“Simple Trick” is the new hypnotic single from Alixia Mistralone of the most interesting voices of the new Italian Neo-Soul and R&B scene, born in Forlì in 2001 but currently residing in Bologna.
Member since 2021 of the legendary Superpopin the roster of the historic Emilian label IRMA RecordsAlixia Mistral's style is characterized by an elegant approach, an intense voice and a very fresh sound that expertly blends jazz, soul, hip hop rhythms and funky sounds, to the point of touching on Afrobeat and fusion contaminations.
Among the artist's main influences are sacred monsters such as Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, while his lyrics explore themes such as relationships, change, the connection with nature and the divine.
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Born between Forlì and Bologna, registered between Ravenna (Adagio Studio) and Milan (Oister Studio) and out Friday May 8, 2026 on the main music platforms, “Simple Trick” is the first of a series of previews that will lead us towards the publication of the artist's debut EP which will be released after the summer. It's the same one who tells us about it Alixia Mistral: I wrote “Simple Trick” about 6 years ago. So, the song had time to change shape and I had the opportunity to discover if what I said then is also true now, if I still believe it. The music has definitely improved and I'm happy to have made a song with a hip hop groove and a string and wind arrangement: there are some new features compared to what I've released so far and I think I've laid new foundations for a more mine and more conscious sound for the future.
Thematically, “Simple Trick” celebrates the end of a relationship as a revelatory and liberating moment.
I think I understand the meaning of the song even better now! Then I reflected on a story that was about to end, which I wanted to save at all costs, but when I realized that I had done everything I could (and ultimately, I think he had too), I was able to see the end with a certain peace. Sure, I was devastated at first, but all in all, discovering the truth that we weren't meant for each other was a blessing. I really understood, with a certain weight and a certain physical and physiological feedback, how important sincerity is in a relationship. Sometimes we get lost in the habit of being together or in the fear of not ruining something we have and know, when the truth is that we don't always know well what we have. So here, with this song I also want to remind listeners that you don't always get lost in losing someone. Even in the sense of “you don't lose yourself”, sometimes you rediscover things about yourself! Breakups don't always have to be tragic, they can be revelatory moments. And this way of thinking, this perspective, I believe is valid both for those who leave and for those who are left.
To accompany the release of the single, a fascinating video clip directed by Alixia Mistral herself supported by her very close-knit artistic team, starting with the splendid work of the choreographer Andrea Trevisan. The marvelous was chosen as the location of the video clip Mazzacorati Theatre in Villa Aldrovandi in Bologna, a historic theater from the 1700s that goes well with the elegant sound of the artist from Romagna.
This is the second video clip that I have directed, the first was “The Way You Move” from 2025. I really like working independently: I have all the parts of my art in hand, which often means finding the right people to entrust it to. I don't do everything alone, nor do I aim to do so, nothing would be possible without the team that has supported me since the first video, as well as the team that follows the musical side. Other than that, I enjoy the creation, preparation and evolution of it all – even a bit of the anxiety that entails, of course. I was very lucky to ask Andrea Trevisan to create the choreography, I think he has splendid taste: elegant, soft and at the same time incisive, and he was a clear teacher with attention to detail. Riccardo Sanmartini and Giorgia Zamboni were enthusiastic about the concept of the video from the beginning and were great teammates, they were able to clearly translate my ideas. With this video I wanted to do two things: take the listener to one of my concerts and also a bit into my head. It may seem strange to say, but basically writing a song about events that actually happened in your life is literally this.
In the video the stage is a sort of internal place in which I compare myself with myself, I process my head and heart, while when I get off the stage it is to act in the external world, say what I think and investigate what is not clear to me. Always verbally. The concert is therefore a place of balance between inside and outside.
ALIXIA MISTRAL
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Alixia Mistral is a young emerging artist from the R&B and Neo-Soul scene. With a warm and evocative timbre and a magnetic stage presence, Alixia brings her emotional narrative and her unmistakable energy to live performances, accompanied by three musicians (guitar, bass, drums).
His artistic project stands out for its international profile, outlined not only by the choice of English, but also by his major influences: Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.
In 2021, music becomes the center of his professional activity together with the Italian band Superpop: crossing Italian and European stages, he grows as a singer and performer, continues to dedicate himself to writing his own songs and giving shape to his artistic vision. Since 2024, Alixia has been releasing her songs under the Irma Records label.
Between pop-jazz arrangements, carpets of voices and retro sounds, his six singles have accumulated tens of thousands of plays on Spotify. In tune with his introspective and at the same time sunny personality, the artist explores themes such as relationships, the importance of mutual understanding, the constant mutability of life, the fundamental and innate tension towards God and Nature.
He is currently working on his first EP arriving in the fall. The starting point of this musical plan is the single “Simple Trick” released in May, for which Alixia created and directed her second video clip. Emerging from a draft six years ago, Alixia embellished the song with an arrangement of strings and winds over a hip hop beat, to bring a story from the past back to life: Simple Trick celebrates the end of a relationship as a revelatory and liberating moment.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
