I have been lucky enough to chat with Lexx about their work and journey as a writer and spiritual beacon within the community in order to share her words with you! Lexx is a captivating writer and speaker with a pivotal world-view; here’s what they have to say.
“I’ve always been drawn to the darker characters in the storybook because I saw my own shadows in them.” — Lexx de Vour
Can you share with me what it means to you to be a villain, and how this shows up in your life?
‘I like to explore the Villain as an archetype that can be worked with and tempered in your spiritual development. After all, villains are on a spectrum and leave an impression on the universal subconscious. Whether it’s film characters like Maleficent and Miranda Priestly, or reality stars like Tiffany Pollard and Theresa Giudice, villains move the plot forward, for better or worse. They inadvertently offer life lessons through their reflective presence that we can all learn from. I’ve always been drawn to the darker characters in the storybook because I saw my own shadows in them. I’ve been villainised by people and have even participated in it. It’s not a topic to be afraid of, it’s something to dive deeper into and see where you find yourself throughout your lifetime. As witches, we are consistently villainised, so I say, why not embrace the title if it means showing people who they could be if they, too, met their shadows.’
Lexx’s perspective on what it means to be a villain resonated with me on a deep level; as a queer and autistic woman, I’ve experienced my fair share of being villainised in others’ narratives, and this used to be something that would wreak havoc in my mind - I knew I was someone who behaved in good faith, so being painted otherwise infuriated me. Lexx’s understanding that everyone experiences villainisation to a certain degree is grounding, and embracing my own shadow side has been pivotal in deepening my connection to myself, my witchcraft, and my creativity. I revel in the idea that my energy is impactful, that it leaves a welt on the people I meet, and that my presence is reflective and capable of bringing both good and bad to light.
Can you tell me a little about your journey to where you are now? How did Altar Werk, and then VILLAIN, come to be? And how has your journey thus-far shaped your plans for the future?
‘I started my creative career as a teenager in NYC. I created a streetwear brand that featured sayings and words that turned heads. I then turned it into a magazine to feature creative teams who couldn’t get major publication placements. I’ve always seen the world as an audience and clothing and media as a means of communication. When I wasn’t doing media, I had another life. I would spend my days in witch shops and go to tarot readers to see what my future held. I built an altar and meditated next to it every morning. I had tarot card and read for my roommates. I never saw myself as a ‘witch’ because I was completely unaware of the witch community back then. I just knew the occult was my special interest and it kept me grounded. I guess the spirit of the witch found me!
Altar Werk was born out of darkness. I experienced a racist incident at my job and quit. I then stopped working for a few years and fell into a deep depression because of it. One day, when I was crying in a dark closet I experienced my first spirit vision. I felt a young Black female presence that was undeniably my guide and I heard her voice in my head. She said, “Stand up. You have power.” I immediately stopped crying and I went back to my altar to work. I expanded my work like never before and spent every day healing myself. Altar Werk started as a way to document that journey.
VILLAIN came to be after a two year hiatus from social media. My witchy presence got pretty big on #witchtok. I got over 100k followers in just four months and steadily had opportunities with people seeking to hear my story. I abruptly left social media because I felt my opportunities were more than I could handle at the time. I didn’t start my journey to be an expert or a role model, I just wanted to document my spiritual practice and offer advice where I could. I realised a personal brand was being formed for me and it didn’t necessarily resonate. I could see this picture being painted of me as being “the go-to witch for beginners” and although it didn’t bother me, what did bother me was that it was only a fraction of who I was. Offline, I was into horror movies, burlesque, and vampires. I wasn’t a bubbly person, I was an intense one. I coached my friends through shadow work and I wasn’t afraid of the darkness in myself or others. VILLAIN was born through my Saturn Return journey, where I started to come back home to myself and realise all the things that I shoved away to be more palatable for the masses, was exactly what I needed to feel like myself online again.
My journey has led me to becoming a witch that doesn’t just meet you at the surface, but draws you down into the darkest pit to find only a sliver of light, a mirror, that will guide you back upward.’
Hearing about the experiences that led to Lexx’s success almost freaked me out with some of the similarities - I have also just returned from a social media hiatus after starting to gain a reputation that I didn’t ask for, or particularly want. The fact is that stepping into online spaces as a magnetic individual puts a spotlight onto you, and if you aren’t ready to shout with your chest exactly who you are, your audience will decide it for you. I used to be terrified of what peoples’ reactions might be if they discovered the real complexity of who I am, so would show up online carefully curated and user friendly, and as such - I would be misunderstood. This is exactly why Lexx’s VILLAIN publication spoke to me, because they spoke about embracing the parts of you that you’ve feared others may reject, and being proud of the taste you leave in people’s mouths, even if it’s sometimes bitter. Nurturing my own villain side may have made me less appealing to some, but it brought me back to what I love in life, and it really showed me that the right people will be drawn in.
A large part of your VILLAIN publication is focused on the art of self-devotion magick. What does self-devotion magick mean to you, and how do you implement it into your daily life?
‘I found myself creating self-devotion magick from an ego death on psychedelic mushrooms. Through that experience, I learnt that I had been spending my whole life, up until then, focused on “future me” and who I wanted to become. I was always planning, reading, and learning to prepare for some invisible checkpoint that would say, “You’re ready now.” I realised that I needed to ground myself like never before. Not just with nature, but inside of myself - to remember I have blood, bone, and skin and that it deserves my attention. My mind had taken the reins for far too long and I needed to start devoting my magick to myself again.
I implement self-devotion magick into my life by making sure I don’t spend all day planning and strategising for the future. I light a candle not just for luck, but to eroticise my experience putting on lashes. I look around my house more and see what needs tending to, not just for spell work, but for daily life. I’m more intentional about even the cup I drink out of in the morning because in order for me to feel that life is worth living, I have to do the work to make my personal space worth experiencing.’
This was insightful! I think it’s so easy to prioritise “future you” in everything you do, and we’re almost pushed to do that - to keep on hustling for future us, to put in the work to reap the rewards in the future, and of course this is important work! But we can’t forget about our present selves in the process. The you that you are right now is just as worthy of the things you want for future you. You don’t have to wait to become this ineffable version of yourself to grab what you want in life, it’s there waiting for you - right now.
In your recent upload on VILLAIN you discuss self-worship, and you list courting and romancing yourself as a step to get you started with your self-devotion journey. Could you share a recent example of your own experience courting yourself, and how it left you feeling?
‘Ugh, yes! To court yourself is just to spend special time and attention to develop a stronger relationship with yourself. I recently courted myself by sitting on my leopard rug, turning on movies, and going through old magazines. I cut out all the words, colours, and images that spoke to me to build a “brand book”. It was also to see what I was into now! I had some of these magazines for ten years and I could see my past dreams through the post-its I left in the pages. I’m 30 years old now with entirely new interests and new cut-outs to prove it. I felt so inspired and ready to create!’
I saw Lexx post about this when she did it, and it was inspiring! Since I discovered Lexx’s substack, I’ve been trying to implement self-devotion magick into my own practice too, and as she says, self-devotion and self-worship comes from romancing yourself the way you would someone else. As a Virgo, I just love to collect little morsels of knowledge about the people I love, so inspired by Lexx’s brand book making, I sat down with my journal and my tarot deck to check-in with myself and meet myself where I am in the present - not who I want to become, not the versions of myself that’ve been and gone, but who I am in this very moment. I absolutely surprised myself! It really did feel like learning about a potential suitor or an old friend, and I came away feeling energised and connected. Have a read of Lexx’s self-worship post if you’re unfamiliar with it, and see what you feel pulled to implement! ⬇️
As a creative, much of your work takes place in online spaces. How would you describe your relationship with your screen and keyboard, and what does your online community mean to you?
‘I’ve found that much of my irl experiences pour over from the things I create online. The internet is a whole world that you can opt in or out of, and I think that’s pretty neat. My relationship with digital spaces fluctuates. If I’m doom-scrolling or reading a lot of people’s thoughts, I can feel my own energy shift. I prioritise my mental health by taking breaks or only consuming inspiring content when I can - and that goes for the people I follow now, too. My online community means a lot to me and they’ve helped me keep going when I usually would’ve quit. I’m currently building a private community space so I can get to know my people even more!’
This is a lesson I’ve learnt time and time again! As a double pisces placement, I find myself and my energy is always drawing in and out like the ocean’s tides - I find myself immersing deep into my passions and projects one moment, and completely withdrawing the next. I think there’s a lot to learn from Lexx’s approach to online spaces, and making sure you’re not over-consuming content that drains you.
“My queer and Black identity cannot be separated in body or spirit.” — Lexx de Vour
How would you say that your Black and queer identity informs your spiritual practice and work?
‘Well it’s the foundation of everything I do. My queer and Black identity cannot be separated in body or spirit. As an African-American, I’ve dealt with a lot of racist discrimination for my body, assertiveness, and overall opinions. The collective rage and understanding that only I and other Black people feel is what informs Hoodoo so it’s a core piece of my work behind the scenes. As a queer person, there can be a lot of jarring narratives in the spiritual space where you can tell someone is speaking from a heteronormative perspective. I am happy to have a queer lens because I know that other queer people will see themselves in my work.’
As a queer person, I’ve definitely been able to see myself and my story told within Lexx’s work. Community building is so important, especially within the current climate, and being able to look up to those that show up unafraid despite the prejudice they may have faced is what inspires more and more people to reach out and do the same. I find Lexx’s attitude to embracing the wholeness of the self truly aspirational, and it’s an attitude that becomes more and more pivotal to growth each day. The more we find ourselves pushed aside and disregarded by society, the more important it becomes to embrace self-devotion and our own inner villains.
What are you reading or listening to lately that’s helping you embody the villain lifestyle? How much does the media you consume impact your practice?
‘I’m always listening to a mix of French cabaret music and darkwave. It plays on my speaker in my altar room so I’m always stepping into a villain portal. Gosh, what am I not reading. Right now, my favs in my rotation are Untamed by Glennon Doyle, The Holy Wild by Danielle Dulsky, and The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest.
The media I consume like horror films, 90’s witch flicks, and femme fatale thrills, impacts my branding and sacred shadow side - like yeah, I can be The Love Witch hot but I could also be Jennifer’s Body hot too.’
I love myself some horror and femme fatale icons too, and horror in particular is one genre that illuminates the power of embracing your villain energy, especially for marginalised gender identities. As a fat girl, my first horror icon that I felt drawn to was Carrie, and her story is one that I see my own illuminated in.
What are you prioritising in Pisces season to nurture your joy and ignite sacred creativity?
‘Well, I have a 5H Saturn in Pisces, so this is going to be a good time for me to dip back into my inner child. The first step was cutting out magazines on the floor (even though my back started hurting and I needed a chair shortly after). Next, I want to do more spells and possibly watch some films from my childhood. I feel so accomplished as my Saturn Return comes to a close and I just want to bask in the season to celebrate my journey.’
Pisces season is always a time that I feel drawn to spending with my inner child. Piscean energy is transcendent in many ways and that’s something I see within my own childlike energy and desires.
Speaking with Lexx was nothing short of an honour, both in getting such valuable insights into their sacred practice, and in allowing her voice and experiences to inspire my own Pisces season plans. As a Pisces moon and rising, this season is sacred to me; whilst often considered a time to rest and recalibrate, Pisces season is when my creativity comes to LIFE.
If you’re feeling as incentivised as I am following this interview, Lexx de Vour can be found right here on substack, as well as instagram, tiktok, and of course, Altar Werk.
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thank you sooo much for this conversation! I enjoyed every second. ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
Everything about this interview was beautiful in every way