During his undergraduate years at Emory prepping for law school with degrees in History and Music Performance, Alex Page 08C worked for the Department of Music booking gigs for his fellow musicians at weddings and parties. It was in this job that Alex ended up meeting an up-and-coming musician named Janelle Monae. She had just signed with Bad Boy Records in the preceding weeks and had contacted Alex to hire an orchestra for her first full length studio album, as well as develop a hip-hop ballet alongside Big Boi and John McFall of the Atlanta Ballet.
However, the logistics and cost were far beyond the scope of the project; ultimately, well over a million dollars. Fearing that the prohibitive cost might risk the opportunity to work with Janelle, Alex made a last minute pitch to keep the project alive: “I’ve played and recorded with bands for years, and I play multiple string instruments. Let me over-dub myself on the recording and save you a million dollars.”
Talking about that moment now, Alex recalls that “it’s the most cringeworthy thing I have ever said in my life”. Now, that cringeworthy moment has turned into a decade-long partnership with Janelle Monae, one of the most innovative and popular artists in modern times. Four albums, an upcoming movie, multiple Grammy nominations including Album of the Year, worldwide tours, and performing with Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Prince, and Stevie Wonder (just to name a few), Alex has no regrets of bucking the family tradition of practicing law.
Along the way, Alex has worked as for CourtTV, which he helped rebrand into In Session at HLN and eventually landed at CNN, developing new programming and on-air talent. From there he became a TV censor for Conan and other programming on tbs, TNT, and truTV, editing out all the bits not appropriate for cable. Now, Alex leads the marketing initiatives for CONAN on tbs, as well as other shows produced by Steve Carrell, Lorne Michaels, Greg Garcia, Michael Showalter, and Nasim Pedrad.
With a daughter expected this fall with his wife Meghan (also an 08C Emory grad, whom he met in his freshman orientation group), Page’s touring days are behind him—at least for the time being. “Atlanta is kind of a hub right now,” says Page. “In the next year, I'll have some records with Rick Ross, Jeezy, and Penny & Sparrow. I’m also working on a Bieber song, fingers crossed, and some songs with John Legend and Lil Wayne.”
In addition to his work in television and music, Alex also runs a small design studio in Atlanta, Tonewood Design, which specializes in custom furniture, lighting, and home goods found in numerous restaurants and stores throughout Atlanta.
Just a few years ago, as President Obama was leaving office, NPR released his official summer playlist. “At the top of the list was one of the first songs I recorded with Janelle,” says Page. “It was a moment of realization that ‘[the President] hypes himself up and disconnects from being the leader of the free world with a song that I recorded.’ It’s been a wild ride.” To say the least.