Alex Hart started her musical journey during school when she started learning the acoustic guitar when she was 14 years old. In an interview with Plymouth Culture, she describes singing and performing to be her main passion since her school days. Her vocal talents were noticed by producer Neil Stainton who helped hone her talent while also producing and co-writing her debut album “On this Day.” After her debut album, she was approached by Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre to perform vocals and world tours with his solo project and has been an active member of the line-up so far. She also works closely with another well-known voice in the British folk scene, Seth Lakeman. She tours extensively with Seth Lakeman as a duo or trio.
Alex Hart draws on British folk’s lyrics-first approach to songwriting. and filters it through contemporary songwriting and production. Keen listeners can spot medieval music elements, like the use of the fiddle, the bouzouki, as well as up-beat drumlines that are a staple in British in Alex Hart’s music. What makes Alex Hart unique is that she sits at the crossroads between British folk and Americana. She stays rooted to British tradition while embracing the expansiveness of Americana music. While she mainly focuses on vocal performance, Alex Hart is known to play guitars and Banjo in her live shows and recordings.
Alex Hart’s contributions to British folk have been featured radio shows and have received critical recognitions such as:
- Her cover of Angie Stone’s “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You” alongside Electronic Youth reched No.2 in the Music Week Dance Charts and was supported by Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1.
- Her song with Seth Lakeman “Higher We Aspire” received significant support from BBC Radio 2. She also performed the song on BBC Breakfast.
- Praised from The Guardian as “Set to make a global impact.”
Alex Hart’s latest album “Visions” is the culmination of all of her different collaborations while still preserving her perspective on the British folk genre. The iconic progressive guitar playing of Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre can be heard on the song “Strangers and Lovers”. “Vision” stays true to the British folk genre especially with Seth Lakeman’s performances. These collaborations were aimed to elevate the instrumentation while keeping Alex Hart’s original songwriting at the core of the record. Lyrically, the album is a collection of empowering songs about feeling powerful and overcoming hardships. In her own words, each song tells a story about certain times of her life.
