Alexandra King

Alexandra King has spent most of her life behind a microphone, guitar in hand, playing pubs across New York and Ireland, where her raw, honest songwriting comes alive. Growing up surrounded by music, it’s no surprise that she’s now in Nashville, diving into co-writing sessions with just about anyone she can find in the city. But her path wasn’t without hurdles. After overcoming a life-altering accident, it was her deep love for music that helped her pull through. Now, with her heart on her sleeve and unstoppable determination, she’s ready to make her mark on the music scene.

Alexandra’s debut single “Chasing Rainbows” (released August 9), along with her upcoming tracks “17th of October” (out October 18) and “I’d Be Lying” (out November 15), showcase her gift for heartfelt storytelling. Often centering on the theme of finding happiness beyond love, she embraces her independence, letting her heart lead the way.

“Chasing Rainbows” was inspired by a soul-searching drive along the country roads of Ireland, where rainbows appeared in the sky at every turn. “I just kept on driving blindly towards a rainbow and said to myself wow this is sort of emblematic of what I’m doing with my life post- accident,” she says. “I’m chasing this dream that may never be attainable and is seemingly far off in the distance still, but despite that reality, I have something driving me and fueling me to chase this dream and goal because I have hope.”

Her acoustic single “17th of October” captures the bittersweet emotions that come with birthdays — reflecting on getting older, noticing the changes around you, and feeling the pressure to be joyful on that special day. “I miss when my brain only thought about the happiness of the day and which kind of cake I’d like,” she jokes.

The introspective track “I’d Be Lying” explores the realization that a relationship is over before it's officially finished. During a co-writing session, Alexandra found herself pouring out her feelings about wanting to end her long-term relationship, triggered by a simple question about her relationship status. In that moment, she recognized that it needed to end, despite her reluctance, as the red flags were too numerous to ignore, and she was unhappy with the future ahead if she stayed. Alexandra’s honest songwriting offers a glimpse into her life, though these tracks only scratch the surface of her journey.

The summer of 2020 marked a turning point as COVID-19 disrupted lives everywhere. For Alexandra, it was particularly significant: she had just completed her second year of law school, with an internship at the Bronx District Attorney’s office lined up and plans to move to Nashville the following year to pursue music. While swimming with friends, Alexandra dove into a pool, unaware of its shallow depth, and struck her head. This accident caused a cervical spinal cord injury, leaving her unable to move the right side of her body. “I kept asking for reassurance that I would be fine, but none was given,” Alexandra recalls of her hospital experience. “It was a rush to the operating room, and the surgeons weren’t optimistic. They warned I might become a quadriplegic.”

“When I woke up, I could wiggle my right hand and toes a bit. I realized I wasn’t going to be fully paralyzed, and that felt like a win at the time,” she reflects. The following week in the ICU was filled with heartbreak and resilience. Limited visitation due to the pandemic made things tougher, along with the difficult decision to cancel her internship. Yet, she remained determined not to give up on herself. “The OTs brought in a keyboard, and I had my dad bring my guitar,” Alexandra recalls. “I couldn’t hold a pick or press the keys, but with persistence, I kept practicing these skills and eventually regained the ability to do both. In those four white walls of the hospital, I knew I would get healthy

enough to move to Nashville and pursue my true passion. I refused to let this break me; instead, it became my making.”

For three months, she juggled outpatient therapies while completing her law school studies. Despite everyone urging her to take a break, she was resolute about not postponing her move to Music City. “My mom drove me to and from appointments for a while, and then I started driving myself,” she explains. “On the way back, I would log onto my Trust and Estates class virtually and prepare for my in-person Criminal Law class that evening. I was determined to finish school, pass the bar, and get to Tennessee.”

In January 2022, she loaded her car — complete with lemons stuffed in her boots for celebratory lemon drop martinis upon arrival — and cranked up Maren Morris as she took the exit ramp into Nashville, finally realizing her dream. Alexandra beams, “I finally made it. The uphill battle of the music scene was just beginning, but after everything I went through, I knew I had the strength to face whatever came my way.”

For those who know her, Alexandra’s determination to reach Music City was no surprise. Her parents met through music, and it was clear she was destined to be a musician even before she was born. “They bought me a piano before I was born, hoping that if I couldn’t sing, at least I could play something!” she laughs. As luck would have it, she began singing as soon as she could talk and joined her dad’s band by age seven. This sparked a deep love for Irish culture, especially during annual trips to County Leitrim and Westmeath to visit family. “I’d join in a few tunes during our pub crawls, but I really loved learning from seasoned performers who seemed born with instruments in their hands. Their talent inspired me to hone my craft even more,” she explains.

Alexandra’s music reflects her journey, from the joyful moments of singing Celtic hymns with her family to the struggle of reclaiming her life. She aims to share her story with as many people as possible, hoping

to highlight the importance of perseverance. Alexandra concludes, “I want to move people — help them through whatever they’re facing because I’ve seen the magic of music and experienced it firsthand. I’ll wear my heart on my sleeve and be as honest as I can, so they can relate and understand that life isn’t always butterflies and roses — but we have to keep going anyway. If my music can help anyone, I can lay my head on the pillow at night with a smile.”