Lexy Panterra

Multi-talented health and fitness figure and singer/songwriter Lexy Panterra spun a successful workout program into a music career in the early 2010s. Creator of the LexTwerkOut fitness regimen, she issued her debut single "Lit" in 2015 and followed with a handful of dance-pop singles into the late 2010s. Born Alexis Liela Afshar to Iranian immigrant parents, Panterra's early years were spent enjoying one of her family's hobbies; from age eight to eleven, she followed in her father's footsteps and raced motorcycles. At the same time, she competed in beauty pageants and fell in love with dancing and theater. Even while juggling all these activities, she started a new venture in the world of fitness. During the early-2010s twerking craze, she began posting twerking exercise videos online, which evolved into her own program, LexTwerkOut. Attracting a range of followers -- including celebrities such as Cristina Milian and Mel B -- she developed a wide base that dovetailed into her next pursuit: Music. After a brief dip into the Eastern European dance-pop market in 2012, she returned to the U.S. and issued her official solo debut "Lit" in 2015. She followed with the propulsive "Used to Know," which added a layer of hard-hitting electronic dance heft to her dance-pop sound. In 2018, she released collaborations with Kevin Courtois ("Uncertainty") and Piques ("Get Loud!"), as well as solo single "Lies." ~ Neil Z. Yeung