Interview

Artist Spotlight: Merry Lamb Lamb

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Hong Kong-born, London-based musician Merry Lamb Lamb has crafted a distinctive and vibrant artistic identity. Her trilingual music weaves together English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, each language revealing a different facet of her personality.

Growing up in Hong Kong and later moving to Toronto, Merry Lamb Lamb faced the challenges of being one of the few East Asian students. Encouraged by her now-creative director, Lung, Merry taught herself Ableton and began her musical journey.

Genesis, her 2022 debut album, explored eclectic '80s pop and thumping house, while its follow-up, Exodus, took a bolder, more club-oriented direction. Beyond her musical talent, Merry Lamb Lamb's visual arts background attracted collaborations with Gucci, Moschino, Chanel, and Acne Studios.

Merry Lamb Lamb joined forces with Miso Extra, and aimei 媚 to create their electronic pop gem, 'Better' - a track expressing resilience after heartbreak, which carries a message of optimism for the future.

The project emerged from a 3-day writing camp organized by Platoon’s 'She Runs The Board,' shesaid.so, and ESEA Music. The project highlights the East and South East Asian music community's female producers, songwriters, and engineers, aiming to elevate and increase visibility for women in the industry.

What's your new song “Better” with Miso Extra & aimei 媚 about and what do you hope listeners take from it?

The song is about a failed relationship that you once spend and you thought that they are going to be the love of your life. You started to get very deep into them and they have been very manipulative and toxic. The worst part is that you feel like you're starting to lose yourself. So you want to get out of this relationship, and to be better without them basically.

I think the song is so special to me, because sometimes life is not about love. There are friends and family that will always be rooting for you, they will always support you. The song “Better” is just not solely dealing with this person, just that. It’s to realise that you have a fragile side of yourself, and you're capable to face your past and to learn from the lessons you have, and to be strong and independent and to be better without them. I think this is “Better” for me.

Name one artist that has influenced you and your music.

When I first started music production, I looked up to Grimes a lot. I remember that I saw one of her performance videos - she was performing her song ‘Oblivion’ on YouTube at one of the very big festivals. I was blown away because she was controlling everything all by herself, from drum machines to synthesisers and to singing and dancing with her dancers. It's just the fact that she does everything herself - from music production to music videos. The DIY style and the way she works with everything is just so admirable and I looked up her a lot. I hope that one day Merry Lamb Lamb could be very strong and independent like her.

If you had to pick one song to introduce someone to music, which one would it be?

I think a very good introduction song to Merry Lamb Lamb’s world will definitely be ‘Empathy’ because I just love talking about a lot of my soft spot to people. These are really common topics that I asked myself a lot growing up as a person.

The song is about feeling very misplaced everytime, from moving from place to place. Sometimes, I wanted to seek for help, maybe just one hug. "I felt very lonely and left out sometimes. I love how the song's (vibe) is so different because the music is so dancey, yet it has very vulnerable lyrics, which I love. What I love about dance music, it's just how it pulls up your heartstrings so much. It just gives you the power to dance to it and listen to it from a club situation, to a long ride solitudes. This is ‘Empathy’ for you.

What’s your top tip for artists who want to follow this industry?

It is very important to not to be afraid to put up sounds that you feel they are not 100% to perfection. To me, there's no such thing as 100% perfect song. As a musician, you will grow day by day and you will learn from mistakes. When you put out songs, listeners do actually love honesty and rawness from music that you've done, music that will feel real about you. So don't be afraid to put out songs.

When you start to write more and you look back to what you have produced or what wrote in the past, you will be like “oh, actually, I’ve been through that faze and I'm glad that I put out the song at that certain time”. You will feel more grown up. You will realise what you’ve been through from the beginning to now. As a musician, it’s a very beautiful thing to know your past and to be honest to people.

‘Better’ is out 16th February 2024

Connect with:

Merry Lamb Lamb

Miso Extra

aimei 媚

ESEA Music & Platoon

Interview: Little Monarch

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Little Monarch is the brainchild of LA-based artist Casey Kalmenson. Recognized for her exceptional songwriting, production, and vocal abilities and blend of indie pop, soul, jazz, and funk, Casey has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Daisy The Great, Jessie Ware, Far East Movement, Parra for Cuva and more. 

Little Monarch found viral success as a solo artist with her debut single "No Matter What," which has wracked up over 25 million streams across platforms.

She has seen her work feature prominently in a variety of TV networks and film projects (including ABC, CBS, MTV, and VH1 and popular shows like Grey’s Anatomy, All American: Homecoming and Love Is Blind).

With her sound as a summer sunset, Little Monarch continues to shine in the music industry, resonating with audiences globally. Her more recent single "Same Old" followed Little Monarch's track "Tears" and an extensive tour playing in Gracie Abrams band. The tour included multiple opening act performances for Taylor Swift on the Eras stadium tour. "Tears" combines pieces of soul, jazz, and indie pop to create a sunshine filled sonic reminder to let go of control and find your own place in the flow.  

What's the one thing you hope fans will take away from listening to your new song “Same Old”?

In general, it's always “self confidence” and a renewed sense of self worth. And not giving up. That's always been kind of the pillars of what I write about. Because it's always what I need to hear and what I want to transmit into the world, the messaging of “don't give up, just keep showing up”. You just gotta keep going and things turn around.

What's the most unexpected place/time/space you found inspiration for a song?

I don't think this is unexpected, but it's recent. I was feeling really blocked creatively and I went for a hike. There was this little rock and I thought “that looks like a wonderful rock". I'm gonna sit on it”. And I sat on it and I closed my eyes, did a little meditation and I got this inspiration for a song, came home and started to play it. It was just this feeling that I really wanted to capture and I think that I did. It was just so renewing because I had kind of felt a little bit lost, trying to navigate putting this album together. I was thinking “I really want something, I don't know what I want yet, but I don't know what it feels like”. So, I kind of landed on this when I got quiet and got out in nature. And that always seems to do the trick for me.

What's an important lesson you've learned in your music career?

Ooh, I mean, so many but…don't give up. Just keep going. There's really no “one path”. You can read people's bios. You can study the greats (and you should) but there's no trajectory that you can copycat. So you really just have to be patient and keep showing up for yourself and your own path, which is going to be unique.

What’s a piece of advice for finding creativity on a tough day?

Don't force, it would just show up. Even if it's just 20 minutes of practising or journaling, there's a lot of ways to be creative that doesn't involve sitting down and writing music or producing something. Also, make sure you’re giving yourself a “creative palate cleanser”; get a little bit done, go take a walk. I love to do that - it just clears my head - and then I can come back to something with fresh ears. And also, most importantly, if it's a tough day and you're not feeling it, just don't. You don't have to. You can take a rest and that's just as productive sometimes.

What’s your top tip for people that want to become music producer, singer songwriters etc?

When I wanted to start producing, I was buying some gear (I was you know, figuring it out what I needed) and somebody ironically (amazingly enough) at guitar centre said to me “give yourself seven years and then you'll actually be a producer, you'll be good enough for you to want to hire yourself”. I actually still think about that and think that's kind of true.

You have to give yourself this runway of time to you know, learn the skills and you're always learning. I think, just giving yourself a runway of time and setting yourself up for that, knowing that it could happen overnight or you might want to build something where it has a lot of longevity and you can sustain it - in which case you, you need to set up a support system and figure out a way to really know that it's a 5 to 10 year journey to get to a place where you might deem yourself successful or comfortable or sustained. Just give yourself some time and patience because it's beautiful that you're even showing.

What are some of your favorite songs to wake up to?

This week it's been “Love and Happiness” by Al Green (and just anything by Al Green). I really love to take a morning walk and listen to some (Frédéric) Chopin, it just stimulates my brain, it's beautiful.

Three things you can't live without in your bag.

Aquaphor, sunscreen, earbuds. Pretty pretty standard.

Follow Little Monarch:

▶ Stream: https://ONErpm.lnk.to/-LittleMonarch

▶ Instagram:   / littlemonarchmusic  

▶ Facebook:   / littlemonarch  

▶ Twitter:   / littlemonarchla  

Artist Spotlight: Belle Chen

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Belle Chen is a pianist and composer that skillfully blends piano melodies with synths, creating a seamless fusion of acoustic and electronic music.

Belle released the single 'Three Birds', as a preview of her upcoming album, "Ravel In The Forest," set to be released on February 16, 2024, through Platoon. The album, inspired by nature and created as an imaginative world through music, invites listeners on a journey filled with richly cinematic, ethereal compositions.

The album's production involves a collaboration with the Budapest Art Orchestra in tracks like 'Closer' and 'Moonrise,' showcasing Belle's diverse and intriguing approach to music creation. 'Ravel In The Forest' defies categorization, providing a refreshing experience that reconnects audiences with nature, music, and introspection.

Your new album, 'Ravel In The Forest,' takes listeners on a journey through nature and imagination. Can you share more about the inspiration behind it?

My new album Ravel In The Forest was inspired by the feeling of losing oneself in your imagination while being in nature. So in this album, you’ll hear textures and colors and sounds that were inspired by the movements and the colous of the flora and fauna found in forests.

Could you provide some insights into your classical training and its influence on your work, particularly when blending contemporary and electronic music? How did your classical background play a role in shaping the sound of this album?

My classical training is like the foundation that I build my own music language upon. And for me, it's like a big dictionary that I can draw words from to tell my own musical story. In this particular album (Ravel in the Forest), I draw inspirations from the approaches of Impressionist composers such as Maurice Ravel, and how they evoke certain feelings through the use of colors, light and shade and combining that approach with the technology that we have today, through the use of synths and production technique to create this whimsical, imaginative world that's this new album.

Making music for me is a very intuitive process. I'm always guided by the end feeling of what I want to create for the listeners. And in this journey to get there I would explore the different options and textures and colors that's available, and are the most appropriate to create this end feeling. Sometimes I find it through classical approach and sometimes I find it through more electronica kind of approach. Sometimes it's a hybrid, so it's never really the same.

The concept of 'Ravel In The Forest' seems deeply connected to nature and introspection. How do you believe music can serve as a medium for self-reflection and connection to the world around us?

For me, music is a really important medium for self reflection and introspection, because I think it creates this pocket of time and space to be really with yourself, and be really honest with how you're feeling and seeing the world. And in a way, music can also be a shared experience.

When a musician shares a piece of music with a world, we're actually sharing a part of how we see the world and our perspective as well.

And when two people share what they're listening to is similar; they're sharing how they see the world. It is a moment and a medium for connection, as well as self reflection.

As an artist who has performed globally, can you share a memorable moment from your performances at venues like the Royal Albert Hall’s Steinway Series and the National Theatre of Korea?

My most memorable moments when I'm performing happens when I feel like I'm in sync with the audience. You can feel the energy coming back in and I feel like we're on a journey together. And I feel like I'm getting to know them on a very deep and personal level. And so those are the most fun and memorable moments for me.

Your journey includes being recognized as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in London and being a Yamaha artist. How have these affiliations influenced your growth as a musician?

I'm hugely grateful for the affiliations. I think both the academy and Yamaha has played such important roles in my musical DNA and in my journey so far, and to be able to partner with Yamaha on special projects especially has made a big difference.

What does your morning routine look like?

My morning routines are usually done in silence and solitude. That's where I think most clearly and my best and usually that involves meditation, reading, journaling, and then plotting up my day with a good cup of coffee before getting started.

Your tips for finding your creativity on a tough day

So when I'm having a tough day, I usually time box an hour or so to create as freely as possible. And usually that involves sitting in front of the piano and improvising and recording that on the voice memo. I think it is done without any intention, without any pressure. And then I'll step away go for a walk around the block clear my mind. And usually on these days I try to be gentle with myself and kind with myself, because some things just take time and sometimes it takes longer, and that's okay to take longer.

New shesaid.so Dublin chapter Co-Director: Nikki Raymond

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shesaid.so Dublin are absolutely thrilled to announce that Nikki Raymond will be coming on board as the Co-Director of the Dublin team. Nikki will work side by side with current Chapter Director Lisa Murray to organise, coordinate and oversee the Dublin chapter as they launch into an exciting period of fresh activities and collaborations for the coming months and year ahead.

The Dublin chapter of shesaid.so, founded by Shauna Watson in 2018, initially focused on organizing skill-sharing workshops covering various music industry topics. They also partnered with the inaugural music festival "We've Only Just Begun" in August 2018, which featured an all-female lineup. In 2020, leadership was passed to Lisa Murray, who adapted the community to operate online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, collaborating with organizations like IMRO, West One Music Group, and the National Concert Hall to host workshops and webinars. Now, as the pandemic subsides, the chapter, led by Lisa and co-director Nikki Raymond, is gearing up for a series of events and collaborations, including educational workshops and panel discussions in partnership with the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO), to support the Irish music scene.

We sat down with Nikki Raymond, and here’s a Q&A to get to know the newest member of the shesaid.so Dublin chapter! 

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Nikki and I work in the music industry as a Promoter Assistant. I’m also an artist manager and a music reviewer for The GOO magazine which is printed locally here in Dublin. It took me a couple of years to figure out what career path I wanted to take after college. It blew my mind when I realised that you could have a career in live events and at that point the decision was made for me. I’ve also spent the last few years travelling whenever I can and have lived in four different countries (so far..). As much as I love exploring the world, I think my heart belongs in Dublin.

Top 3 Albums?

Melodrama by Lorde, An Awesome Wave by alt-J, Where I Should End by Saint Sister

Favourite music video?

Fell In Love With A Girl by The White Stripes

Favourite lyric?

"I was housed by your warmth, thus transformed" - Shrike by Hozier

Favourite album cover?

Melodrama by Lorde

Dream festival headliner?

Daft Punk

Best gig this year?

Hozier in The Academy

Best gig ever?

Paul McCartney at Tinley Park Amphitheatre, Chicago in 2017

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Cat Ryan, KhakiKid and Big Sleep 

What’s your favourite song right now? 

'I Think I Lost My Number Can I Have Yours?' by milk.

What are you looking forward to most as the new Co-Director of shesaid.so Dublin?

First of all, I am incredibly excited to be working alongside Lisa. I met her for the first time last year at a shesaid.so event and because of that I ended up reconnecting with an old college friend who I now manage - the universe works in weird ways. I’m also really looking forward to organising as many seminars, workshops, showcases, panel discussions and networking events as possible because there is an amazing community of like-minded people out there - it will be phenomenal to give people a space and a platform to amplify their talents and expand their skill set

Statement from Lisa:

I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Nikki to the shesaid.so Dublin team. I met Nikki at one of our shesaid.so Dublin Cocktails and Chats mixer events last year and we clicked immediately! Her enthusiasm, drive, passion and professionalism are going to make her an incredible co-director and I’m beyond excited to enter into this next season of shesaid.so working with Nikki by my side. We already have lots of exciting things on the horizon so stay tuned!

If you have any questions about becoming part of shesaid.so Dublin, feel free to reach out to use on Instagram or via email. 

Join shesaid.so Dublin

shesaid.so Mix 050: Bae Blade

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The shesaid.so mix series aims to spotlight the diverse artists within our community. We’re committed to championing underrepresented voices from around the world, focusing on female, non-binary, trans and queer individuals. Our monthly mix series allows our contributing selectors to showcase their unique backgrounds and inspirations by creating exclusive, 30-minute live recorded soundscapes.

This month, we have the German DJ/producer Bae Blade, whose unique, genre-blending sound - a modern style that oscillates between electro, breaks, house, and techno with hip-hop influences - has garnered her a fervent following in the underground.

With a background in photography and only recently starting music during the lockdown in 2020, Bae Blade is a multifaceted artist whose intuitive skills have led her to become a regular at Berlin’s renowned HÖR radio station, a resident at RINSE FM, and an internationally touring DJ.

On the heels of these accomplishments, released her EP Mutual Pleasure earlier this month - a full-on onslaught of hard-edged, hyperfast techno/breakbeat/trance spiked with catchy hooks from other genres.

What inspired you to start the Bae Blade project during lockdown?

During the lockdown, I finally had the time to dedicate myself to projects I had envisioned for a while. The scene in North Rhine-Westphalia, where I'm from, felt too monotonous, and I wanted to play music that diverged from techno, allowing for more hip movement and incorporating more vocals.

How would you compare German electronic music culture to scenes from other countries?

It's a tough question and depends on where you are. I can only speak from the region I come from. In the western part of Germany, it's slowly starting to open up to other genres besides techno. In Berlin, where it's a major hub, it's a different story. I think it depends on the area, I believe there isn't just that one scene in Germany.

You have a background as a music photographer- do you feel like there were skills you picked up in photography that you've transferred over to making music?

It doesn't always have to be the most expensive equipment to achieve fantastic results.

Your new debut EP, Mixed Feelings, is an exploration of multiple underground dance music genres. What is the main connecting thread / overarching theme of the project?

The essence of the EP is simply to introduce myself via the facets that interest me within the genres. The EP is essentially a condensed set of me. With the EP title, I wanted to convey that one cannot narrow oneself down to just one thing, both as a person and in their art / as an artist.

Where is your dream place/venue to play?

Kyle Richards' White Party.

The Aces' Alisa Ramirez on Music, Identity, and Their Latest Album

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Indie-pop quartet The Aces released their highly-anticipated third studio album, I’ve Loved You For So Long, back in June. Spanning eleven tracks, the record sees the band reflect on their childhood and unpack how their early experiences with closeted love and religious trauma have influenced their relationships, mental health, and identity in the present.

Finding inspiration in the likes of The Cranberries and LCD Soundsystem, The Aces experimented with new styles while remaining authentic to their roots. The early singles caught the attention of tastemakers like KCRW, BBC Radio 1, and KROQ, to name a few, racking up over 12 million streams ahead of today’s release. The band is currently on a global tour supporting their album.

We are thrilled to have Alisa Ramirez from The Aces share invaluable advice and insights for industry newcomers

Hey, what's up, shesaid.so this is Alisa from the Aces, and I'm going to be answering some of your questions today.

What were some of the musical influences that inspired the sound of your latest record?

I'd say a big musical influence for this record was late 80s early 90s Shoegaze. And, kind of the end of New Wave as well as the beginning of Grunge. I feel that was a big thing for us. This record is largely about our teenage years and our youth and how experiences from our teenhood affect our adulthood. So it was very much about timing and kind of leaning into sounds that were really nostalgic to paint the pictures of the past and leaning into sounds that were really futuristic and really modern to paint the stories of our adulthood and our current moment. So I'd say timing and big eras of music - past and present - were really influential for the sound.

How do you overcome creative blocks?

I think having a creative block is really tough, but the best thing for me is just not trying to “beat it over the head”, you know? Just sitting at my studio desk, hoping something comes out. It's kind of a two-way street. If you're showing up to create something, and the Muses aren't showing up, then okay, it's not gonna happen. I think sometimes it just comes to you and it happens. But if you're going through a period where you just feel like you can't get it out or there's nothing inspiring, then I would just say take a break. Go live your life. Go read books, go to museums, explore, go out and meet new people. Just try to just live your life and find inspiration through everyday things and new experiences. That's what I always do. Seems to work.

What’s your top advice for young individuals wanting to become musicians?

I'd say just go for it. It's a lot of work practice. But if you love it, it won't feel like work. Just practice, practice, practice, build your audience, don't take no for an answer and just keep getting better at songwriting and keep getting better at whatever instrument you play. Keep chasing creativity, keep chasing inspiration.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?

Yeah, we do we always huddle up and do like a little mantra, kind of a prayer to the universe, kind of tap in and, and just, you know, ask to have a good show. None of us are very religious, but it's always a good feeling to kind of huddle up and combine our collective energy to put on the best performance we can.

If you could travel back in time to any musical era, which one would it be?

I would probably travel back to the 60s as it was a really exciting time. It was the first time that people were going electric. It was the first time people were talking about sex and mental health in a more forward way. It wasn't this kind of subliminal thing, it was more in your face. It just felt like the first time that music started to get really exciting and have a rebellious element to it, you know what I mean? And not just be kind of centred around like religion and social norms.

Okay, well, those are my answers. Have a good one!

The Aces Third Studio Album I’ve Loved You For So Long is out on Red Bull Records.

Stream The Album Here.

shesaid.so Mix 049: Maude Vôs

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The shesaid.so mix series aims to spotlight the diverse artists within our community. We’re committed to championing underrepresented voices from around the world, focusing on female, non-binary, trans and queer individuals. Our monthly mix series allows our contributing selectors to showcase their unique backgrounds and inspirations by creating exclusive, 30-minute live recorded soundscapes.

This month, we have the Los Angeles-based DJ/producer Maude Vôs, a consummate experimentalist with a distinct musical voice that is brought to bear in both the studio and on dark underground dancefloors. 

Maude Vôs has built a top reputation in the LA-underground electronic scene through Delusional Records, the record label founded with Marie Nyx to uplift underrepresented artists and create a community around change and visibility within the electronic music industry. The label has been nominated for Best Breakthrough Label by DJ Mag, and has released 35 different artists over 16 releases (85% identifying as LGBTQIA+) since 2021. 

Maude Vôs was also recently featured in the book Patch and Tweak with Korg (a deep-dive into Korg synthesizers). Catch Maude giving educational workshops within their community, releasing music, and playing infectious DJ sets at festivals such as CRSSD Festival and Reform Festival, where a psychedelic techno sound is placed on display as rooted in atonal production and found sound experimentation.

What’s your top advice for young people wanting to become music producers/DJs/run a record label.

  1. Know your vision and why you do what you do; ethos & intention go a long way. Integrity is everything in this industry! Know who you are aligning yourself with and decide if your values are similar. 

  2. How you communicate and represent yourself is so important, be professional, I’m not “your homie or bro.” 

  3. Do your homework, from the labels you reach out to, to the roots of the electronic music culture, to where you are choosing to take up space. 

  4. I don’t care how big you are, entitlement isn’t cute. 

  5. Stay humble, stay curious and stay sober when you're working, this is a job. 

  6. Collaborate, sit in the studio with fellow producers, keep creating. The reality is you’re going to make a ton of bad art, and it's 100% part of the process. The more you can create your toolbox the better you’re going to get at production. 

  7. Youtube University is my favorite! 

How do you stay grounded and focused?

Personally: Believing in the work I'm doing is always a huge piece of the focus puzzle for me. At times, It’s actually quite hard for me to pull myself away from my work because my soul is so intertwined. On the other side of that coin, knowing you can’t do everything (gigs, interviews, remixes etc), it’s so important to know when to say no to things that don’t serve your bigger picture goals. That being said, feeding your soul and finding a balance. For me that looks like nature, nourishment, spa time, massage, reading, podcasts, yoga, ritual and therapy.  I moved out of the city a year ago and my nervous system is the happiest it's been thus far. Living in the mountains is very grounding and connective for me. 

Label wise, working as a team with Marie Nyx is extremely helpful. We have very defined roles so we do not have to take on the entire load of running a label, although the two of us do the jobs of a four person team at times. Lastly, remembering a career, making a record, starting a label, can not be built in a day; managing expectations and regulating oneself is really important.  

And then the little things…papers calendar, setting alarms, lists & timeboxing tasks. 

3 things you can't live without in your bag.

My Pucci sunnies, my AirPods, a roll on jasmine essential oil. 

Your label, Delusional Records, has been making waves in the industry. How do you and Marie Nyx approach the curation process for your releases?

Artist wise we reach out to many of the artists we want to work with. It’s very intentional and we want to mindfully bring together artists that we feel our audience would appreciate. We really like curating remix EP’s or VA Comps that bring together an array of artists, all with a unique sound and story. Personally, making music can be extremely lonely so I revel in collaboration and creating community. As for our solo artist EP’s we have decided to do less solo EP's each year (like we did for the first year and a half) and release larger bodies of work that we find compelling and invest in marketing these projects. More specifically, I do creative direction for releases(art, assets, visual direction) and handle working with our mastering engineer, while Marie Nyx handles distribution and A&R, together we create the release and campaign timeline and do the socials. 

Forthcoming in the fall, we have an EP by Seattle DJ and producer Mirin Doja. I have loved her sound for a few years now, so I reached out to her about potentially working together, and then signed her EP.  All of us then worked together to curate an amazing remix compilation featuring QRTR, Bored Lord, Mars Kasai, Aria Bare, Trovarsi and myself. 

What has been the most rewarding moment in your journey so far?

There were 2 poignant moments, one being going to audio school and being the only non-man in my graduating class. There I received two degrees, one in recording technology and one in media music. Next, quitting my 9-5 studio tech job in 2019 to pursue music full time after producing and DJing for over a decade at that point! This allowed me so much more time to hone my sound design techniques, conceptualize the label, and truly focus on my art. My world opened up after I took the initial jump. I’m also not nearly as tired and am much more present with my work. 

Tracklist: 

Terminal - Gilles Renneson

Diatoms - Jossy Mitsu

Temple - Bambounou

Sonar Chant - Neida

Sun Dog- Danny Goliger (unreleased) 

Day One - Pilo & Duce Heart(Maude Vôs & Marie Nyx Remix) (unreleased) 

Delirio - Bitter Babe & Nick Leon

Permutations- Alec Pace

AHE- Amor Satyr & Siu Mata 

Maiden of the Matrix ft. Kita Komodo - Maude Vôs

Backwards - Swimful 

Connect with Maude on Instagram

Artist Spotlight: Lucy Tun

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We’re thrilled to spotlight the Burmese/British singer-songwriter, producer and DJ Lucy Tun in this month’s Artist Spotlight.

As LCYTN, she found success with her debut project 'Good Nights Bad Stories' and the glossy trap-influenced forerunning single 'Kulture Klub', which has amassed over half a million Spotify streams. She was also courted by the fashion world, having DJed for the likes of Gucci and ROTATE.

But while her music and coming-of-age story as LCYTN was mired with self-doubt, she returns as Lucy Tun: a confident turning of a new chapter as a woman, artist and storyteller.

Lucy Tun’s ‘adhd images’ taken from her Instagram account (July 10, 2023)

What one thing do you hope your fans will take away from listening to your new EP?

I hope that they get a little piece of me because a lot of the songs are quite personal. This is my first project so there is a lot of vulnerability. I hope that they'll see that and appreciate that, and relate to it. The second thing I hope for them to see or hear or take away is the idea that change is a natural process. It has been a natural process since the beginning of time. We're all changing all the time. It's something that we all go through. Because of that, it's something to not be as fearful about as you grow up.

It's okay that change happens. It's okay to change. It's okay that your friends change. It's okay that your circumstances change. It's okay that your life changes. It's natural. And you're not alone in feeling that way.

How do you balance expressing your personal experiences and emotions through your music?

Well, this project is personal. But there are some songs in there, some elements of my music which I'd say I've moved away from. I've always written about me before that. Now I'm kind of wanting to tell different stories and take influence from people I know, things I've seen, things I've dreamt. And it is also personal. I think it's like accepting that you're going to be vulnerable and you're going to be a bit exposed, and people are going to perceive you in a different way, and you can't control that. You can't control how they perceive your music; that's been really helpful, just letting go of all of that.

Your best advice for young people wanting to become music producers, singers, songwriters?

I think that there are two elements of being a musician. There's the creative part of it, and there's the not-so-creative part; the industry. Some people love being in the industry. They love networking. They love meeting people. They see it as an extension of their creativity. Some musicians hate the industry. They don't like the business side of it and the networking side. They prefer to just make music on their own or with a very small circle and not branch out any further. It can be really overwhelming. There are some musicians who probably feel like it hinders their creative process when you care too much about this side. It's this weird, like, weighing scale of balancing it. And I find that when you're starting out specifically this part, the business side, the industry side, doesn't matter.

You need to focus on finding your sound and what matters to you the most; the music you enjoy making the most. That is the first part that you should only focus on. The music industry side, the business side of things, will come later, and it will come naturally. All you should focus on first is finding your sound. You probably don't need a lot of people to do that. You just need yourself or one or two people that you really trust, and you work with creatively. That's it. Find those people.

If you had to pick one song from your new EP to introduce to your music which would it be and why?

I'd say Kulture Klub. Kulture Klub is my pop banger. It's my baby, you know? I'd love to show off my baby and be like, hey, here's my baby. It's a very cute, very poppy baby. Here you go.

If your album was a color, what color would it be and why?

Ultramarine blue or that royal blue. I feel that deep blue color is a primary colour. It feels so intense and grandiose and almost whole and perfect in a way. There are a lot of connotations with that. I want to reference something; to make the ultramarine blue color, they used this stone called Lapis Lazuli in the period of ancient Egyptians.

So this colour has been around for a really, really, really long time. And it creates this intense, perfect, primary feeling that connects to me. Because just like a primary colour, this EP is the foundation of my music as Lucy Tun, so I see the connections there. This is the primary color of my music; whatever might be my second EP, an album, or any music after that, I'll mix in this first batch of music with that color. This EP is my primary, my foundation.

We as young people feel this pressure to be perfect and to be bold and striking and interesting. We want the same feeling of being like a perfectly shined shoe. We want to be that shiny all the time. When we don't feel like that, we tend to go into really existential feelings of like, gosh what am I doing with my life, you know? I think that that blue colour really represents that perfection that us as young people always strive to be. I think as you get older, kind of becomes a little bit calmer. I don't know if that makes sense, but yeah.

What's my favourite and least favourite thing about making music?

They're both the same answer, and it's the unpredictability of making a good song. You never know when you're gonna find, like, creative inspiration to make something. It is not a nine-to-five job. I cannot sit down and be like, hey, I'm just gonna write a good song today.

I think maybe there are some people who can, but I can't. So it always comes off to something, you know, at a random time, four in the morning, 2 p.m., on the train, on the toilet, something will come, and I have to savor this, and I have to write this, and I have to make this song. It's like a pang that comes. So, you know, that's great because you always have to be open, and it can come at really great times when you need it, or it can come at the worst times when you actually need to focus on other stuff. I remember being in uni and not being able to concentrate because all I cared about was making music. So that was when it wasn't as helpful but I did write some really great music during then.

If your music had a signature dance move, what would it be?

Like.. “emotional cramping”. Intense dance movements… but there's some welling up in the eyes. That's how I imagine it. I would love that to happen at a show where people are really dancing their hearts out; they see it as an emotional release. If there are some tears there, as long as they're getting it out (I wouldn't want anyone to just cry, you know, for no reason). But sometimes you just got to let it out. That's how I would love people to kind of dance to my music as a form of release.

What are your top go-to emojis?

The crying face emoji. I always find the crying face emoji can exhibit a lot of different moods. Like I'm so happy I'm crying, or I'm so sad I'm crying, but also not in a way that's too, you know, intense. It's like… you know, unstressed crying face emoji. It can be so many different meanings. It's a very Gen Z emoji. I love it. I use it all the time and people just get it. You know?

Second one; probably a blue emoji. Maybe a blue heart. The third emoji is the safety pin because it ties in a lot with the motifs of my EP, which will be shown later.

Three things you can't live without in your bag.

Number one, my keys! That might be obvious, but I am very forgetful. Number two, lip balm. Lip balm, lip balm, lip balm. When I have dry lips, I feel like a shrivelled-up tumbleweed in the desert.

It's a must. There are so many situations where even just putting on lip balm - emotionally and mentally - it does so much for me because I feel secure. So lip balm.

Number three probably blush. I wear a lot of blush. I love blush. I'm wearing blush right now. I feel a bit dead without blush.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Time travel, time travel.

I would love to like experience the past and see how it's shaped the present and also see the future. That would be amazing to be able to just travel between all of that. That would be incredible, BUT without messing anything up.

Okay, well thank you so much and have a good day.

shesaid.so Mix 048: Cristina Lazic

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The shesaid.so mix series aims to spotlight the diverse artists within our community. We’re committed to championing underrepresented voices from around the world, focusing on female, non-binary, trans and queer individuals. Our monthly mix series allows our contributing selectors to showcase their unique backgrounds and inspirations by creating exclusive, 30-minute live recorded soundscapes.

This month, we have the Italian DJ/producer Cristina Lazic, whose vibrant minimal tech productions and staunch support for women and mothers in dance music have catapulted her career over the past half-decade. 

Music has always been a big part of Lazic’s life. As a child, she learned how to play piano before composing her own music as a teenager. In 2016, she picked up DJing while on maternity leave; in the past few years, she’s learned how to produce, growing her skills exponentially by incorporating her knowledge of music theory into her groovy soundscapes. 

Lazic’s kinetic DJ and production style have led to releases on labels such as Crosstown Rebels’ Rebellion, Bondage Music, TBX, and Creature Records, as well as performances at iconic international clubs and festivals such as Exit, Get Lost Miami, Unum, Koko, Magazzini Generali, and at Hi Ibiza in support of renowned selector Damian Lazarus. 

She also recently released her first NFT - an audio/visual asset featuring her song “Meteor” and 3D visual art Crazy Panda. You can buy one for a chance to win a production lesson from Lazic.

What first inspired you to start making electronic music?

I have always been a big fan of electronic music, and music in general. I grew up during my childhood years learning to play the piano from my grandmother, who was a piano teacher. I started composing music during my teenage years, and at 18 I moved to London, the city where I started developing a strong love for electronic music.

Since then, I have been a big electronic music fan, traveling all around the the world to listen to my favorite producers. However, it wasn’t until 10 years later, during my maternity, that I approached the world of DJing myself. While I wasn’t working looking after my 6-month-old, I wanted to find a hobby to accompany the milk and nappies. A friend approached me to join her for some DJ courses, and that’s how I started playing. 

That was in 2016 - fast forward 4 years, my music career started picking up, even if it was still a side business. But then Covid happened, and I was based in Italy then where they had very strict lockdowns. I took this opportunity to improve my music profile and started producing. 

I already had Ableton installed on my computer, but a lack of bandwidth (full time job and daughter) to actually use it… so I took the time afforded to me by Covid to finally start studying the program, attending remote classes and watching tutorials on Youtube.

I always wanted to learn to produce, as I felt this would make me more of a complete artist. I’m glad that I was able to find an opportunity during a moment of frustration. Now, production has changed my music career and I can definitely say it has given me a professional boost I neve would have achieved by DJing alone. 

What’s your favorite part about producing and DJing?

I am a very creative person, and I feel that with music production I can bring to life all my ideas in the form of music, my true passion. I personally enjoy applying the things I learned as a child through my grandma and piano lessons, concepts such as harmony, to my music productions. 

When it comes to DJing, I love to share my energy with the audience. I just simply enjoy improvising and taking the dance floor on a musical journey, always with the mission to make them dance and have a memorable time.

Why is it important to you to support women in the music industry?

For me this is of paramount importance, as the electronic music scene has been male dominated for a long time. Things are changing now, and there are more women in music, but in my opinion there is still much work to be done. In my genre, for example, deep tech / minimal, only 2% of producers are women. I think it’s important to support each other and create awareness of the fact that, even if you see many women who are DJs now, the road to gender equality is still a long one. I am quite happy about the progress that I have seen in the last years though, and this is thanks to initiatives and communities like shesaid.so. However, I believe that it’s necessary to constantly remind people of the importance of having gender equality in the industry - therefore the support among women, and among women and men, is something that has to be continued throughout time.

What can the music world do to create a better environment for artists and their children?

First of all, there is a big need to build awareness of the fact that there is a problem in the industry: it’s not family friendly. More initiatives have to be done to help artists, and music professionals in general, with kids. For example, I loved seeing Rhianna pregnant on the Super Bowl stage; this was a great way to show that parenthood is something normal, and can cohabit with your professional career. I’d love to see more of that, but also more events, panels and initiatives that talk about parenthood in music. Secondly, I think more support is needed for parents in music. That’s why with shesaid.so, we are looking into bringing to life a helpline that parents can call 24/7 to receive mental health support. 

And last but not least, events should become more family friendly. For example, I dream of attending a festival with a kids friendly area, or the normalization being a dj and a mum; that’s why, in my rider, I have included a note where I mention that I often travel with my family and I ask promoters to support that, by providing a triple room so that my husband and daughter can feel welcome. In the future, I hope to be able to also request a child care service during the slot of my performances. 

Talk to us about your recent NFT project.

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Polkadot Decoded festival in Copenhagen, and this was the perfect occasion for me to drop my first NFT: an audio + video asset featuring my track “Meteor” and beautiful visuals by 3D art studio Crazy Panda. We dropped the NFT during my DJ set at Polkadot Decoded, via a music web3 platform called Public Pressure.  Among those who will support this project by buying a copy, 3 lucky winners will receive mentoring sessions with me. Many people have been reaching out to ask me to mentor them lately, so I thought of extending this opportunity to the wider public. As of today, I mentor several junior artists, and during my previous career in tech while working for Apple and Google, I was mentoring junior colleagues. I really enjoy helping others build self confidence, plan their development and take action to achieve their goals; but so far I have been mainly mentoring men, especially when it comes to music, and I hope that moving forward I’ll be able to help more women.

You can find the link to the NFT here: https://app.publicpressure.io/nft/0x049f362a5d5b4b77fb1a150528d3997b3e8a71cb?blockchain=moonbeam

Where’s your favorite place to play? 

Hi Ibiza is one of a kind. I was lucky enough to play there last year in Damian Lazarus’ Club Room during Saturdays with Black Coffee, and I will play there again in a few weeks, opening for Damian Lazarus and Dubfire. The club is just amazing, with an excellent organization, sound system and crowd. It definitely feels special to play at the best club in the world and share the decks with some of the best DJs on the globe!

Tracklist

Member Spotlight #44: Jennifer Justice

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Hi, I’m Jennifer Justice, Founder & CEO of the Justice Dept, Host of Takin’ Care of Lady Business Podcast.

The Justice Dept is a Business Strategy & Business Development Consulting Firm and a law firm which represents female-founded companies, female executives and talent to help them maximize their wealth and increase their value. More money in women’s hands, means more choices and freedoms for everyone. I spent 17 years solely in the music industry as a music attorney representing everyone from Mark Ronson to Jay Z to Beyonce as their entertainment attorney and as an executive at Roc Nation from its inception. I had a passion for gender equality and decided to take everything I learned from a business, strategy and legal angle and help women get rich.

Describe a day in your life as a founder

6:30 am

I have a very busy morning because I'm hosting around 60 women for an investor breakfast for one of my clients, West-bourne. West-bourne was born to create a go-to brand for plant-powered and planet-positive pantry staples like granola, avocado oil, pancake mixes - with the least impact on our environment. I need to get ready, look presentable and still get my children up and get them to school - all without making an entire mess of my apartment. 

7:15  AM

I'm showered and ready to go. Now it's time to get my children up and ready to go. Start making them breakfast. The easiest is possible. Smoothies (packed with everything they would never eat) and Croissant toast - it’s a thing. I also start making my kids lunches, but I'm careful not to mess up my kitchen since my kitchen island is full of about 60 bottles of avocado oil from West-bourne, as well as all their other amazing items such as their coconut Crumble and house granola. 

8:20 AM

I start reminding my children over and over and over (my 10-year-old boy/girl twins Jack and Nico) and over and over and over again - to put their shoes and socks on, brush their teeth, and grab their backpacks because we need to get out of the house

8:26 AM 

Out the door and on our way on the three-block walk to their school.

8:40 AM 

Camilla Marcus, the founder of West-bourne, arrives along with some other early arrivals.  

9:00 AM

A cavalcade of stylish, impressive and successful women start entering the apartment. Each grabs their cold brew and begins tasting all the amazing food provided by West-

bourne.

9:45 AM 

Introductions begin. It is an amazing event and so well attended beyond our expectations. We begin the Q&A and everyone has such amazing questions and tips to add about a product line and sustainability that it blows us away and the excitement around the brand is beyond our wildest dreams.

10:45 AM 

People slowly start trickling out, and my kitchen island that was once devoured by all the products, is now empty as everyone is excited to try everything that West-bourne makes. We take the last few selfies/photos so everyone knows we were there of course which include tote bags from my podcast, Takin Care of Lady Business.  

12:00 PM

Call with my editor regarding my upcoming book, my companion piece to Takin Care of Lady Business: How to Build the Matriarchy. I have a lot of work to do on it and a lot of follow-up from some guests but I'm excited that it is moving forward as quickly as it is.

1:00 PM

Time to record a podcast episode for my podcast, Takin Care of Lady Business, with the amazing Rebecca Minkoff! She of course nails it in less than the time allotted and realize she will be my 100th guest!

2:00 PM

Finish up some time-sensitive work for my clients’ Salt N Pepa – they have a big well-deserved deal coming up and has taken a lot of time and attention. Then on to phone calls and Zooms for the next three hours with clients.

5:30 PM

I am co-hosting a women-only dinner with UBS and The Justice Dept to introduce women in all different spheres of life to each other – you know, how the boys do it. We get the private room at Hancock Street, and the guests start arriving. It’s women in all areas in Venture Capital, founder of Caulipower brand foods, female executives wanting to learn angel investing and some who are looking for career changes – all in different industries.

9:00 PM – Dinner is finally over, and go home to kiss the kids and wind down for bed. It’s been a very long day.

How did you get your start in music?

I started in the music industry as a music attorney at the then-newly formed law firm, Codikow, Carroll, Guido & Groffman, LLP. Elliott Groffman had left the all-male (still to this day – no female partners) law firm of Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks to join

Rosemary Carroll, Michael Guido & David Codikow. I was a junior associate, and the first client I was asked to work on was a then-unknown JAY Z. I was tasked to clear the sample for the composition “It’s a Hard Knock Life” for his new song “Hard Knock Life” for his album Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life. From there, my career in music and in hip hop in particular, only grew.

I made partner in three years and amassed more amazing clients, from Mark Ronson to Method Man to Slipknot and Juliette Lewis. At the same time, I was representing executives that were negotiating their employment agreements with their respective employers. In one negotiation in particular, I was representing a female Senior Director for Universal Music Publishing in A&R named Rebecca Wright (she tells the story too and approves of me telling it too!). She had signed some big songwriters and made the company real money. Yet, they only offered her $90,000.

What was more infuriating is that I had just negotiated the deal for the Director, a level below Rebecca, for a man that hadn’t signed anything real to UMP yet, and he was offered $130,000 right off the bat. Needless to say, I pointed this out to UMP and instead of doing the right thing and increasing her salary said things like, “She’s fine with it, why do you care?”, and my favorite “Her husband makes a lot of money so she doesn’t need it”. You cannot make this shit up! They ended up giving her only $10,000 more, and that started my crusade to end the gender pay gap and the gender wealth gap.

I stayed at Carroll, Guido & Groffman (the name had changed by the time I left) for 11 years total after negotiating Jay Z’s deal with Live Nation. I went to Roc Nation as one of the first employees in 2010 as the General Counsel. In a matter of a few years, we grew the company and the value of Roc Nation exponentially. I was then promoted to EVP, Strategic Marketing & Business Development, where I helped other artists on our roster leverage their passions and community to build solid businesses outside of music.

During this time, I became a single mom by choice to boy / girl twins because of course I wasn’t busy enough. When they were about to start school, I decided to leave Roc Nation and figure out what was next for me – I had been working with Jay Z for 17 years at that point. I needed a new challenge. My passion for gender equality had only grown but I needed more experience outside of my comfort zone so I became the President of Corporate Development at Superfly – the live experience company known for creating Bonnaroo and Outside Lands. While there, I expanded my capital-raising abilities and my network of players in that field. I learned a new vertical in a creatives journey.

However, I was still making money for men by day and trying to overthrow the patriarchy at night. So when my three-year contract was coming up, and they didn’t need me anymore, the seeds of the Justice Dept were planted. So many women had come to me asking who they could hire as an attorney that understood them? Who could help them raise money or build their female-founded companies that understood their journey? Who could help them grow and hire the business people they needed they could trust and took them seriously. Thus, the Justice Dept was born! Our sole mission

is to make women rich so they can make the choices they deserve to make for themselves. We have never lived in a time of conscious capitalism – what happens when capital is in the hands of the others? Only one way to find out!

A woman/role model you admire (could be alive or dead)

I get asked this a lot and I can never choose just one. I admire all of us – what we do every day to get thru the day as women, mothers, wives, daughters, friends, employees – we deserve to be celebrated every day. We are all superhuman.

3 values that guide your life

I value having a stand and speaking up – advocating - especially now for women. Silence is complicity in my book.

I also value perseverance and loyalty.

Tips for staying grounded on a tough day

I allow myself to acknowledge it, give myself a break, stay off social media and know it will pass.  Tomorrow’s another day and we have work to do. Quitting isn’t an option.  

One piece of advice you'd give your younger self.

Believe in yourself, bet on yourself and trust your instinct. No one truly knows your strength but you. Embrace being underestimated. You are worth every dollar and at least 30% more.  Your words are important, your voice matters and the more we hire each other, buy each other’s products and invest in each other’s companies, the more those words and voices will be heard! 

Artist Spotlight: L U C I I A

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The shesaid.so Artist Spotlight is a series where we highlight new artists from our global community that you should keep an eye on. If you’re interested in submtting yourself or your artist please contact us at hello@shesaid.so

We're excited to feature Cuban/Swedish Grammy-nominated artist LUCIIA for our next #shesaidso Artist Spotlight. LUCIIA has opened for Coldplay in Sweden this month and has been championed by top tastemakers, including BBC Radio London, Vogue Scandinavia, Reprezent Radio, Rinse and many more. She has been working with Grammy-winning producers and songwriters in the US and UK and forged her sound, where classic 90s R&B blends with the future. Watch our video with LUCIIA, read our Q&A and listen to her single 'Same Thing New Man' 🎶.

If you had to describe your music using only three words, what would they be and why?

Nostaligic, Pain & Clarity

My sound takes you back to 00-90s R&B, I tell stories that have been hidden inside me for to long and releasing them hurts but gives me complete clarity at the same time.

If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why? 

Khamari (on repeat 24/7) wait? Have you heard his music? He is so sick, probably one of the best in R&B right now! 

As an artist, what message or emotion do you hope to convey through your music?

Comfort. I want people not to feel like they are alone. I felt lonely all my life until recently, music saved me. I hope my stories can help others the same way. 

If your new single was a movie, who would star in it what would the movie genre be?

Drama. Teyana Taylor 

If you had to describe your music using three emojis, which ones would you choose and why?

I sing about all the feels, what you need and when you need it 

shesaid.so Mix 047: Jessica Skye

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The shesaid.so mix series aims to spotlight the diverse artists within our community. We’re committed to championing underrepresented voices from around the world, focusing on female, non-binary, trans and queer individuals. Our monthly mix series allows our contributing selectors to showcase their unique backgrounds and inspirations by creating exclusive, 30-minute live recorded soundscapes.

This month, we have the Los Angeles-based DJ/producer Jessica Skye, whose artistic identity mixes free-flowing, ethereal productions with a dedication to health and wellness.

Jessica Skye has played iconic venues around the globe such as Ministry Of Sound, Creamfields, Lovebox, Parklife, Snowbombing, and supported the likes of Groove Armada, Nightmares on Wax, Dave Lee and Todd Terry, She’s also run worldwide focused yoga retreats, classes, and events from the top of glaciers and sunny sunny rooftops to countless festivals and sandy beaches. 

With an airy, kaleidoscopic sound, Jessica Skye perfectly melds her musical vision with a tranquil, serene lifestyle - a holistic creative approach that establishes a safe space for people to unwind, move to the music, and find a sense of flow. 

In addition to becoming an Apple Fitness+ trainer where she curates and leads yoga workouts, mindful cooldowns and mediations, Jessica Skye recently released her album Fluō State 001 - a collection of melodic, downtempo tracks inspired by the ebb and flow of the energy of a yoga class.

Check out her guest mix with us and take a read of our interview with her below.

You’re a yoga teacher and a DJ - tell us about the crossover between these two worlds?

JS: For me, there is so much synergy between the two worlds and the thread that weaves it all together is music.

In both scenarios I’m holding a space for people to enjoy themselves, create some escapism as well as find a sense of flow. My duty is to read the room as well as carry the energy of it. When the balance is right there’s the most amazing exchange and feeling of connection.

How does being in the wellness scene influence your sound as an artist?

JS: This is actually how my album Fluō State 001 (Fluō is Latin for slow) came into existence.

When I got back into the music studio after a two year break, I was really drawn towards making chilled and downtempo tunes. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and loved the idea of creating a body of work I could teach yoga to.

I wanted to create a sonic journey that ebbed and flowed the same way the arc of energy would in a yoga practice. So my starting point was to imagine the yoga session. I pictured the setting, the lighting and the mood, with hundreds of people sat in front of me ready for their practice. From that point everything flowed really organically...

Every track on the album is really intentional in its design. I knew how I would want to open a yoga space, how I wanted the arrangement to build in energy to it’s peak with Virgo Rising, then slowly bring the energy back down ending with the wave-like soundscape AlphaBeta III.

You perform around the world - what's your favorite venue/festival to play?

JS: One of the best and most memorable gigs I’ve ever played was back in July 2019 at Feel Festival which takes place just outside of Berlin.

I felt like everyone was there for the right reason... To dance and connect with the people around them. The energy of the event was palpable from the moment I arrived on site. My set was 4 hours long... And I honestly could have played for 10.

It’s a safe, fun and welcoming space with creative installations all set around a gorgeous lake. Everything about it was so thoughtful and intentional in it’s design. Most importantly, it was inclusive and welcoming of everyone, with a very clear zero tolerance for low vibrational behavior.

Is there a theme to your mix? What can listeners expect to hear?

JS: A deep and melodic situation. Opening with the lead track from Fluō State 001, Virgo Rising. I hope you enjoy :)

What's up next for Jessica Skye?

After a 3 year break from live gigs, so I’m excited to jump back behind the decks this summer. I want to keep finding ways to bridge the gap between wellness and music and I’m already starting to plan out Fluō State 002.

Artist Spotlight: Arlissa

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LA-based singer and model Arlissa (born in Germany but raised in South London), has risen to international stardom as a pop artist. Despite pressure from her previous label, she now embraces her independence to pursue her sound on her own terms. As a proud bisexual, Arlissa is an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and recently participated in Spotify's GLOW sessions, collaborating with various artists and speaking on a panel.

Arlissa has written and performed on “We Won’t Move” from the critically acclaimed movie 'The Hate U Give', BTS’s “Spring Day”, Zayne’s comeback hit “Flames”, and “Eyes Off You” for Ariana Grande’s soundtrack for Charlie’s Angels.  She’s previously collaborated with Homeschool, Duckworth, Bartees Strange, Kiana Ledé and Jonas Blue. She’s ready now for the world  to hear her at her most authentic and vulnerable debut album 'The Open Hearted'.

What’s the story behind your debut album, ‘The Open Hearted’?

It was originally called “The Broken-hearted”, but shortly after finishing it, I experienced two huge heartbreaks. The ending of my marriage and a relationship after. I had never been single and knew it was time for me to give my love to myself instead of so freely to others. I’ve never been afraid of loving others but never learnt to love myself. So I changed the title to The Open-Hearted, and it’s really about claiming and honoring myself and my feelings throughout heartbreak. I’ve always been so quick to put others before myself and invalidate my own experience to create as much safety for others. This album is about claiming my power as a human who has experienced hurt in a multitude of ways. And knowing love is never lost. When you find it in yourself again, it follows you everywhere you go.

If you had to pick one song from your new album to introduce someone to your new release, which one would it be and why? 

I would struggle with to pick one song because the album is completely eclectic and each song shows a different side to me which is what I love most about it.

If your new album was a movie, who would star in it, and what genre would it be?

Laura harrier because yes. And it would be a psychological thriller cat and mouse game. 

What’s the most unexpected place you've found inspiration for a song? 

You can literally find inspiration anywhere. Nowhere is unexpected because writing songs is really just channelling from source energy and transmuting it through your own lense and experience…hopefully that makes sense. 

What’s the most important lesson you've learned in your music career

To trust yourself no matter who tells you otherwise. You’re the only one who has to live with the choices you make. So make sure you’re making the best one that’s in alignment to what you’re trying to achieve.  If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

The power to not over think. I think we would be limitless without our own self imposed limiting beliefs. 

How do you stay grounded and focused on your music amidst all the attention and recognition? 

I just do what feels good to my body and what pleases me. If you focus and put too much emphasis on the good praise, you rely on that for your dopamine and the moment you reach a dry spell or not as much praise and you expected you’ll be unable yo make your own dopamine. That’s why I just chill and do whatever makes me feel good regardless of what attention comes my way. 

How do you balance expressing your personal experiences and emotions through your music while also connecting with a wider audience

- I just channel and write what helps me understand myself and my feelings, if people like it, that’s a bonus, but I do it for myself first. It’s the only way. Otherwise you’re chasing 10000s of different audiences because we are all so different, we’re not going to love everything so make sure you love what you’re doing first. 


3 values that guide your life 

- Choosing kindness

- Resting without guilt or shame 

- And trusting my intuition 

Tips for finding your creativity on a tough day 

Don’t force it just flow, make yourself a nice snack and do something that you enjoy. If you can’t find something creative to do, celebrate the fact that you are creation itself and love on yourself. The flow will come when it’s meant to. 

Favorite song/music to wake up to

At the moment it’s algo contigo by Rita payes and Elisabeth roma 

'The Open-Hearted' album will be released on June 23, 2023.

shesaid.so UK Chapter Director: Lauren Elliott-Griffiths

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We are thrilled to introduce our new Director for shesaid.so UK, Lauren Elliott-Griffiths. Help us give her a warm welcome to the shesaid.so UK team!

Hi, I'm Lauren and I work at Red Bull, looking after their media partnerships. Prior to that I was working for Live Nation. Music is a huge part of my life; when I was about 12 I would head up to the local skate park where local bands would play every Friday night and then when I was old enough, I would come up to London just to see my favourite bands play. My taste in music is varied to say the least but I love finding new artists and bands.

Outside of work, I am a qualified spin and level 2 fitness instructor, I love running - it's my aim to complete the big 6 marathons, skiing and surfing.

What are your top tips for finding your first music job?

I have always had a passion for music from trying to start a band in primary school, to going to the local skate club to listen to local bands play through to Friday nights spent at venues in London catching my favourite artists. I think taking that passion and pursuing, and not letting anyone tell you otherwise would be my top tip for how to get into the industry. It is one of the toughest but those are always worth the hard work to get there. Never let anyone tell you otherwise, if you have a dream and a goal in mind, just jump in with both feet, I truly believe that pays off. And my second tip would be to leverage anyone you know, start small, attend networking events even if they are out of your comfort zone, add people on LinkedIn that you believe would be a good connection and start to build it up. Those around you are there to support and push you forward. 

Women you admire.

Three women in my life that inspire me would be; my mum (she's one of the strongest women I know), my friend and mentor Teresa Palladino (she has gotten me through a lot in my career and is always my sounding board) and my friend Agi (who is one of the most positive and beautiful people I have ever met). 

Tips for staying grounded on a tough day.

My top tips for staying grounded on a tough day, are getting yourself outside, go on a walk or move your body in some way, a good coffee and a great soundtrack - music for me can instantly change my mood and has definitely gotten me through the toughest moments and the happiest moments in my life. 

What does community mean to you in one sentence?

Community to me is belonging, feeling supported and trusting that there is always someone there whether it's in tough times or happy times. 

Member Spotlight #43: Adel Hattem

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This month for our Member Spotlight, we are thrilled to feature Adel Hattem; the CEO and Founder of DMusicMarketing, an agency that develops both non-Latin and Latin talent in the Latin American market. Based in Miami and across Latin America, DMM offers efficient, dynamic and all-encompassing solutions to its clients in order to overcome and conquer the intricacies of the region. 

Adel is a bicultural marketing specialist with 25+ years of experience in the music industry. She has held senior positions with industry giants - she worked as Marketing Director for Universal Music Mexico, Vice President of Marketing for Latin America at EMI and Marketing Manager at BMG Entertainment- before founding DMM in 2013. While working with the majors, Adel helped develop and set a footprint in the market for talent such as Arctic Monkeys, Placebo, Coldplay, Robbie Williams, David Guetta, Norah Jones, and Katy Perry. 

With DMM she now works with renowned labels like the Beggars Group, Domino Recordings, Ultra, and the Secretly Group, and has a diverse portfolio of artists such as Björk, Franz Ferdinan, Idles, Radiohead, Helado Negro, Ela Minus, The National,  The XX, Bon Iver, Interpol, Sharon Van Etten, Steve Aoki and Jungle among others. DMM has seen exponential growth in the last couple of years with a local team in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, and Miami. DMM continues to expand as new clients arrive, eager to explore and discover their impact in the Latin American region.


My name is Adel Hattem, I am the founder of Dmusic Marketing. I am originally from Mexico City and have been in Miami for 15+ years. 

A typical day in my life as the founder of DMM begins at 5 AM with an invigorating hour of Kundalini yoga. Following that, I prepare school lunches and accompany my teenagers to school. Three days a week, I prioritize my physical well-being by engaging in a workout session from 8 to 9 AM.

Once 9:15 AM rolls around, I kick off my workday. This entails a series of Zoom calls involving clients, media representatives, DSPs,, as well as virtual team meetings with our diverse team of 15 professionals situated across Latin America. Throughout the afternoon, I dedicate myself to answering emails that have accumulated throughout the day, while also staying in touch with our promotional team in Mexico and tending to clients based in LA or Australia.

As the evening approaches, my work pace gradually slows down, at this point, I shift my focus to preparing dinner for my family, enjoying the precious moments spent with my husband and children. Following our evening meal, I find solace in winding down with a book. 

What are some tips for getting a first job in the music industry?

Resilience and perseverance were key factors that played a pivotal role in my journey towards securing my first job at a label. Following the initial job interview, I demonstrated unwavering determination by consistently following up, effectively showcasing by passion and commitment to the industry,

Can you name a few women you admire?

I admire all the women in my life and all the women I know. I can see in each of them the success they have achieved and the challenges they overcome. I see the success of one is the success of all, and I believe that if we support each other, we can become the best version of ourselves. The teachings of one of the women that helped me in the past ten years (especially when I started my own company) are still very relevant and helpful in my daily life, although she passed a few years ago. I find particularly admirable her ability to blend ancient spiritual practices with modern technology and culture. She has been able to create a community that is inclusive and welcoming while also pushing the boundaries of what is possible in terms of personal growth and transformation. She has been a vocal advocate for women's rights and gender equality, both within the yoga community and beyond.  I also admire my mother in particular. I am forever grateful for the inspiration my mother has provided through her resilience, unwavering optimism and tireless work ethic. Her love and support have been instrumental in shaping the person I am today. 

What are some values that guide your life?

I dedicate myself to fostering an environment of empowerment and collaboration, constantly striving to provide support to my team. In my view the concept of competition pales in comparison to the value of constructing a community rooted in transparency and honesty. 

Do you have any tips for staying grounded during the day? 

  • Deep breaths.

  • Meditation, good diet, a good sense of humor and good people around you.

  • Separate work from homelife, don’t take everything so seriously.

  • Positive thoughts - even when life seems impossible always look at the positive.

What would be a piece of advice for younger self?

Don’t overfill your schedule or workload. Work a little less. Enjoy time and the present. 

Do you have a favorite song to wake up to?

Wake Up Boo! by The Boo Radleys.

What would be your most memorable experience whilst working in the music industry?

I have had so many incredible and memorable moments seeing emerging artists grow, fans using music as a healing tool and seeing executives grow and develop. One of the most memorable experiences in my life so far was rising above the gender expectations of my ex-superiors and colleagues from my last corporate role by starting my own business as a mother of three. I was told that I should no longer be working as I had children, and I wanted to prove to my own young kids at the time, that you can create your own reality. That if you love something enough and you dedicate yourself to it, you can achieve anything.

Connect with Adel on LinkedIn and check DMusic Marketing HERE.

Read more about the shesaid.so Miami Chapter and sign up HERE.

Music Insider: Antònia Folguera's Curatorial Vision at Sónar+D and Beyond

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Antònia Folguera is a curator who excels in connecting the realms of digital culture, music, arts, science, and technology. With a diverse portfolio spanning festivals, conferences, podcasts, and radio shows, she fearlessly explores the frontiers of creativity and innovation. As the curator of Sónar+D, the Creative Technologies Conference affiliated with the renowned Sónar Festival, Antonia orchestrates a convergence of ideas, inviting visionaries from various disciplines to push the boundaries of art and technology.

Her influence extends beyond Sónar+D, as she actively participates in curatorial teams for the Eufònic Festival and STRP, fostering groundbreaking artistic expression and technological exploration. Additionally, as a co-founder of XRCB, the Barcelona Community Radio Network.

In this blog post, we delve into Antonia's remarkable journey as a curator, exploring her unique perspective, notable contributions, and her endeavors in digital culture. We also explore the exciting themes of this year's Sónar+D.

Can you share with us how you started your career in music? What motivated you to pursue this path?

Oh, well, I have to go way back when I was a teenager; I've always loved music, and I’ve always wondered how things work. If I have a piece of technology, I’d normally take it apart just to see what's inside (I kind of don't trust things that I don't know how they work). I've always been interested in music technology, and when I was little, I was wondering where certain sounds, e.g. a synthesizer come from. I would find information wherever I could when it wasn't obvious to me when I saw I don't know “Duran Duran” on TV; if this is not a guitar, what is it?

We are fortunate enough to have many local radios in Catalonia, and I started a radio show in my village. I knocked on the station’s door, and I said, “Hello, I'm Antònia. I'm just across the street, and I'd love to do a music show”, so they invited me to the studio and showed me how the equipment work - the mixer and the turntables and all of these things. And so, in about 20 minutes, I was making my show and kind of curating the music that I liked. And at some point, I started to talk about how the music was done.

Basically, I was trying to tell what I was learning to the people who might not know, and I think that I have done this my whole life on the radio, then later on TV and now in festivals. For me, there is not much difference between curating a radio show or a TV show and curating something that will happen on a stage at a festival. I think that the ideas can be exposed to the audience in different places and different formats. And I have been thinking about what formats can be used to present those ideas. I love the radio, I still work in radio, but I also like audiovisuals, I like film and video, and I think about how I can tell certain stories visually. That's how we, e.g. designed one of the stages at Sonar; we asked the artists and the scientists, can you tell us your story? A festival is our life context with which things happen in real-time - with an audience that's in the flesh, in the space with you and with the artists and the guest.

With the ever-evolving landscape of digital culture, music, arts, science, and technology, how do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements in these fields?

I think people that have a communication or journalistic background are always actively searching and actively investigating and very actively listening sometimes because ideas can come from everywhere. But basically, the internet is the number one source for everything. I’m also trying to search “dark” corners of the internet for information where I can discover interesting ideas and interesting people etc. So I would say the number one source is the internet; the number two source is other events, other festivals, other conferences or other things that might happen. I don't know in my city, in my neighbourhood or around the world- like this is a very good source of information and inspiration. Also, the people that you meet everywhere, and sometimes people that you meet in places that you wouldn't think of. Suddenly you meet someone, and you're so well, who are you? What do you do? And then but little things spark your imagination. I would advise people who would like to work as a curator in a festival context; always go to places and meet people. I come from a radio background, and sometimes, my excuse to meet people is so that people tell me about what they do, so I set up an interview with them, record it and air it on the platforms where I work at.

How do you stay grounded on a challenging day?

I wish I had the right answer because it's very challenging sometimes; just to find that thing that will help help you focus or that will help you not to be too stressed. So for me normally music helps a lot. I like finding the right music for the right moment. Sometimes I'm very annoyed until I find the right song; if I'm not finding the right song, I try another one and another one. Music always helps. I also love dancing. I think that it's one of the best ways to relax and also to express yourself. I find that by dancing, I can express things that I don't know words or other things. I also like to do simple things like strolling around my neighbourhood. Go into the local bar around the corner, talk with people whose lives had nothing to do with what I do. This keeps me grounded in the physical space that I live in and that I interact with. I spend a lot of time on my computer because I like to spend a lot of time on the Internet. It's part of my life. It keeps me grounded just to get away from it and into things that are apparently not interesting at all.

Photo Credit; https://sonar.es

Sònar+D is known for exploring the intersection of art science and digital culture; what is this year's central theme?

At Sònar+D, we work around three to four topics which we articulate on the programme; this leaves room to breathe, to have more variety and to explore different perspectives. Exploring a topic and not being too strict about it gives richness to the festival, and so this year, we work on an important topic. It's the topic of the year, the topic of last year, which is Artificial Intelligence - a topic we've been covering since 2016. What we try to do every year is to see how artists are using this technology, how they appropriate it to push their artistic and aesthetic language and their views about the world using AI. We also reflect, think and explore the ethical implications of this technology, so every year, we invite someone who is an expert in the field of ethics and artificial intelligence.

This year we are focusing more on robotics, thinking about artificial intelligence with a body. We are inviting Kate Darling, who is a researcher at MIT. She is an intellectual property scientist who also specialises in robotics and ethics.; I think her talk is going to be super, super enlightening and will hopefully bring some perspective in this area. People are either worried or excited when they think of artificial intelligence, so this topic concerns us all.

We explore different topics from the perspective of creativity, and that's climate emergency. We are inviting a biologist that’s also a sound artist from Norway called Jana Winderen - she works in what people call “acoustic ecology”, and her expertise is in recording in aquatic environments - she records little crustaceans that live on eyes or giant mammals such as whales. She is one of these people with a huge, hairy microphone (it looks like they are fishing for sounds or hunting for sounds). Jana will show us how she works and what we discover through sound data. She will teach us in a way how we can listen to our back garden or balcony or the square around the corner with birds and different beings that perhaps we should pay more attention to. I think that her work is incredible.

There is this audio-visual Research Group here in Barcelona called Play Modes; they usually do large-scale installations. They work with light with video with different technologies like motors and all kinds of amazing things. And they are wondering, as artists who work with technology, what would happen if they consciously decide not to use electricity or to keep doing their job, you know, big large-scale light installations without computers.

We're going to have the writer and artist Claire L. Evans (singer of the Grammy-nominated pop group YACHT), that’s working with advanced and edgy technology in her own way. Lately, she has been exploring the overlaps between nature and technology; her talk is going to be visual, and it's going to feature imagery by the artist Sofia Crespo that works with AI, creating images that are inspired by biology.

Looking at some of the AI topics you are going to explore this year, which are the ones that you believe present the greatest challenge in terms of tracking and addressing; the ethical use of AI or copyright issues?

That's a good question that I really don't know where to start to answer. I think that these are both issues that interact together, and they kind of shape what culture, in general, will look like. They are also going faster than we thought, shaping who we are and how we behave in the world. We can, let's say, address questions and concerns in terms of; how to certify intellectual property, how you pay authors and artists for their work, or how you pay them for their work being used without permission, which is what is happening right now that many of these artificial intelligence tools are trained with, basically our data, what we've been vomiting on the internet for the last 20 years or work from artists that nobody has asked them whether they wanted to be part of this dataset. I would say property economy and also the different ways in which we will start to interact with the internet and with each other. I'm not sure at what moment.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Sònar is celebrating 30 years, so both Sònar and Sònar+D are going to be a party in celebration. And so I would invite everybody to come and celebrate with us!

Connect with Antònia Folguera:

Twitter: @bzzzbip, Instagram: @bzzzbip & LinkedIn

Sónar, Barcelona

Thu, Jun 15, 2023 - Sat, Jun 17, 2023

https://sonar.es/en






Elkka's DJ-Kicks Mix Takes Listeners on a Colorful Journey Through Dance Music

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Elkka is a Cardiff-born DJ and producer based in London. She has released music on labels such as Technicolour, Ninja Tune, and her own label and party femme culture. In 2021, Elkka was awarded BBC's Essential Mix of the Year, showcasing her blend of classic house, breakbeat, and experimental electronica.

Elkka's music is inspired by her deep intuition and communicates feelings that are difficult to put into words. She champions the LGBTQ+ community and women in her music and believes in self-acceptance and community building. She is the next curator of DJ-Kicks - a mix that takes listeners on an intoxicating journey through Chicago house, disco, leftfield techno, and UK bass. Her mix, out this Wednesday, April 26 via K7 records, is a celebration of everything she loves and is a brightly-hued universe for listeners to get lost in."

Watch our Q&A with Elkka across our socials or below for more insights into her music.

5 Questions to 3 Music Industry Execs: Temima Shames, Nikisha Bailey, and Ranya Khoury

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In celebration of Women's History Month, we had the opportunity to speak with three accomplished women in the music business. We asked them five key questions about the industry, their experiences, and their thoughts for the future. Read on to discover their valuable insights and perspectives.

Temima Shames is a rising entertainment executive and entrepreneur with a core focus of innovating around music artists, creators, and influencers through content, brand partnerships, and more. Originally born in Israel and raised in New York, she’s the Founder & CEO of Next Step Talent – a full service management company that specializes in long-term career growth strategy and capitalizing on organic relationships with the individual talent they work with. Temima’s clients span those in comedy, acting, modeling, dance, among others, with an average social following of 10 million across platforms. Songs, records, and projects she’s been a part of have garnered 25 million streams and viral campaigns with more than 1 million recreates. Temima is an advocate for entrepreneurship and aspires to inspire others to take a chance at any age.

Who’s a woman that inspired you growing up?

My cousin always inspired me growing up as she was always spontaneous with traveling and trying new things. We both did gymnastics and always had a love for new experiences. In a family where being spontaneous and adventurous was out of the norm, this is what inspired me to expand my perspectives, think outside the box and fuel my “inner entrepreneur”. 

What would you say are the biggest challenges the music industry is currently facing?

Right now the biggest challenge in the music industry is over saturation and a lack of experimentation, uniqueness. We have seen a shift in focus from albums to singles which means there is a huge loss of development. We are so focused on short term success, that we are losing the storytelling and story building. With this new era of TikTok music, artists are creating songs for virality and less for connection. The music industry needs a reset. It needs something new. A sound that is missing and a shift in focus. TikTok is amazing as it gives opportunities to artists that would never have had a chance before. However, there is a specific sound that the app favors and that limits artists’ creative ability. I’m super excited to see what the next platform will do to level out the playing field. 

What do you see as the future of women in the music industry?

I see women taking their power and making the change to create equality within the music industry. Women are beginning to not take no for an answer and set their boundaries from day 1. We are seeing an increase in the amount of female producers, A&Rs and the amount of men working in marketing or publicity which used to be more female dominated areas of the industry. Women are now playing a role of educating the new generation of men about the inequalities and calling out subconscious behaviors as they occur. Instead of women being the “assistants”, there is an increase in female executives. In order to reach this future, women must educate men instead of creating a divide between each other in business.

Is there a particular project or achievement you’re most proud of?

In short, one of the achievements I am most proud of is the viral moment surrounding Brooklynne Webb’s “My Crown” release as this the first time I saw my entire team ban together to execute an idea. Each person used their different strength and brought it to the table. The execution involved a fully packaged plan with over 6 months of work, but not only that, the whole team pivoted the plan week of to react to what was happening in the comments. It was a game time decision with all hands on deck. The result of this was over 20M+ views and streams across platforms and a moment that showed how important building a strong team is. I’m also super proud of our relationship and talent growth on YouTube. Starting from nearly 0, we now have 3 clients over 1M subs and 5 more about to hit that markWe’ve truly expanded our company relationships across platforms. 


What advice would you give to other women looking to break into the music industry?

Use others' comments,, especially he “I usually think young women don’t have their sh*t together, but you do” one, as your motivation to push through. You only need a few people to believe in you. Be the disruptor and make that change.

Connect with Temima

Instagram –

@temimashames

@nextsteptalent

LinkedIn

Nikisha Bailey is a community-driven entrepreneur, entertainment executive, and philanthropist with a lifelong commitment to music. Professionally, the St. Louis native is General Manager of the Nvak Collective – a next generation record label & artist advocacy collective that embraces web3 to drive change for creators and intellectual property. The two-time Billboard R&B / Hip-Hop Power Player provides creative perspective to the company’s facilitation of A&R, marketing, and label operations across their diverse artist roster. Extending her influence throughout music and culture, she also serves as Vice President for The Recording Academy’s New York Chapter and an Ambassador for the Academy’s Black Music Collective (BMC). On the entrepreneurship front, Nikisha owns and operates Philadelphia's Win Win Coffee Bar – handpicked by Goldman Sachs as a featured vendor at its 10KSB National Summit and adding Nikisha to Forbes’ Next 1000. Prior to the Nvak Collective, Nikisha was the VP / Head of A&R Admin at APG (Artist Partner Group) including additional stints at Atlantic Records and Def Jam Recordings working with acclaimed producers, studios, artists, and more. She now resides in New York and pushes herself to learn, grow, and pay it forward.

Who’s a woman that inspired you growing up?

My mom has always been and continues to be one of my biggest inspirations. As a black woman growing up in Missouri in the 60’s during Jim Crow, I can’t even imagine what she had to go through. She always had such a positive outlook on life and has instilled in me that no matter what your current circumstances in life, through hard work and consistency, anything is possible 

What tangible way(s) can women better support + celebrate each other in the music business?

We can have more open, transparent, REAL conversations. The music industry can be an extremely sugar coated industry where we tend to paint the best picture possible and have the all that glitters in gold mindset. The reality is, that this is far from what it is. Women are consistently undervalued, underpaid and expected to be happy with whatever circumstances are presented to them. When we can start having more REAL conversations as to what we all have experienced, I think that can only strengthen the common bond that we all have for the most part. 

What inspired you to pursue a career in music? I’ve also loved music.

I’m a former musician myself. In college I had to decide whether or not to be a jazz performance major or audio engineer major and I went with audio engineer! The jazz students were a little too intense for me lol. From there I had a professor that told me in order to really make it in the music industry, I had to either be in NY or LA. My professor was able to help me sort out an internship at Sony Studios that was 6 months out, so for those 6 months I worked 3 jobs and saved up $5,000 and left to pursue my dream in the big city with nothing but two suitcases!

Is there a particular project or achievement you’re most proud of?

My biggest achievement in my career was when I started as intern in a new city, a new industry and now work myself up to a GM position. I’ve also been able to establish such a solid network of industry friends and colleagues that are not only there for me in my professional life, but have been able to be such immense resources to me in my journey as a coffee roaster and distributor through my business, Win Win Coffee. 


What advice would you give to other women looking to break into the music industry?

Bet on yourself! Hone in your superpowers and what makes you innately you…and EMBRACE it! What is the one thing that you can do, that nobody does better? It’s the differences that you have experienced in life that bring value to the table. Own that part of who you are all throughout your journey.

Connect with Nikisha:

Instagram – @nikideebee

LinkedIn

Ranya Khoury is a rising executive in the music business with a track record for setting trends and being a first-mover throughout several entrepreneurial endeavors. Today, as the first U.S. hire for global dance label Spinnin’ Records, she is the stateside Streaming Director where she has worked tracks for Alok, Timmy Trumpet, The Chainsmokers, Joel Corry and many more. Prior to Spinnin’, her career has been rooted in digital commerce with previously managing Los Angeles-based DJ Kooze, creating new revenue models for Hits Daily Double as Digital Accounts Manager, and being a part of Universal Music Group’s streaming marketing team.

Who’s a woman that inspired you growing up?

I’ve had so many. I was lucky enough to grow up with a mom who was a complete powerhouse, so I’ve always had the impression that success as women, in whatever field, was possible. Hilary Duff was and still remains a big one for me. Rihanna, for obvious reasons. The list really does go on and on.  

What do you see as the future of women in the music industry?

As we begin to bring more women in leadership roles, our perception of what’s possible will begin to shift into a much more empowered place. Doorways will open for rising industry leaders. Role models will help inspire those looking to pursue a career in music. Companies will become more inclusive from the start. There’s still a long way to go, but we’re moving in the right direction. 

What inspired you to pursue a career in music?

It initially was ignited through my unwavering passion for the music itself, but it wasn’t until my second year of college that I committed to pursuing a career in music. Once I learned that business and creativity coexisted in the space, I began immersing myself in the industry, where I realized how strong my passion for music really was. 

What advice would you give to other women looking to break into the music industry?

Give yourself permission to show up authentically. Don’t try to be one of the boys. Know your worth early on. Speak up. And always lead with passion and curiosity. 

How do you balance personal and professional life as a woman in the music industry?

It’s hard. it’s a practice that I’ll probably always work on deepening. Naturally, my personal and professional life tend to overlap. You meet so many like minded people in the industry, that they quickly become a part of your personal life. Your time spent in professional settings molds into what is typically thought of as personal time (there is no 9-5 in the industry). So, it becomes an act of prioritizing and enhancing any personal time you do get. Sometimes it's carving out time in solitude. Other times, it’s dining out with friends, most likely at Sugarfish or Found Oyster. Whatever and whenever it is, I make sure it's time well spent on things that renew and reground me. 

Connect with Ranya

 Instagram – @ranyakhoury

LinkedIn