Alexandra Ashley Hughes (born 31 July 1985), known by her stage name Allie X, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and visual artist. She began her career as an indie pop artist in Toronto in the mid-2000s, playing with local bands and writing and recording a handful of self-released albums. After relocating to Los Angeles, California, in 2013, Hughes began working with producers Cirkut and Billboard and achieved success with her first single released under the name Allie X, "Catch", which peaked at number 55 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart and was well received by music critics. The song rose to prominence after pop singer Katy Perry referred to it as her "spring jam" on social media. Hughes released her debut extended play in 2015, CollXtion I, followed by her debut studio album CollXtion II in 2017, and Super Sunset in 2018. In 2019, she also released an analog version of Super Sunset. Her second studio album, Cape God, was released on 21 February 2020. Early life Alexandra Ashley Hughes was born on 31 July 1985 in Oakville, Ontario. Her family is of British descent. She attended the Etobicoke School of the Arts, then studied classical piano and voice at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, and graduated from Sheridan College's Musical Theatre Performance program, and also studied musical theatre. Career 2006–2012: Career beginnings Hughes first started her career under the stage name Allie Hughes in Toronto around 2006, performing indie pop, indie rock, jazz, and electronic music. She released the 10-track demo album, Waiting for the Prize in 2006, which she recorded while in college. In 2008, she took part in CBC Television's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, the Canadian version based on the series with the same name which aired in the United Kingdom on BBC One in 2006. She performed "My Favourite Things" from The Sound of Music and "It's Oh So Quiet" by Björk but was eliminated from the show after two weeks. She released her second demo album that same year, titled Ladies and Gentlemen. She recorded her debut studio album in 2009, collaborating with Dave Newfeld of Broken Social Scene, Leon Taheny, and Adam King of Run With Kittens. The album was titled The Hard Way and was initially set to be released in fall 2010 but delayed to 2011 and ultimately scrapped. She released a 4-track self-titled extended play in