“such a confident presence that her music can appear almost offhand, but it’s rich with influence — the tart, infidelity-obsessed R&B of the 1990s, the lo-fi soul-influenced hip-hop of the 2010s and a touch of 1950s whimsy.” – The New York Times
“One of the can’t-miss emerging artists coming out of NYC. With an aesthetic
as refreshing as she is unique.” – Billboard
“Proved herself in a sonic sense with her lyrical capabilities and conversational, punctuating flow but also as a creative multihyphenate.” –
Hypebeast
“Her star power is authentic and undeniable.” – office Mag
“sultry, intoxicating, relatable” – CR Fashion Book
“cementing herself as an unapologetic voice.” – Pigeons & Planes
“fluid deliveries of some of the best lyrics and flows in recent memory” – PAPER
January 21, 2025 – Fresh on the heels of her sophomore album release, 24-year-old multidisciplinary rapper, singer, and producer
Lexa Gates announces the second leg of her North American “
I Am Tour.” Across 14 cities, the run will bring the album to live audiences, kicking off
April 2 in Santa Ana before making its way across North America and concluding in Philadelphia later this spring. The announcement follows a breakout year for Gates, including her upcoming hometown performance at
Governors Ball in Flushing, Queens. General on-sale
begins Friday, January 23 at noon local time via
https://lexagates.com/pages/tour
Released last Friday,
I Am finds Lexa Gates at her most personal and introspective. The album plays on the artist’s legal name, Ivanna Alexandra Martinez, serving as both an autobiography and a declaration of identity, reflecting her continued growth as an artist. The project debuted
Top 10 on
Spotify’s Top Albums chart and has received early support from
Rolling Stone, Billboard, Pigeons & Planes, Stereogum, and more, marking another milestone in her career. This chapter highlights Lexa’s honesty, intention as she moves closer to a truer version of herself. The album spans 18 tracks, including previously released singles “
Latency,” “
Past It,” “
Nothing to Worry About,” and “
Estranged,” and features production from
Emile Haynie,
Jasper Harris, Black Noise, and more. Written in what Lexa describes as a “
highly focused state,” I Am explores a period of reflection, fate, and personal evolution, unfolding like a diary shaped by clarity and conviction. Listen to
I Amvia Capitol Music Group
HERE.
In celebration of her album release, Lexa unveiled her second immersive art installation,
“The Wheel”—a one-day-only, 10-hour durational performance
from 2 p.m. to midnight. Held at
Jeffrey Deitch in New York City, the piece featured Lexa continuously performing on a custom-built, human-scale mechanical wheel designed specifically for the work. “The Wheel” has since gone viral, receiving coverage from national and local outlets and amassing over 45 million views across social media.
Forbes praised the installation as “
visually arresting enough to stop the scroll, metaphorically rich enough to generate discourse about artistic labor and the music industry’s relentless cycle, and bizarre enough to earn coverage beyond music media.” Building on the momentum of her 2024 viral performance piece, “
Alone (In The Box).” “The Wheel” underscores Lexa’s fearless, boundary-pushing approach to art and music while reflecting the persistence, emotional resilience, and passage of time that shape her new album.
I Am showcases Lexa’s continued ability to deliver stripped-down vocals and punchy bars while remaining emotionally vulnerable. Last year, she shared several singles including “Estranged,” a moody, introspective anthem on love fading in the glow of ambition, and “Nothing to Worry About,” which reflects the duality of her fast-moving life, as she balances success, solitude, and the relentless push to keep moving forward. “Past It,” produced by Emilie Haynie (Lana Del Rey, Kid Cudi, FKA Twigs), is a dreamy, groove-laced record that Billboard highlighted in its “R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week,” calling Lexa “one of the refreshing faces of rap’s next generation.” And “Latency,” produced by Grammy Award-winning Jasper Harris (Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X) and Aaron Shadrow (Doja Cat, Yeat), which has now amassed nearly 1 million streams globally and earned support from Billboard, Rolling Stone, VIBE, Pigeons & Planes, and more.
Last year, Lexa wrapped the first leg of her North American I Am tour with a sold-outfinale at the iconic Webster Hall in her hometown of New York City. The tour kicked off in Chicago in October and continued in 16 cities across the U.S. This marks Lexa’s second headline tour, building on her debut festival run this summer, which included standout performances at Capitol Hill Block Party(Seattle), Jazz Café Festival (UK), andOutside Lands (San Francisco). Her Jazz Café Festival set drew praise from CLASH,calling her “prolific… effortlessly gliding between tracks punctuated by her dry humour, she had London in the palm of her hand.”
Lexa was also named one of The New York Times “Artists to Watch,” praised as “a confident presence…rich with influence,” solidifying her status as a fresh voice and one of NYC’s best kept secrets. Billboard echoed the acclaim, calling her “one of the can’t-miss emerging artists coming out of NYC.”
I AM TOUR DATES:
Thursday, April 2 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory
Friday, April 3 – San Francisco, CA – Castro Theatre
Sunday, April 5 – Seattle, WA – Showbox
Monday, April 6 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre
Tuesday, April 7 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Friday, April 10 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
Sunday, April 12 – Kansas City, MO – The Bottleneck
Tuesday, April 14 – Detroit, MI – El Club
Thursday, April 16 – Toronto, ON – Mod Club
Friday, April 17 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
Tuesday, April 21 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade Heaven
Wednesday, April 22 – Orlando, FL – Beacham
Thursday, April 23 – Miami, FL – Midline Miami
Saturday, April 25 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl
