Hello and welcome back to another Beneath The Surface session. This time I am joined by the lovely Berlin based LO! We get down into the depths of all things music and the creative process for this talented songwriter and producer, so find a cosy lil corner, get snug and lets dive!
What would you say first sparked your interest in music/who inspired you to make music?
It was when I was about 6 years old, my dad was a janitor at a school at the time. I recall seeing the school band rehearse in the basement. They were playing Oasis’ “Wonderwall”. The drums in particular were fascinating to me…
How would you describe the music you are currently creating?
I think it’s pretty genre fluid. “Night Owls” has a more darker, melancholic vibe that could be described as Vapor Soul or Alt RnB. Besides that I also love all sorts of house music, like chill house or UK house/UK bass.
What does your creative process look like?
I try to be at the studio every day. What happens there always depends on the mood. Sometimes I’m inspired by another artist, so I analyse what it is that catches my attention about this particular track and try to recreate that mood. Or I’m just fiddling around with some chords or synth sounds, or I have a certain tempo and drum beat in mind and start with that. So there’s no real plan behind it that works for me creatively. Sometimes it’s even just a new plugin that inspires me to go into a certain direction. I think it’s also important to try out different approaches so your sound stays innovative and you don’t sound generic and replaceable.
Who would you most like to collaborate with? (let’s send it out to the universe and make it happen!)
I really like what Elderbrook does in terms of keeping house music fresh. Oh, and it would be great to sit down in the studio with Matthew Herbert and have Mr. Hudson feature on a track haha.
What is the one message you would like to send out to your fans?
I’m really thankful for their continuous support and I really appreciate that they’re open to my different sounds. I know it’s sometimes easier for artists to stick to one genre, so people can put you into boxes. They know what they are getting. But I just don’t want to limit myself to one narrow genre…So thank you all for being so supportive and open minded!!
What’s your top tip to rejuvenate your creativity/get over a writer’s block?
I think you just have to accept that creativity isn’t something that can be squeezed out of you at any given time. Some days you feel super inspired and write two great songs. Other days you only create mediocre tracks. It happens. You just have to keep on creating. Don’t lose the fun of just being at the studio and making music, and don’t pressure yourself. When I go through the times that I’ve been “uncreative” – the times after that phase have always been extra creative. So you just shouldn’t feel discouraged if you go through writer’s block. Keep on creating but also try to get some inspiration from real life; go hiking, meet friends, travel and try to work on any problems in your private life. Because if you spend 24/7 in the studio, it’s sometimes hard to come up with topics to write about and the same applies if you’re going through unresolved issues. It just uses up too much headspace to think of anything creative.
What’s next for you, what do we have to look forward to/ what are you currently working on?
I’m working on lots of new tracks at the moment. And of course, I’m really looking forward to the release of my second album “Night Owls” which will be out in March…
So there’s a lot of new music to look forward to!
Check out LO’s latest single here:
Keep up with LO here:
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