Synonymous with the words multi-talented, ambitious and hardworking, Alexander Faizí Rawháni, also known as Dr LexLeo, undoubtedly encapsulates what it means to be a successful pioneer in saturated industries. And he does it with great finesse, too! While many aspire to succeed and master a single desired profession, LexLeo transcends that expectation by dominating the medical, business and music fields – a triple threat if there ever was one! We could not be more impressed by his ability to tap into these positions and be triumphant in all of them – with style, too, if we may add. 

GROWING UP 
Born and raised in Joburg, like most South Africans, LexLeo had a unique and very diverse upbringing. His Iranian-born parents, who moved from the UK to South Africa in the ’80s, raised him under the teachings of the Bahá’í faith. ‘This means that throughout my life, my parents have emphasised the importance of racial unity and gender equality, and encouraged me to use my time and resources for the development and progress of those around me. Translated into action, this meant that I spent a majority of my childhood in communities in which poverty, lack of education, crime, drugs and substance abuse were very common because my parents spent a lot of their time in those communities helping,’ LexLeo explains. My parents also ensured that I had a very well-balanced spiritual and material life, more often than not placing more emphasis on the importance of my spiritual education,’ he says. ‘Since I was a child, I was always encouraged to do many different things, to discover my talents and use them to help those around me. These careers are just a result of my love for entrepreneurship, details, creativity, education, service to humanity and music, all rolled into one.’ 

A PATH TO DENTISTRY 
Initially, unsure about pursuing dentistry, LexLeo only decided to apply for admission a month before deadlines closed and jokingly says, ‘But look, it all worked out’. ‘I knew that I was good with details, working with my hands and with people. Dentistry popped its head up as an option. I prayed and followed that direction,’ he says. Being able to directly help people was enough motivation for him to continue on this path. 

THE SOUND OF MUSIC 
LexLeo’s appreciation for art, rhythm and storytelling gave him the push he needed to pursue music (alongside dentistry, of course). ‘The world has fallen victim to a constant celebration of immorality, and it’s severely impacting our children and youth. Imagine dope sounding hip-hop that you don’t need to block out the words of and your kids don’t have to cover their ears when they hear it. Music that carries a positive message – that’s what I’m trying to do,’ he adds. ‘I enjoy the process of creating a song, from looking for inspiration for lyrics, to making them flow, adding them to a beat, and tying that all together into a final product. The possibilities are infinite with music, with where it can take you, and who it can lead you to meet and inspire. It is definitely a career that helps you build strength, persistence and patience. Especially as an independent artist, it isn’t easy, but I can definitely say I am 100 times stronger than before I became an artist.’ 

LEADING THE WAY 
LexLeo is very clear about the legacy that he wants to leave behind and aims to pave the way for other aspiring artists. When asked what advice he has for someone wanting to follow in his footsteps, he says: ‘Don’t follow in my footsteps – rather look at my footsteps, analyse my strengths and mistakes and learn to be one step ahead.’ When the lyrical dentist is not in the studio, at a gig or at his dental practice doing big cosmetic procedures, he is either lecturing or moonlighting as a jeweller. ‘My custom jewellery business Shohreh Custom Made is growing beautifully. It keeps my creative side hungry, and a lot of the money generated from it is used to fund my community development classes, education for children and youth, and free dental healthcare for my Project Smile South Africa initiative,’ he says. The cherry on top of this already busy cake is that LexLeo is an advocate for uplifting the community. ‘The basic idea is that if each of us can use two minutes a day to spread love and kindness in some way, our world will change very quickly,’ he says.