Alexandra Savior

Alexandra Savior McDermott was born on June 14, 1995, in Portland, Oregon. She developed an interest in songwriting at age 14, influenced by artists such as Pearl Jam, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Jack White, Etta James, and The Velvet Underground. Her musical journey gained public attention in September 2012 at age 17 when Courtney Love praised her YouTube covers. Following high school graduation in 2013, Savior moved to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. She signed with Columbia Records, expressing an early understanding that the industry involved compromises, as other labels sought to position her as a pop artist.

In 2014, Savior began recording her debut album, “Belladonna of Sadness,” with producers James Ford and Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys. The album, which involved a collaborative songwriting process, was primarily completed by June 2015. Notably, a song co-written with Turner, “Miracle Aligner,” was later re-recorded by The Last Shadow Puppets for their 2016 album. “Belladonna of Sadness” was released on April 7, 2017, by Columbia Records, receiving generally favorable reviews and being recognized as one of the best albums of the year by The Independent. Her music career faced a setback in 2019 when Columbia Records dropped her after she submitted demos for her second album, a period she described as challenging.

After leaving Columbia, Savior joined Danger Mouse’s independent label, 30th Century Records. Her second studio album, “The Archer,” was released on January 10, 2020. The album received critical acclaim, earning an 84% approval rating on Metacritic. Her third studio album, “Beneath the Lilypad,” was released by RCA Records on May 16, 2025. Throughout her career, Savior has emphasized the importance of artistic integrity amidst industry pressures, navigating personal challenges like bipolar I disorder. She has collaborated with artists such as Broken Bells, providing vocals for their track “Good Luck” in 2019, and co-wrote “Sentimental Memories” for Lea Michele’s 2017 album, “Places.”