Thursday, October 1, 2026
Alexandra Starr, an actor and singer from Long Beach, was featured on Netflix’s new show “Building the Band” in July.
Starr has been performing since she was a youngster, including playing with Haitian rapper and singer Wyclef Jean and meeting American singer and songwriter Colbie Caillat at the Nickelodeon Music Festival in 2010.
“Building the Band” introduced a new format in reality music competitions, in which contestants are judged based on voice-first auditions — a blind method of judging solely on vocal ability.
Bands are formed from the selected participants and remain isolated until the later stages, when they meet in person. The series highlights tests of strategy, cohesion and trust. Chosen from among scores of contestants around the world, Starr was one of 21 girls who made it into the cast.
In preparation for the show, Starr took dance classes four times a week, as well as vocal lessons. She also prioritized proper nutrition and adequate sleep. “(It was) almost like a pop star boot camp,” she said.
The contestants went through rounds of auditions, interviews and callbacks in their journey to making the cast. Starr said it was a pleasure being on the reality show. She had the opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom, and developed an appreciation for her fellow artists.
“To be in that pool of talent was special,” she said. “I was with so many talented singers. My mouth was on the floor.”
Starr, who was coy about her age, said she developed a passion for singing in college, was discovered for “Building the Band” through social media. A casting director approached her after seeing a promotional video for her 2022 single “YFU.”
As yet unsigned and unrepresented, Starr has spent a lot of time building her image on social media, pitching the mantra, “No label, no manager, no PR, just me and the dream.”
Promoting her carefree and spirited personality, she has curated videos promoting her songs at locations like the Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach in California, where she now lives.
When she’s back in Long Beach, Starr takes to New York City’s Washington Square Park and the High Line, as well as the subway and other public areas, with her mother and brother, Julie and Jordan Brodsky. Their videos have drawn the attention of celebrities including Snoop Dogg, Jack Harlow and George Lopez.
Starr has spent countless hours promoting herself. She performs in restaurants and small entertainment venues. When she was in high school, she performed at spots in Long Beach including Brixx & Barley, Speakeasy and the Cabana.
“You can’t sit and wait for the spotlight,” she said. “You need to find it.”
Starr credits her inspiration and work ethic in part to her father, Eric Brodsky, who died in 2021 after a battle with cancer. “Go for your dreams,” he told her.
She also credits her resiliency to standing up to “haters.” She was, and still is, a subject of criticism and bullying, she said. She has been made fun of for her accent, and for her outgoing and flamboyant personality. Amateur critics, on social media on in person, have told her to “Give up on music!” and “You suck!”
“Once you go through loss, it changes everything,” she said, referring to her father. “You’ve already experienced the worst pain.”
Julie Brodsky confirmed that her daughter is no shrinking violet. “She has no fear of the camera, being in the public spotlight — full of energy,” Brodsky said, adding that when Alex was younger, she would “light up the room every time she walked in, and made her presence known.”
Starr hopes to be a role model for younger children, especially in Long Beach. “There are kids out there who need to see what hard work looks like,” she said.
And there is evidence that she is reaching people.
“I watched you at Speakeasy,” Brittany Jez wrote in a direct message to Starr on Instagram. “Now I’m watching you on Netflix. It’s just inspiring.”
The first four episodes of “Building the Band” premiered on Netflix on July 9, episodes five through seven aired on July 16, and the finale episodes initially aired on July 23. Contestants competed for a $500,000 prize, which ultimately went to 3QUENCY, an all-girl group.
