Lexi Allen

This article is about the gospel singer. For the fictional character Alexis "Lexi" Allen, created by Ashley Hope Pérez, see The Knife and the Butterfly.

Alexis Marie Nucklos "Lexi" Allen (born October 1967)^[1] is an American gospel singer, actress and television personality.

Lexi was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up singing in her grandfather's church.^[2] The only child of physician Dr. Ruby Nucklos, she was educated at Bowsher High School in Toledo and then at Bowling Green State University, where she majored in communications.^[3] During her freshman year she was awarded the Ms. Bronze pageant.^[4] For a time she sang background vocals for Gerald LeVert, Anointed, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Fred Hammond.^[5]^[6] After the release of her debut album Call Her Lexi (1990)^[2]^[7]^[8] she stepped away from music, instead studying and working as a teacher, before renewing her singing career a decade later.^[3]^[9]

Lexi's first husband, the music producer Michael Allen, helped with many aspects of her musical career. During their marriage, Lexi captured the attention of former boxing champion Evander Holyfield, who had set up the record label Real Deal Records.^[10] While signed onto Holyfield's label, Lexi released Lexi & That's the Way It Is (2002), A Praise in the Valley (2004) and What Heaven Hears (2005). The 2004 album earned her a Stellar Gospel Music Award nomination.^[6]^[11] Shortly afterwards, Michael was diagnosed with cancer, and died.^[12]

In 2006 Lexi became the public face of The Word Network, where she presents the regular program "The Word Network Church with Lexi".^[13] She also hosts The Lexi Show, aired by The Word Network, on which she has interviewed such guests as B.Slade (then known as Tonex), Carlton Pearson, Debra Winans (ex-wife of BeBe Winans), Pastor Marvin Sapp, Shirley Caesar, DeWayne Woods, Pastor Tony Smith, Bishop Thomas Weeks III (ex-husband of Juanita Bynum) and Prophet Todd Hall.^[14]^[15]^[16] In 2010 The Lexi Show was suspended for nearly a year,^[17]^[18] soon after an interview in which Tonex spoke candidly about his same-sex attraction and his views on sexuality in general.^[19]^[20] The show returned in 2011,^[16]^[21] and later after a three year hiatus, in 2015.^[22]

Her 2012 album Phenomenal was produced after she signed with Malaco Music Group.^[23]^[24] The singles "Burn It All Down" and "Abide" from this album hit the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs charts,^[25] peaking at #20 and #14 respectively.^[26]

Lexi appears regularly on The Yolanda Adams Morning Show with the segment "Inside Inspiration with Lexi".^[27] On her YouTube channel, she has created comedy videos dealing with subjects such as church culture, African-American culture, and parodies of well-known TV shows.^[28]^[29]^[30] She also runs a business selling hair extensions.^[31]

Lexi has a son, Michael Alexander Osaze Allen,^[32] by her late first husband Michael. She is now married to television producer Jason Prater.^[12]

Discography

Call Her Lexi (1990)
Lexi & That's the Way It Is (2001)
Somewhere Different (2002)
A Praise in the Valley (2004)
What Heaven Hears (2005)
Phenomenal (2012)

References

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