Lexa Gates Releases Sophomore Album “I Am”
Today, 24-year-old multidisciplinary rapper, singer, and producer Lexa Gates releases her highly anticipated sophomore album, I Am. A personal and introspective project, I Am, plays on the artist’s legal name, Ivanna Alexandra Martinez, serving as both an autobiography and a declaration of identity, reflecting her ongoing growth. This chapter highlights Lexa’s honesty, intention, and authentic expression as she moves closer to a truer version of herself. On the focus track, “I Don’t Even Know,” Lexa reflects on her journey of self-discovery. 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.
In celebration of the release, Lexa recently completed her second immersive art installation, “The Wheel”*—a one-day-only, 10-hour durational performance running from 2 p.m. to Midnight ahead of the album launch. Held at Jeffrey Deitch in New York City, the piece featured Lexa continuously on a custom-built, human-scale performance wheel throughout its duration. For Lexa, “The Wheel” reflects a cycle that never truly ends, reinforcing themes of persistence, emotional resilience, and the passage of time, which shape the album. The work builds on the momentum of her 2024 viral performance piece, “Alone (In The Box).”
*Please note: The structure featured in “The Wheel” is a custom-built, human-scale, mechanical wheel designed specifically for the work. Please refer to the installation as “The Wheel” or an installation, please do not refer to it as a hamster wheel.
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 also wrapped her 16-date North American I Am tour with a sold-out finale at the iconic Webster Hall in her hometown of New York City. The tour kicked off in Chicago in October and continued in16 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), and Outside 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.”
Continuing her rise, Lexa will perform at Governors Ball this summer in her hometown of Flushing, Queens on Sunday, June 7th. 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.”