By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – An Ogdensburg teen recently recorded her first solo album and can be seen performing songs at 6 p.m. Friday at Ogdensburg’s library park.

Allexa Hooper, an Ogdensburg Free Academy student, has been involved with music since was about five years old. Over the past few years though she has come into her own. Her favorite musicians include Birdie, Mayday Parade and Hozier, but she says her music is also influenced by her friends and family.

Hooper writes and performs her own indie/alternative music and is hopeful someday she can make a career out of it.

“I had written my very first song between the summer of 7th and 8th grade and received a lot of support from my friends and family about it. I then began to write more songs and they encouraged me to go to a studio and record my own CD,” she said.

Hooper recently finished recording her album “Where the Broken Ones Lies” in Burlington, Vt. at Diversity Studios with help from Jamell Rogers, Yukio McDonough and her father Greg Hooper.

Hooper has performed numerous live shows, but said writing and creating an album was a lot different. Hooper says being on stage creates a nervous sort of excitement for her.

“You see the lights and all the people looking at you and that can be nerve racking, but then once I get into it all the nerves disappear and I feel like its just me and the music,” she said.

Recording, however feels more like work.

“I liked the process it just took a little bit to get use to cause when you are on stage you get once chance to do it right but in the studio you get the opportunity to get the song exactly the way you want it. I learned that music is more than just music but it is an artwork that you need to put together piece by piece,” she said.

Hooper said the process of refining music takes some real time.

“Honestly it took a long time to get my album done. We went back and forth to Burlington twice and my producers worked on it several times after that,” she said. “The songs were actually recorded last summer and we finally finished putting the album cover and artwork together this summer. I want to thank Ashli Mishel Photography for taking the picture for the album cover,” she said.

Hooper said her album includes songs about the hardships she has faced in her life as well as in her pursuit of music.

“My album is titled "Where the Broken Ones Lie" which is a lyric from my song "Mistakes." (The album) means to me that despite what some negative people said about me and my music, I was still able to accomplish my goal of getting my songs recorded and my CD out there. My songs on the other hand portray different times in my life where I felt like I had no other ways to cope but to write a song about it because I felt as though people wouldn't listen unless I sang about what I was going through,” she said.

For anyone who decides to pick up the album, Hooper recommends checking out a song titled ‘Lights.”

“My favorite track would have to be "Lights," which is the song I close every show with because it is about how throughout my years of elementary and high school there has always been people who tried to put me down and get me to stop signing. It was written at a time where I almost gave up on music because I was starting to doubt myself and the comments were so hurtful so it was written as a way to fight back,” she said.

Hooper offered similar advice to other up-and-coming musicians.

“I would say to just follow your heart and follow your gut and do what you love and don't worry about what everyone else says. You just have to do what you love best,” she said.

Those interested in hearing Hooper live can do so at 6 p.m. Friday in Library park in Ogdensburg with Ben Foster. She will also be performing the Canadian and American National Anthems in Waddington, at the end of the month at the Bassmasters Elite fishing tournament.

Her new album can be purchased at https://www.facebook.com/allexahoopermusic