintaining Peace of Mind
The album opens with the song “SUN4RAIN,” starting with strong drums and Lex Amor’s distinctive vocals. The corresponding picture shows a boy climbing on a playground, gazing up at the sky as three jet-like lights fall down, leaving trails of smoke behind. In the song, she sings about the importance of keeping peace of mind amid all distractions.
I ask her how she manages to achieve that—if it’s even possible in today’s music industry. “It’s not impossible, but it’s difficult being in this system. It’s almost a contradiction to make music authentically. You need to focus on the goal of creating music, on making the best thing you can make. The only way to do it is peacefully.” Peacefulness isn’t the only pillar for Lex Amor—joy is equally important.
“Joy is revolutionary. Joy is everybody’s natural state. We are all born to be loving and spread joy. Love despite everything.”
Blessed
The album’s final track, “SUPER BLESSED,” is accompanied by an image of a building struck by a ray of light within an almost dark sky like an epiphany. The song’s lyrics feel intimate, touching on writer’s block. Lex Amor says, “I wrote this song during a writer’s block. It helped to resist the resistance, being prepared to relinquish. I was just writing to unblock. It’s about the strength in the purpose of life during the most confused moments. You look back and see a thread of purpose, how winning different battles in life forced me to grow stronger.” Almost making herself forget those battles by the strength and joyfulness she sends out she says: “It takes less to overcome struggles now.”
Another factor that has helped Lex Amor find purpose is her belief in a higher power. Growing up with a religious background, her faith in godly energy has been a recurring theme in her earlier music videos and lyrics. Though her religious beliefs have evolved into a broader spirituality, this faith still impacts her music and „makes life easier“.
Heart and Lungs
The noise in the coffee shop is growing quieter as we come to a close. The artist ends on a grateful note: “The desire for community and joy and love pulled me back to make music. It is me calling myself to my natural state.”
Lex Amor seems content—with her art, her life, and the journey she’s on. As the screen goes dark, I turn on “SUPER BLESSED” and hear her sing, “My heart and lungs I trusted in each.”, hear her faith in music, joy, and life itself.
All photos by Jolade Olusanya.
“Forward Ever” by Lex Amor is out now via Modern Oak. Stay up to date with the artist via her Instagram.