“Each [ONA] track brings a new lens to the female experience: from prophesies disbelieved, to resistance, to sexuality, to awareness of mother earth herself.” - Forbes
“…a jazz singer with a global perspective…” - The New York Times
CURRENT PROJECTS
ONA
Ona se bori, nikad neće se dati! The opening lines of the title track from Thana Alexa’s GRAMMY®-nominated album ONA are a battle cry and a mantra. This fearless incantation, in the language of Alexa’s heritage, translates to, She fights, She'll never give in.
This awe-inspiring vocalist and composer, arranger and producer— for whom the voice is both a lyrical and experimental instrument— has had her latest work consistently covered by major press outlets. She recently appeared on the cover of Downbeat, her official music video was premiered by Forbes leading up to the 2021 GRAMMY® awards, and her work as a co-founder of Live from Our Living Rooms was featured both in the Wall Street Journal and Rollings Stone.
This self-released album (March 2020) earned her two Grammy® nominations— Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Instrumental Jazz Solo for Regina Carter’s performance. ONA was inspired by the cross generational and cross-cultural stories of the immigrant women in her family and evolved into an exploration of the experiences of contemporary women everywhere. Its premise crystalized in 2017 after her attendance at the Women's March on Washington, D.C. after which she was inspired to learn more about the stories of the women in her own family and the influences that their life experiences have had on her own existence, growth and sense of freedom. The album speaks to us musically about every facet of womanhood, conveying a message of strength and empowerment. Her music plunges head-first into artist-activism while pushing the boundaries of the genre into new and unexplored territory with deep seeded roots in jazz and overtones of contemporary soul and world music.
BIO.
Surprising is the word that perhaps best describes Grammy® nominated and Downbeat cover artist, Thana Alexa, an extraordinarily creative force in music. An awe-inspiring vocalist, composer, arranger and producer – for whom the voice is both a lyrical and experimental instrument – her music pushes the boundaries of the genre into new and unexplored territory with deep seeded roots in jazz and overtones of contemporary soul and world music.
ONA has spawned more female-focused projects: Alexa, together with Grammy® nominated artist, Nicole Zuraitis and bassist, Julia Adamy formed SONICA, a trio that fuses electronics, three-part harmonies, electric bass, keyboards and percussion into their unique original music and arrangements. Their upcoming release - fully produced, mixed and engineered by Alexa - will be out in September 2022 on Outside In Music. Alexa also created the project Founding Mothers of Jazz in conjunction with MusicTalks Concerts to celebrate and honor the powerhouse women who helped build the jazz genre from the ground up, many of whom are not historically recognized for their contributions because of their gender.
During the 2020 Coronavirus lock down, Alexa made headlines as a co-founder of what Rolling Stone called the first “virtual jazz festival” and fundraising initiative, Live From Our Living Rooms. Over the course of their three series (including a partnership with the DC Jazz Festival to present their FromHome series), Alexa, together with co-founders Owen Broder and Sirintip, contracted over 120 artists, raised over $140,000, and helped facilitate grants to over 80 US based musicians in need. Live From Our Living Rooms received attention from Rolling Stone, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the BBC, and more. Live From Our Living Rooms became an official 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2021, with Alexa serving as its Executive Director.
TOURING CONFIGURATIONS
Quartet
Quintet
ONA - 4-5 musicians
TOUR DATES.