Tragic Details About Billy Joel's Daughter Alexa

The following article contains mentions of suicide.

When supermodel Christie Brinkley and the legendary "We Didn't Start the Fire" crooner Billy Joel got together, they seemed like a match made in heaven. Their only daughter together, Alexa Ray Joel, inherited both her mom's beauty and her dad's undeniable musical talent, and she seemed destined for stardom. However, amid the turbulence of her early years, overly critical tabloids, heartbreak, and the ever-present weight of her parents' shadow, she faced several setbacks.

Today, Alexa Ray looks totally unrecognizable, and she's truly come into her own, having made a name for herself apart from her famous parents. But she had to overcome many unfortunate circumstances to get to where she is today. During an interview with Yahoo in May 2021, Alexa Ray acknowledged how the trials and tribulations in her life have made her a late bloomer. "I'm 35 now, but I'm kind of in the place that a lot of 25-year-olds would be in the industry. It just took me some time to find my own voice and figure out what I wanted to say, and also to get up the courage," she remarked. Here are the tragic details about Billy Joel's daughter, Alexa Ray.

Being the child of famous parents, with the wealth and notoriety many dream of having, seems like an idyllic life. Unfortunately, Alexa Ray Joel couldn't escape the pain of her parents' divorce, an event that roughly half of all children in America go through at some point in their lives. Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley were together since 1983, and marrying two years later. The superstar couple welcomed their only child together before the end of 1985. The new family  seemingly had a happy, albeit highly publicized, life together.

However, Brinkley and Joel's marriage fell apart in late 1993. Alexa Ray's former nanny, Alzirene Vianna, swore an affidavit in January 1995 (via Page Six), this is when the couple's 8-year-old daughter started exhibit signs of distress. Vianna claimed she tried to warn Brinkley about her daughter's behavior, saying she'd become "angry" and would "lose her temper," but to no avail.

"Alexa was withdrawing from her friends, and she was spending a lot of time alone in her room, but I felt like I was talking to a wall, because Christie didn't respond at all," she said. Brinkley's lawyer characterized Vianna as a "disgruntled employee," completely dismissing her claims.

Although she grew up with two incredibly famous parents, Alexa Ray Joel didn't have a clue as to the extent of their stardom as a kid. "I just thought they were popular. I thought I was the star," she told the New York Post in December 2010. However, as she got older, Alexa Ray was struggling to overcome the immense pressure of being the only child of her gorgeous mother and musical genius father. "It was never, 'I hate my parents.' It was more, 'I hate myself.' ... I was very shy and insecure and felt like I was in this big shadow," she continued.

Like her father, Alexa Ray fell in love with singing and embarked on something of a music career herself, but it's been far from easy. Accusations of nepotism came her way, but she insists that the last thing she's doing is getting a leg up from the famous Billy Joel. During a May 2021 interview with Yahoo, Alexa Ray talked about how she's finally focused on stepping out of her parents' shadow and making a name for herself. "Sometimes it is a little bit frustrating, because I feel that I have to repeat myself in terms of how involved I am with my own work," the singer explained.

Celebrities with gorgeous parents are often compared to them. Since Alexa Ray Joel's mom Christie Brinkley is a stunning model, it's no surprise that she went through the same thing. However, she got much harsher treatment from the public, even as a child. As Alexa Ray was growing up, unkind comments were made online about how she looked more like her rock star father than her glamorous mother.

In speaking with Yahoo, Alexa Ray remarked, "I was made to feel ashamed. I was critiqued for my appearance." She did defend herself online, explaining that she was proud to resemble her dad, and had her little sister Sailor's back when discussions about her looks began to surface online. However, it was a situation Alexa Ray shouldn't have had to deal with. "I just felt that it wasn't fair. I wasn't ready to be looked at or viewed in that way. I was still kind of growing into myself and was definitely going through a bit of an awkward phase, as the rest of us go through," she continued.

Unfortunately, despite the passage of time, the cruel comments haven't ceased. Fortunately, Alexa Ray knows how to clap back at trolls, and when an unkind user said something about her looks in a January 2018 Instagram comment, she retorted, "You may think I'm hideous, but I like the way I look. And that's really all [that] matters."

Alexa Ray Joel was born to thrive as a musician. Despite who her famous father is, her middle name was given in homage to Ray Charles, the iconic singer-songwriter who dueted with Billy Joel on "Baby Grand." Alexa Ray has spoken of her devotion to music and released her first EP, "Sketches," in 2006. She released an original single in 2011 as well, called "Beg You to Stay." Sadly, it was around this time that the unfair treatment she received from the tabloids, media, and Perez Hilton took over her life, leading her to take a 10-year hiatus from recording music.

During her 2021 conversation with Yahoo, Alexa recounted how she'd reacted to being scrutinized as a teenager, saying it made her want to disappear. So, as she explained, "I just hid in my then-boyfriend's house and I completely shut down. I was like, 'I'm never doing music again.'" It took Alexa Ray six or seven years to even feel comfortable to perform live again.

She began starring in cabaret showcases in New York to regain her confidence, adding, "It was a process, for sure." Thankfully, Alexa Ray has come back into the limelight stronger than ever, having released a couple singles in 2021, and in 2024 September 2024 she teased the release of her next EP.

One afternoon in December 2009, Alexa Ray Joel called emergency services complaining of difficulty breathing after taking a muscle relaxer and eight counts of Traumeel. The singer received treatment at the hospital, but it didn't take long for the press to catch wind of the incident. At the time, outlets everywhere were describing the incident as a suicide attempt, but a year following the event, Alexa Ray clarified what really happened.

During an interview with ABC News in June 2010, the musician was ready to discuss what led her to take a handful of pills. "I wasn't trying to hurt myself. I wasn't trying to kill myself. I was panicked. I was not thinking clearly at all," she revealed. "I'm in so much pain, and I just wanted to numb it." In a separate chat with the New York Post that same year, Alexa Ray reiterated that she didn't intend to end her life but was caught in a bout of panic. "I have a flair for the dramatic. I got caught up in my own head. It was a panic. I didn't want to die. I just didn't want to feel what I was feeling at that moment anymore," she explained. A devastating breakup from her boyfriend of five years, musician Jimmy Riot who was 15 years her senior, had triggered something in Alexa Ray. "He was my first love, my first everything," she said of her ex-boyfriend.

At the time of the incident, Alexa Ray had posted on MySpace about struggling to find a decent guy to date. Fortunately, her parents were supportive and they became closer as she recovered. Alexa Ray poured all of her anguish into her music, finding a healthy outlet to deal with her emotions. She said she's been working on herself since the incident.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

Over the years, there have been countless famous celebrities with terrifying stalker stories. While shows like "Baby Reindeer" might be entertaining, the real life experiences are nothing short of frightening. Tragically, Alexa Ray Joel found this out firsthand in 2013 (via The Telegraph), when she became the victim of Sheryl Finley's stalking and abusive Facebook messages. The singer had been bombarded for months by the unsolicited DMs that, according to the court records, included "pedophilia, sadistic-sexual behavior, violent physical assaults and murder."

Alexa Ray was, understandably, too scared to leave her home, and her dad hired her a bodyguard. The "Piano Man" singer also sought the help of an internet security company, which had come recommended by Sir Paul McCartney, to help track the perpetrator down, which took only minutes. Sadly, Finley has struggled with her mental health over the years, having spent some time in a psychiatric facility. She was discovered nude in the woods of her hometown by local police.

Finley was charged with the harassment and cyberstalking of the singer, for which Finley pleaded not guilty. She faced up to five years in jail, and would have potentially received mental health support. However, the conclusion of the case unfortunately remains unclear.

All of Christie Brinkley's children have grown up to be gorgeous, and her supermodel genes have definitely transferred to all of them. Sadly, despite being absolutely stunning, Alexa Ray Joel faced possibly the worst criticism about her looks out of all her siblings. One physical attribute many of her haters would point out was her nose, and it seems the singer agreed with them, as she went under the knife back in 2010 to smooth out her bump.

"I liked everything else about my physical appearance, but [my nose] always bothered me a bit. ... I think I look more like me than my father's daughter now," Alexa Ray told People at the time. But, when she debuted a new look on Instagram in April 2014, showcasing a revealing outfit and smoky eye, the media became convinced the singer looked so different, she must've had an extensive list of cosmetic procedures done.

In the caption, which has since been deleted, Alexa Ray wrote, "I would just like to add that all of the continuously-circulating rumors that I have had extensive 'face-work' and undergone breast-augmentation surgery is simply and entirely 100% false." Alexa Joel confirmed that rhinoplasty was all she'd had done and that she'd always been honest about this, adding that any change in appearance was due to the talents of her incredibly skilled makeup artist.

Alexa Ray Joel had found her niche and stepped out of her father's shadow when she began starring in cabaret performances. Unfortunately, she had a frightening health scare while on stage during a sold-out show at The Café Carlyle in New York City in April 2014. Alexa Ray was giving the final performance of her two-week run at the jazz lounge when she collapsed.

Despite wanting to continue her show, the singer was taken to the hospital where it was determined the cause of her fainting spell was vasovagal syncope. According to the Mayo Clinic, this often harmless medical condition occurs when your nervous system malfunctions, causing a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, which can result in fainting. Alexa Ray didn't need any further treatment, but was disappointed she was unable to finish her performance.

"I wanted to thank everyone for coming out to support me. I was excited and determined to fulfill my final performance and I really wanted to end my run with a bang, but this was not what I had in mind," Alexa Ray said in a statement after the incident.

After years of difficulty, heartbreak, and scrutiny, Alexa Ray Joel shared some thrilling news in 2018, and her followers rallied behind her in support. After dating restaurateur Ryan Gleason for over four years, he popped the question. Alexa Ray announced her engagement in an Instagram post in January 2018, writing, "I was completely taken off-guard, dumbstruck, and shell-shocked- and FOR ONCE in my life, I had absolutely no words. ... I just kept staring at this ridiculously exquisite ring."

A year went by without a word about what their plans were, and in an interview with People in January 2019, the singer finally explained, "We've both been so busy." Alexa Ray went on to hint that she and Gleason had been planning a little and they wanted the food to be "Cipriani-vibe, very New York, old-school Italian." She also added she wouldn't have bridesmaids stand by her side during the ceremony.

Christie Brinkley confirmed in March 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, all of her daughter's wedding planning had been paused. Like many people whose ceremonies were delayed by coronavirus, Alexa Ray was disappointed but it was the responsible choice. However, as of October 2024, Alexa Ray and her beau have yet to tie the knot, nor have they confirmed any more future plans to do so.