We had the good fortune of connecting with Cherish Alexander and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cherish, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
The biggest risk anyone can take is just to be yourself. I have had to let go of the fear of what people may think, what if they don’t like it, what if they laugh at me, what if it’s not good enough. At the end of the day, you have to find the courage to just be yourself no matter what. We are all unique and we all have something special to offer. You have to trust that the people that are meant to be on your journey will find their way to you. That’s why the biggest risk you can take is just to be you. It’s easy to follow the crowd, it’s a huge risk to be yourself.

Please tell us more about your MUSIC. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally? Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
I’ve been writing songs since I was 7 years old. My brother was a songwriter he taught me the basics. We would sit around the campfire and sing songs. They were always so heartfelt and beautiful. Ever since I was born I would hear melodies in my head. I started playing piano and taking voice lessons with an opera teacher at the age of 9 and was able to start to express the music I would imagine. The first song I ever wrote and recorded was called “Love will find a way”. I went on to learn guitar and bass at 13 which gave me additional outlets in expressing myself. Yet, what I believe has really formed my musical style the most is finding my own unique self-expression through incorporating the trials and tribulations of my journey. I have grown up through my songwriting and I now look back at my 13 albums to date as a witness and a timeline to the ups and downs of my passionate and rocky path. Today, songwriting has become a visceral healing experience for me and also a calling. No matter what I’m going through at the time, I’ll grab a guitar or sit down at the piano and just let the force flow through me.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is to surrender and listen to that little voice inside my gut that has never steered me wrong. That little voice is my guidance and roadmap. I had to find the courage to let go of the ego and strip away the illusions that kept me from moving at the speed of light. It takes lots of inner work to achieve that, I have to admit I’m still a work in progress but thanks to songwriting and self-reflection all these years, I’m the closest I’ve ever been.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
My wish is that through music I can help to heal the world a little bit in my own little way. I believe that through the process of healing myself through my musical journey, that I can contribute to the collective consciousness of healing our beautiful world and hopefully help to heal a few souls along the way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Mornings could consist of grabbing a coffee at D3 in Mt Washington or breakfast at Poppy + Rose in the Flower District downtown, taking a hike in Griffith Park w the dogs or waking up early to watch the sunrise at the top of Elysian Park. We could also take a long drive to either Joshua Tree or Malibu and just see where the day takes us. Afternoons we could consider heading to Olympic Spa in Koreatown or shopping at “The Alley” in the Fashion District or we could stroll through Olvera Street and have a taquito at Cielito Lindo. We could enjoy an afternoon cocktail at the rooftop bar at the Ace Hotel downtown or in the spring head to Union Station to hear the LA Philharmonic play Bach in the lobby. Evenings we could get dressed up and go to the Arts District for dinner or drive down Broadway and end up dancing at the Cicada Lounge. For a low key night, we could go see a movie at the Cinerama Dome then head across The Hollywood Walk of Fame to Musso & Franks. Weekends we definitely hit the farmers market in Atwater Village and either visit the Broad or LACMA Museums. On another night maybe dinner and a show at the Magic Castle. If we’re feeling more low key, let’s stop by Silverlake Wine, grab some snacks from Whole Foods to take home with Netflix and chill.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my story to all the passion filled artists that have had the courage to take the road less traveled. From Dolly Parton to John Lennon who inspired me so incredibly and every songwriter in between that had the passion to dive deep into the journey of the soul.

Website: www.CherishAlexander.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherishalexander
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cherishalexandermusic
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CherishAlexander

Image Credits
Photos by Moses Sparks, Emily Hooper, Chris Dane Owens, Clifford Bailey / Makeup by Nichole McAuley / Styling by Blanka the Label