Trained in musical theatre, she worked in musicals and was a contestant on Canadian reality show "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" She left theatre to create music with others in Toronto's indie scene — creating music under the name Allie Hughes (2006 LP Waiting for the Prize, 2008 LP Ladies and Gentlemen, and 2010 EP Allie Hughes) and with a live electronic dark-pop band as ALX.
In 2014, she released Catch on Soundcloud, which Katy Perry tweeted about, providing an instant audience. Prime and Bitch followed. EP CollXtion I was released in April 2015, with an accompanying residency at the Phi Centre in Montreal from April 30 to May 2. In 2015, she also co-wrote several tracks on Troye Sivan's Blue Neighborhood, and toured with him as an opening act.
Hughes has been praised for her voice, multimedia artistic endeavors, fan participation, and engaging live performances.
Regulars
Allie X Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause I learned a new trick now
See, I'm laughing
Don't I look so happy now? Oh wow
I'm with the regulars
I'm with the regulars
They believe when I pretend, pretend
We've been worried
We just wanna see you win, see you win
I'm with the regulars
I'm with the regulars
Just like I never was
Just like I never was
And I'm outside
Oh, what a feeling
Hanging off a building
With the regulars
Oh, what a feeling
Hanging off a building
With the regulars
I got my reasons
Hanging off a building
I walk a wire
I can't even see the ground, see the ground
Thank your mother
So lucky that I'm balanced now
I'm with the regulars
I'm with the regulars
Just like I never was
Just like I never was
But I'm outside
Oh, what a feeling
Hanging off a building
With the regulars
Oh, what a feeling
Hanging off a building
With the regulars
I got my reasons
Hanging off a building
With the regulars
(With the regulars) the regulars
(With the regulars) with the regulars
(With the regulars) with the regulars
With the regulars
Oh, what a feeling
Hanging off a building
With the regulars
Oh, what a feeling
Hanging off a building
With the regulars
I got my reasons
Hanging off a building
With the regulars
(With the regulars)
The song "Regulars" by Allie X takes listeners on a journey through the complex emotions of someone who is struggling to fit in with a certain group of people. The singer of the song seems to have finally found acceptance with "the regulars," a group of people who she can laugh and joke with. However, the lyrics reveal that this acceptance is fragile and relies on her ability to pretend to be somebody that she's not. The line "they believe when I pretend" highlights the fact that the singer is still putting on a façade in order to fit in.
The lyrics "I'm with the regulars, just like I never was" emphasize how the singer is trying to be someone she is not in order to fit in. This internal conflict is further emphasized by the metaphor of "hanging off a building" - the singer is standing on the edge, trying to balance herself in order to fit in with the group. She thanks her mother for her sense of balance, reflecting that she may have learned to mask her true self from an early age as a survival mechanism.
Overall, "Regulars" is a poignant reflection on the human desire for acceptance and the lengths we will go to in order to fit in with a certain group of people, even if it means pretending to be someone we are not.
Line by Line Meaning
Out in public
I am not hiding my true self anymore and am going out in the open.
'Cause I learned a new trick now
I have acquired a new skill or technique that I am proud of.
See, I'm laughing
I am genuinely happy and enjoying myself.
Don't I look so happy now? Oh wow
I am amazed at how much happier I look now.
Now it's easy
I have found that pretending to be someone else around my regular company is easier than being my true self.
They believe when I pretend, pretend
The people I am around regularly believe in the false persona that I portray.
We've been worried
My regular company has been concerned about my well-being and happiness.
We just wanna see you win, see you win
My regular company wants nothing more than for me to succeed and be happy.
Just like I never was
I am pretending to be someone else and hiding my true self from my regular company.
And I'm outside
I am not part of the regular group anymore, and am standing outside of it.
Oh, what a feeling
I am experiencing great joy and excitement.
Hanging off a building
I am taking risks and doing things that are unconventional.
I got my reasons
I have my own personal motivations for my actions.
I walk a wire
I am taking a difficult path.
I can't even see the ground, see the ground
I am taking a huge risk, and cannot even see the outcome.
Thank your mother
This line is unclear, and leaves room for interpretation.
So lucky that I'm balanced now
I have found balance in my life, and feel fortunate for it.
With the regulars
I am still hanging out and doing things with the people I usually spend time with.
(With the regulars) the regulars
I am still with the people I usually spend time with.
(With the regulars) with the regulars
I am still with the people I usually spend time with.
(With the regulars) with the regulars
I am still with the people I usually spend time with.
With the regulars
I am still hanging out and doing things with the people I usually spend time with.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alexandra Ashley Hughes, James Alan Ghaleb, Oscar Gorres
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jordan Nimz
Ok so Fresh Laundry is still my favourite video visually, but this is my favourite as far as symbolism goes, so here is my in-depth analysis of this video:
The most obvious symbolism is the reference to Fresh Laundry; at the beginning, she's carrying around an empty laundry basket. She doesn't have anything in it, but even the basket is enough to remind her of when she was "near fresh laundry." Then, as she goes to the laundromat, she gets fresh laundry out of the washing machine, but she specifically chooses the plaid jacket (which I will get to in a second). After she has the jacket, she no longer needs to carry around the laundry basket to remind her, because she actually has fresh laundry near her.
Also, there are cameras watching her throughout the video. I think this represents her relationship with fame and living a public life. In the beginning scene and the laundromat, there are security cameras always watching every move she makes. The cameras capture everything, the good and the bad. The only chance she has to change what the camera sees is in the tan room, which feels like a standard music video shot (just the artist lip-syncing the whole time). She has control of this situation, but while she unfocuses the camera for a second, she brings it right back into focus — even when she has the choice, she ends up wanting to be in the public eye.
Ok, back to the plaid jacket. I think there is a reason she gravitated to that jacket out of all the laundry coming out of the washing machine: now I might be completely reaching here, but hear me out. When I saw that jacket, I thought it looked familiar. At first, I thought it was what Allie wore in the Fresh Laundry video when she was in the short hair, but it was a different jacket... so I went to her Instagram, and I found this video https://www.instagram.com/p/B3YAAdOhAqe/ where she's wearing the same plaid jacket and singing Forever Young by Alphaville. Again, maybe I'm reaching, but I think when she carries this jacket and eventually puts it on, she's putting on the mentality of that song. "Forever young, I want to be forever young/Do you really want to live forever?" Again, I think she is interpreting this to reference fame. Just like in NSBILA, where she sings "you start to get old when you turn 25," she wants to forever be in this moment of being young and loved by the Regulars. However, all the people we see are the Regulars, and we can see that they are all judging her for being herself. Everyone looks down on her, and we start to see her internal conflict expressed in the lyrics — she wants to be herself and carefree, but at the same time, she wants to be loved by the Regulars.
Her high heels represent the pressures of fame (ok yes, they look stunning too, but). They are beautiful, and they literally raise her up to a higher stature, which symbolizes how musicians (especially women) are expected to be on this pedestal where everyone can always see you, so you always need to look perfect. However, at the same time, they're bringing Allie down. As beautiful as they are, the pressure of fame can be too much, especially after constantly wearing it. Because she's raised to such a high standard, even the smallest bump can trip her up and make her lose confidence in herself. However, at the supermarket, she takes off the shoes and just runs around barefoot and free. After realizing how toxic the pressures of fame and beauty can be, she's free to just be herself and act a little crazy and just have fun in life.
As well, the supermarket itself is a reference to the Bitch music video. In that video, she goes to a supermarket and when she checks out, she buys a balloon with a happy face on it. Now, this isn't an analysis of the Bitch video, but I think the balloon represents "buying" happiness and the fragility of it, which I think ties into the theme of Regulars. Also, she said this about Bitch to Interview Magazine: "The lyrics are strange, and it sounds like it’s about some marriage or something like that. When I actually analyzed it, I came to the conclusion that it was about the relationship that I have with myself and the sort of concessions or compromises I make with that dark part of myself so that we can both get along and function." I think that in the context of Regulars, the Bitch reference means the idea of compromising what you want for yourself versus what you need to do to be loved by the Regulars.
Lastly, the white dress she changes into in the end is both the outfit the "innocent" Allie in the Fresh Laundry video wears, as well as an outfit she's worn for a lot of her recent concerts. Taking off the plaid jacket and the black dress represents her returning to herself, and not caring what the Regulars think of her. In this state is when she jumps up onto the platform and holds a concert — essentially lifting herself up as the shoes did, but on her own terms. When she's totally herself is when she can perform for her fans — with the lights on her face, and her hair blowing in the wind — and really connect to her fans, but as the concert ends, you can see her become uncomfortable and shy: she's been so open and honest with her audience, and she's left feeling vulnerable in the afterglow.
Maybe I'm totally off, but this is what I got from the visual, and if I'm wrong, that's art babey!
Matthieu Schwarzmann
When we were kids we all hated going to the grocery store and now we all feel like Allie X when we’re doing groceries
maus
Oh, what a feeeling, hanging of the building with the groceries
Andromeda
@maus lmao
Marina and The Devil
Such a real feeling though
Brent Eli
Until the regulars ruin it ..
Jaylee Doon
@Brent Eli what
Paulo Alves
The normals will never understand the different, and honestly being different and cool as hell! I loved the song allie .
timmy demott
you falling down in heels holding a laundry basket is my energy
MissKatastrophic
I am right here with you in that.
kathryn
timmy demott mood