NOT JUST A DADDY'S GIRL

Alexa Ray Joel, the daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley, digs deep into growing up with famous parents – and making her own name

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None She may have one of the most recognisable surnames in the world, but the singer-songwriter Alexa Ray Joel is making a name for herself in her own right. And while she's known for her romantic piano ballads, her new music has taken everyone by surprise even her father, Billy Joel, the first person she played it to.

"He was taken aback," she tells HELLO! in this exclusive interview ahead of the release of her new single, Riverside Way. "I was really happy because he loved it; it was thrilling. He was like: 'This is such a departure for you; this is really experimental.' And he asked me how I came up with it, because it didn't seem like me."

The inspiration, Alexa says, can be traced back to a particular moment in time. "I think people see me as a good girl," she says. "I rarely go out and don't drink that much. But a few years ago, I had this one summer where I went out and drank and was as wild as can be.

"I was like: 'Woohoo, I'm living!' I had a lot of fun and I wanted to channel it into a song." Challenging herself musically is crucial, she adds. "I think it's always important to mix it up. I hope it takes people by surprise."

IN HER BLOOD

Alexa, the daughter of Billy and the model Christie Brinkley, lives in Manhattan with her fiancé, the restaurateur Ryan Gleason. She says there was never just one moment when she realised that she wanted to be a singer.