OTS Magazine is proud to present an exclusive interview with Korean-American artist, producer, and performer AleXa, whose fearless approach to music, identity, and creative freedom continues to redefine the landscape of global pop.

This editorial brings together an exceptional international creative team, with beauty creative direction by Esteban Villanueva, makeup by Stefan Rogo using MAC Cosmetics, and hair by Adam Lukacs using IOMI and Maria Nila. Together, they create a striking visual narrative that reflects AleXa's bold artistry, individuality, and ever-evolving creative vision.

From winning NBC's American Song Contest to captivating European audiences through Melodifestivalen 2026, AleXa has continued to break boundaries across music, fashion, and culture. As a Korean-American artist navigating multiple identities and industries, she represents a new generation of creatives whose careers transcend borders while remaining deeply authentic.

In this exclusive conversation with OTS Magazine, AleXa reflects on creative freedom, identity, women's empowerment, global artistry, and the lessons she's learned while building a career entirely on her own terms.

Honest, empowering, and refreshingly candid, this interview offers readers an intimate glimpse into the woman behind the music and the exciting new era she's now embracing.

When I really think about every major event, performance, and achievement that I’ve gone through in my career, I feel like the biggest moment that brought forth any substantial change was definitely doing the American Song Contest back in 2022. While it was an American broadcast centered around a European competition, I finally garnered attention back in Korea, where I live, and I truly felt seen as an “idol” for the first time in my career.

Winning ASC was such an enormous achievement for me, and there was so much love and support and many positive outcomes that came from participating in the program. Through my experience in the show, and from what came after as well, I will say that I learned that attention is fleeting; you need to make the most of the spotlight while it’s on you before it starts to fade.

I've always considered myself a bit of an outsider my entire life, never really blending in or belonging to one specific group. To this day, I’d say that sentiment still rings true – about my music and me. I feel like there’s no specific niche that I fit into. My mother, who is Korean but was adopted at a young age, had never really been in touch with her heritage, so despite my coming from a mixed background, I never felt “Korean” growing up. When I moved to Korea and got properly introduced to the language and culture, that’s when I began to feel more in touch with my roots. Even though I am mixed, I was perceived as Asian nearly my entire life by everyone around me, so having this weird disconnect between my appearance versus what/how I felt culturally was a huge identity clash for me. At the same time, I’m an American-born citizen but never really felt at “home” where I was born – Tulsa, Oklahoma. Coming to Korea, especially in the beginning, I felt all too culturally “American” and felt like such an outsider in my mother’s home country. I’ve learnt, adapted, and transformed over the years and feel so at home in Korea now. That being said, being thrust into the Swedish spotlight was another huge game changer that felt completely out of my comfort zone and really gave me a bit of an identity crisis again. I’m a Korean-American artist who debuted as a K-pop idol who’s now participating in a European competition that just happens to be Sweden’s most important pop culture event of the year. My multiverse of madness truly never ends, haha…

Back when I was actively promoting as an idol, my entire concept was based around the visuals, rather than the sound. The visuals came first, and the songs were written around those concepts. I truly enjoyed the hard-hitting and intense songs and choreographies that I got to perform in those early years, but it is truthfully hard to say that any of it felt organic. Nearly 95% of the music that was put out while I was under my former label was all provided, pre-written, and just thrown at me in the recording booth. I was rarely allowed to touch my songs, even just for lyric revisions. So now that I have complete and total freedom to try out whatever I want, it’s like I’m having a metaphorical fashion show – I get to walk the runway showcasing things I’ve always wanted to dip my toes into, sounds I’ve always liked, and lyricism that feels fun and true to myself and my life, finally.

At this point in my career, I refuse to not oversee nearly every single aspect of what goes into my artistry. Having no autonomy over myself for seven years unfortunately had a negative impact on my life, and I am trying my hardest to rectify, remedy, and rebirth myself in a way that will allow me to grow and flourish both as an artist and as a human being.

Participating in Melodifestivalen 2026 feels like the weirdest fever dream in the best way. Such an odd and unexpected turn of events with some of the most incredible people that I’ve ever had the chance to work with. I’m so grateful for my teams over at Kreation Music Rights & Sony Music. The folks in Sweden were definitely intrigued by my entry, to say the least, haha… I garnered an entire new fanbase that I never had even imagined. I’m so grateful to everyone who voted me through to the semifinals and who was supporting me every step of the way. Being able to meet Swedish fans in person, I can definitely say that they are a bit more shy and reserved than other fans, but the love and support is still ever present.

Many people see the entertainment industry as a competition at the end of the day – I refuse to see it as such. I don’t care if I’m the “best” or the most “famous”. I’m an artist because I love music and I love performing. Needing to have an ever-changing approach to your artistry is such a tiring way to navigate the industry – for me, I’m just doing what I want and having fun while making my dreams come true. It’s a blessing that I’ve been able to stay in the industry for as long as I have, and I’m only just now in the driver’s seat for the first time. I’m excited to see where my journey takes me.

Oh, no doubt about it. There were many moments throughout my career where I’d lost my confidence, my will to continue, my love and my passion for music and performing… Those moments truly felt like the deepest and darkest moments of my life. Thanks to my loving fans all around the world, who so kindly and generously give their support day in and day out, I had some positivity to reflect on during those negative times. I was also able to navigate out of that darkness because of my incredible friends. I’m someone who firmly believes that the company that you keep says a lot about you as a person. Sure, the internet may see shallow connections on social media, where celebrities follow each other and who they post, but it’s the connections that happen off-screen and the moments that you share with those people that can really be healing for the heart and mind.

I can only hope to see the future of the music industry being filled with more fearless and resilient artists. I want to see more people who reject authority, people who want to carve their own path, people who don’t care about the numbers, the brand deals, the “fame”… Artists who are passionate and refuse to let that flame die.

My fashion and aesthetic choices are ever-changing. I grew up heavily alternative, and I feel like that’s an obvious statement to make given my current appearance. The tattoos and piercings are here to stay. There are some days, however, when I want to seem softer and more digestible to the general public, and I wonder about how certain outfits would look without all my ink showing. Some days I want to dress hyperfeminine; some days I’m sitting in a masculine energy. Some days it’s alternative-forward looks with leather and spikes and hardware; other days I dress like a grandma who knits on a park bench every Tuesday afternoon. I’m all over the place – in so many aspects of my life, haha.

At the end of the day, I love every single song that I help create, and I can only hope that my fans do, too. Not everybody is going to like everything, but as long as somebody is listening to what I release, then that makes me happy. I want my fans to know that I’m having fun and I’m finally enjoying life as an artist.

I want nothing more than to see more badass women become prominent figures in the music world. We have such strong women in the industry right now who have all faced relentless criticism from the public but continue to be true to themselves and their artistry no matter what. I’m a HUGE fan of Megan Thee Stallion and everything that she stands for. She’s an entrepreneur; she’s a pioneer; she’s health-conscious; and she has accolades upon accolades for many achievements, both as herself and as an artist. I respect the hell out of her.

I would have to say Vivienne Westwood, hands down. I LOVE Vivienne Westwood. I was introduced to the brand in my teenage years through one of my favourite manga/anime, “Nana”. Teenage me could never afford it at the time, so it was always just a fantasy of mine, but now as a successful adult, I own so many iconic Vivienne pieces and am always looking to expand my collection.

I need to stop doubting myself. I’ve always been my biggest enemy, my biggest critic, and my own biggest hater. I do think a lot of it stems from external stress and negativity and pressure that I experienced over the last couple of years, but recently, I’ve stopped being so hard on myself. I still think critically and logically about every move that I make; nothing I say or do is ever approached with an “F-it" mindset, but I don’t worry myself sick anymore.

The Joys of Freedom and Living on My Own Time.

I originally came to Korea out of curiosity. I wanted to learn about the culture, study the language, and even try to learn how to make Korean cuisine. Acting was always my dream, but I needed to find stability first. During my time in Korea, I decided to shift majors from culinary arts to Mass Media and Communications. I enrolled at Korea University, where I studied camera work and acting. That is where I was introduced to the industry and that’s when I started working toward my childhood dream of becoming an actor. 

Learning Korean and gaining a deeper understanding of the Korean film industry helped guide me toward this path. After graduating, I made the decision to pursue it professionally and began training consistently, both on and off set. Living in Korea not only gave me more opportunities as an actor, it also reshaped how I approach the craft. Korea pushed me to become more adaptable, more observant, and more intentional as an actor. 

In the beginning it wasn’t easy to navigate the cultural and industry differences. Even though I had a high proficiency in Korean and understood the culture, set hierarchy and terminology were new to me. Over time, I started to understand how sets operated. I became more confident communicating in Korean and was able to adapt to what was required of me for each specific role and project. 

As I became more comfortable on set, I learned how to articulate my opinions about my character to the director and receive feedback more accurately than what a translator could provide. It was after I reached that level that I could really showcase my true self and build characters that felt real and authentic. Finding this balance allowed me more freedom to stay true to my craft.

When I first build a character and break down the script, I approach roles very differently for the Korean market versus the US market. When I receive a Korean script with English dialogue, I ask for the original Korean dialogue to accompany it. Then I compare both texts and if the translation feels too direct and lacks subtext or if it is off in tone then I will request to adjust the dialogue. The reason is to make sure my character is saying what is truly intended by the writer and so it matches the tone of the scene more accurately.

From there the process becomes universal and I approach the script exactly how I would approach any script. I break it down, memorize it, figure out my objective, obstacle, who I am speaking to in the scene and why.

Stepping in Bloodhounds 2 was a unique and thrilling experience. Most Korean dramas don’t go for more than 1 season and because this was season 2, I had the opportunity to watch season 1 and better develop Ian off of the tone that was already set in season 1. My goal was to make sure not to disappoint the fans of Season 1. 

I really worked hard on Ian’s character and I think audiences will think of Ian as a breath of fresh air. Between rewriting my dialogue to help aid the scene better and then getting to set and adjusting the dialogue again to match the tone and circumstances better, Ian was a constantly evolving character that the director brought out of me. It’s a character I’m genuinely proud of, and I would call it my best work to date. Ian has a quiet intensity, he doesn’t get easily impressed by small wins, and he doesn’t back down when challenged.

I feel honored and amazed to have been a part of something so big. To have the world see Ian and make Tiktok videos about him and Rain’s character has brought me a lot of joy. As an actor, you only get to perform certain characters so often and Ian is the exact opposite of me in everything he does. He is confident and doesn’t second guess himself. 

It feels weird yet phenomenal that the people love him and have been tagging him as #ragebait. Bloodhounds was an amazing story in season 1 and to add value to it in season 2 is one of the top achievements in my career and I’m thankful for every moment of it. 

I was drawn to “My Name” because the script and story were very powerful and a part of Korea’s actual historical events. While the film is not a documentary, it follows a woman who survived the brutalities and has blocked out those memories from her childhood completely. In this story I play a role based on a real soldier during those events.

My character is very unique compared to other characters I have played in the past because of this. He is a soldier who is out to complete his mission no matter the cost. This man is much older and more mature compared to the soldier roles I have played in the past. I really enjoy these types of projects because I get to better understand Korea’s long history.

Working with performers at such a high level as Richard Armitage and Choi Min-sik was and is an honor. I knew that going into those sets and so I tried to learn as much as I could from them.

The main things I took away from collaborating with them are always being prepared and ready to adjust, confidence is key but that comes from knowing the text and character, and finally, no matter how big you are, always treat everyone with respect. Those two gentlemen were great mentors during the scenes we filmed together. 

No matter the scale of production, whether it be a student film or a Blockbuster feature, the answer to staying grounded and authentic remains the same. Always know your dialogue. Make sure to put in the work not just building the character but by reading and understanding everything you can about the character's world. Try to always be training in acting class so you are ready for anything thrown your way on set. Go into the scene with the goal of always listening to your partner or partners. 

Finally, I believe you should be confident in your choices on the day you film but not so glued to them that you can’t adjust. The director, your scene partners and the writer will guide you the rest of the way to ensure you are giving your best performance that day. 

The most challenging role for me so far was in Disney+’s Big Bet. When I was cast, I was also asked to help aid in anything English dialogue related behind the camera. I was hired as the dialect coach and also played the role of Brian Hunt in 3 episodes. 

It was challenging to balance coaching on set and helping adjust dialogue for scenes based on each actor’s English level but even more challenging to go from that and jump straight into my scenes while trying to maintain character consistency. It was tough to balance. Despite the challenge, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Korean storytelling resonates with a worldwide audience because what Korean writers create are uniquely Korean stories slightly adjusted for a global audience but still at heart Korean. Korean stories are about trust, love, betrayal and everything else human. This makes them very relatable but they maintain their culture throughout these stories which creates a unique take on life over all. 

The Korean language itself has a deep and long history that tends to create situations or circumstances that are interesting to an audience who isn’t used to a language or culture that is based in a hierarchy system. Scripts written in Korea create situations that happen at a much faster pace than most films and television. Korea has coined this fast-paced ‘twist and turns’ drama writing style that keeps the audience engaged while eliminating the need for 9 seasons unlike the US.

Having seen how international productions have evolved over the past few years, I believe they will only become more ambitious and interconnected. These days it’s very common to have foreign productions coming to Korea to film and vice versa Korean productions going abroad. 

When I worked on the Disney+ Korean series Big Bet we filmed about 40% of it in the Philippines. The director wanted to really capture what it was like to live in Manila and Clark, where the story took place. We had to be on location to film any scenes that took place at a casino, inside someone's house, or out on the bustling street. Some of the sets they were able to replicate or create in a large studio in Korea but to capture that raw energy, we had to be at the heart of the location.

I cannot wait to see what other amazing stories and art will be created in the future when two or  more  worlds of culture are collaborating. You already see this with Netflix’s XO Kitty and Apple TV’s Butterfly. A beautiful fusion of cultures blending together to capture art through unique stories driven by real locations, people and culture.

What kept me motivated through the challenging times has been my desire to break barriers and push myself to grow past my limits as an actor. When I wasn’t on a set, I would be training in online Hollywood acting classes at 3am due to the time zone difference. I was always reading acting books daily and applying the techniques to what I am auditioning for and filming. I challenged myself to do practice a new script every week, then film it and then ask friends that are directors and actors in the industry for constant feedback. 

Staying active in my craft during downtime has helped me remain sharp and prepared, so that when opportunities come, I am ready to fully step into them. I believe an actor should always be learning and evolving in their craft and that’s what differentiates a good actor from a great actor.

Seoul has shaped me to not only be a stronger actor but an even better human being. Working and living day to day speaking 80% Korean and 20% English, as well as following Korean cultural norms, has taught me a lot about respecting others and how to communicate and understand others better.

I try my best to be mindful of the culture I’m living in and follow Korean social norms and cultural norms as much as I can.  Even if it is a struggle at times as an American, I remind myself just how great it is to be in Korea and have the career I have thanks to Korea.

The most defining moment on my journey so far would have to be my Bloodhounds 2 audition. I sent in a self-tape for the boxing coach role but when I got the callback I went in and was asked if I’d be interested in auditioning for Ian. I did the cold read and after the director gave me a huge compliment stating he thought I was the best American local actor in Korea. 

Getting a reaction like this in my callback made me feel as if all of my years of hard work and training were finally paying off. I was on cloud 9 for about a week and honestly his comment drove me to work even harder on Ian’s character to make sure he wasn’t one-note.

Short term I am drawn to more family man, dad, husband types of roles. They are more of who I identify as. I am very family oriented and would love to connect with a character through my own personal experiences.

Long term I would love to audition for roles that challenge me not only as an actor, but also as a person. If given the chance I would love to take on characters that push me to question my own beliefs and allow me to grow through the process of portraying them.

The definition of success has changed a lot for me over different stages of my career. Success used to mean I booked the job and I am a full-time working actor. But these days that isn’t the case anymore.

Success to me now is when I have challenged myself to try a difficult character in acting class but failed. Or when I have tried my best in an audition but was rejected. When I have been cast in a show as a big character but still get a chance to audition for a short film in a smaller role. For me, success now is any opportunity that pushes me to grow as an actor and try something new, regardless of the outcome.

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Photographer - Jeong Sihu

Hair & Make-up - Kim Chae-an

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Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is one of the UK’s most influential voices on racial justice, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights. A passionate political activist, she is the co-founder and executive director of UK Black Pride, Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern descent. She also serves as Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust, a charity dedicated to advancing the rights of LGBT+ people worldwide.

Lady Phyll’s career began in the civil service, where she spent over a decade working for the DWP and the Fraud Investigation Service. She later became Head of Political Campaigns and Equality at the Public and Commercial Services Trade Union. Over the years, she has received numerous accolades, including being named on the World Pride Power List and the 100 Great Black Britons list, and was Grand Marshal of New York Pride in 2019.

As a powerful Black female speaker represented by The BAME Speakers Agency, Phyll uses her platform to challenge inequality, inspire activism, and create lasting change.

In this interview, she shares her thoughts on inclusion, intersectionality, and how businesses can create truly safe, equitable workplaces.