Hughes began her career in the underground club scene in Toronto, independently releasing the 10-track demo album Waiting for the Prize in 2006.
Her debut single under the Allie X name "Catch" was released in 2014, to much critical acclaim.
After an endorsement from American singer Katy Perry, "Catch" was re-released and began charting in Canada.
Hughes spent the next two years working on her debut studio album, releasing numerous singles online to gauge fan reaction.
In addition to her own music, Allie X has written songs for other artists including Troye Sivan, Betty Who, BTS, and Leland.