Allie X

Alexandra Ashley Hughes, known professionally as Allie X, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and visual artist. She began her musical career as an indie pop performer in Toronto during the mid-2000s before achieving commercial success following a relocation to Los Angeles. She is best known for her 2014 single "Catch" as well as studio albums and extended plays including CollXtion I, CollXtion II, Cape God, Girl with No Face, and Happiness Is Going to Get You.

Hughes was born on July 31, 1985, in Oakville, Ontario, and her father is of British descent. Raised in an upper middle class family, she attended the Etobicoke School of the Arts, studied classical piano and voice at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, and graduated from Sheridan College's Musical Theatre Performance program. During her adolescence, she was diagnosed with an unnamed autoimmune disorder.

Starting around 2006 under the stage name Allie Hughes, she performed indie pop, indie rock, jazz, and electronic music in Toronto. After completing a 10-track demo album titled Waiting for the Prize, she competed on the 2008 CBC Television show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?. She released a self-titled EP in 2010 and later formed the synth-pop group ALX in 2011, which released the single "I Will Love You More" in 2012. During this period, she also acted in television shows and films such as Being Erica and Instant Star, with her music featured on series like Rookie Blue.

In July 2013, Hughes moved to Los Angeles to pursue songwriting, adopted the name Allie X, and collaborated with producers Cirkut and Billboard. Her early 2014 single "Catch" reached number 55 on the Canadian Hot 100. She subsequently released her debut EP, CollXtion I, in 2015. During this period, she also co-wrote seven tracks for Troye Sivan's album Blue Neighbourhood, including the singles "Youth" and "Talk Me Down."

Hughes released her debut studio album as Allie X, CollXtion II, in 2017, preceded by a fan-focused demo project titled CollXtion II: Ʉnsolved. She followed this with the 2018 EP Super Sunset and its alternate version, Super Sunset Analog. Her second studio album, Cape God, was released in February 2020. That year, she appeared as a guest host on Canada's Drag Race and collaborated with artists such as Vicetone and Mitski.

In 2021, Hughes released the single "Mistress Violet" with Violet Chachki and performed in the virtual Pride Toronto event. Her third studio album, Girl with No Face, was released in February 2024 and became a longlisted nominee for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize. She released her fourth studio album, Happiness Is Going to Get You, in November 2025 following the singles "Is Anybody Out There?" and "Reunite."

As an artist, Hughes possesses a soprano vocal range and incorporates mathematical symbolism into her stage name, with the "X" representing an unknown variable in her self-discovery. She has also voiced public support for women's rights and LGBT rights.