Alix Page’s second headline tour stopped at Kilby Court on May 6, 2025. The “Bug Tour” is named after the most recent release from Page, her third EP titled “Bug.”
I asked Page about the EP and what she felt separated these songs from previous releases, and what she thought made them distinct as a body of work. It has always been obvious to me that honesty is one of Page’s strengths as a songwriter, but even upon my first listen, “Bug” offered an even deeper vulnerability and wider variety of emotion.
She said the writing process was “a period of self-discovery and exploration,” and that the songs were a byproduct of “some hard and honest conversations … and getting to the bottom of who [she is] again.”
Page cited “Prank Call” as one of her favorites on the EP, songwriting-wise. The song highlights Alix’s ability to let a listener in on secrets that feel specific, while still leaving room for people to fill in the gaps with their own experiences. Every image that the song evokes manages to be both personal and universal. Alix wears her influences on her sleeve, with melodic intervals and hooks that emulate artists like Imogen Heap and Frank Ocean, she conjures everything good about the artists she credits for inspiration.
“Bug,” the title track from the EP, was released with an accompanying music video, compiled from camcorder clips of Alix’s childhood. I was curious about when and how her relationship with music started, and if it was the result of a musical household.
“Nobody [in her family] really does [music], or knows what it is like to do it,” she said. “I think it kind of felt like it was my little secret, a personal thing that was just mine.”
Watching the crowd at Page’s show, it was easy to tell that her fans hold a special space for her songs. Whether it was holding flashlights up or bringing out kazoos, everyone showed support and love for the songs and Page.
The song that made me a fan of Page is “June Gloom,” which begins with the lyrics “I sat down/ made a list of all the things I care about/ Think I mentioned Scott Street/ and Springsteen/ and I wrote your name twice.” In high school, as a young Springsteen fan myself, I latched onto these lyrics, and from there I was sold on the rest of Page’s songs. When I asked Page about her favorite Springsteen songs, she cited, “I’m Going Down,” “I’m On Fire” and “Thunder Road.” She went on to say that “He just strikes that perfect balance, to me, of emotion and power.” Something that’s rare to find in the modern music landscape, and beyond.
Page is an example of an artist who shares her strength within her vulnerability, and her instinct for honesty is something I look forward to hearing from her releases in the future.