Working as a full-time marketing director and an in-demand DJ and producer, have there been times when you've struggled juggling both? How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance in terms of your time and mental capacity?

Yes definitely...trying to find the balance between work and music and also making space to relax can feel like a bit of a juggling act. Especially since moving back to London! Having my own business has been a blessing and a curse...when it’s quiet it allows the flexibility to really get back into the flow with music. Whereas often it's pretty demanding and I start to feel overwhelmed when everything else starts to slip. When it gets like that, it can feel like my mind is in a million different pots which I’m trying to hold together! Taking some time out to reassess what’s really important has helped. I’ve decided to step back a bit this year and will only be working with half of my clients from April - it’s been a nerve wracking step as it means taking a pay cut and more uncertainty for the future, but I’m pretty sure the benefits to my mental health will surpass that. I’m aiming to dedicate 1-2 days a week to the studio with emails switched off - so let’s see haha!

Being an artist definitely has a mix of exciting opportunities along with its challenging obstacles. What are some of the challenges you've experienced?

One of the challenges I sometimes struggle with is imposter syndrome related anxiety - the feeling of not being good enough and lacking confidence in what I’m doing. This type of anxiety tends to creep in more when it comes to playing out. I’ve chatted about it with a lot of other artists who experience the same - I guess that’s what comes with being a creative and putting yourself out there!

As a solo artist, do you see an importance in having an immediate music community around you? Do you think this kind of support plays an important role in your confidence and growth?

Yes, I think it's one of the best things that have come out of working in music! I’ve met so many new friends and mentors in the past 2 years who have made a huge difference. Everyone is super supportive and takes the time to listen and give detailed feedback, so you never really feel alone in the process. Both Martyn’s mentoring scheme and Intercept’s community of artists have been amazing for this.

There’s also a solid community of DJ’s and artists in London that I’ve met since moving here. I know social media comes with its challenges and can definitely contribute to anxiety and comparisons, but it has also been a great way to connect with lots of other artists (especially during lockdown). I’ve just started sharing a studio with Oli (Syz) and Liam (Keydell) which is very exciting for the future :)

What part of making and playing music brings you joy, and what aspects of it do you find challenging?

I love it when you get into the flow whilst making music and end up being lost in it for hours. I usually find this making melodies - when I find a lush new chord sequence or melody I can easily float away from everything else. Similarly with mixing, when you get into the right flow you can zone out from the world, building your own little journey.

On the other hand, making music can be disheartening when nothing seems to click, you can make hundreds of loops but end up disregarding them all. It also becomes challenging when you start comparing yourself to others and devaluing what you’re doing. I guess that’s when you have to remember you’re always learning and to enjoy the process. I try to avoid listening to music within a similar genre when I’m working on something new, so I can make what feels most natural rather than be influenced by what’s already out there.

We've vulnerably spoken and connected on how we've both suffered with crippling anxiety in the past. When you're feeling anxious or overwhelmed, how do you manage it? What are your tools and is there any advice you would give to other artists in a similar position?

I try to meditate or do some sort of breathing exercise (usually alternate nostril breathing) every morning before I get up and practice yoga regularly. I’m really looking forward to starting our weekly Kundalini classes together! ;) I also find running a massive release and tend to listen back to things I’m working on with more clarity than whilst sitting in the studio. I studied my Jivamukti yoga teacher training in India in early 2020, just before we went into the peak of the pandemic, which was a huge blessing and really helped with managing the months ahead. Often when I’m busy, it’s easy to make excuses to skip any mindfulness practice, but I notice a big difference in my ability to manage stress and general positivity when I start my day with even just 10-15 minutes.

I’d recommend making sure you take lots of breaks throughout the day and get outside as much as possible. It’s easy to go into a bit of a hole for hours whilst making music and wind up feeling quite drained and depressed – especially when you’re spending so much time alone doing it! I can’t recommend just 5 minutes of mindfulness/controlled breathing in the morning enough, or anything that brings you back into the present moment. Insight Timer has loads of great free guided meditations for this! You submit how you’re feeling each morning and it will recommend different exercises and meditations to work with that feeling and set you up for the day. I think it’s also important to consider just taking some time off if things aren’t working. I’ve found that when I’m struggling and nothing clicks for multiple sessions, taking a big break and not thinking about anything production-related for a few weeks massively re-energises you when you get back to it. I usually come back inspired, and the music takes a new direction and emotion. It’s probably a good thing to feel a bit rusty when you start again because it’s likely you’ll try some new techniques and stop falling into the same issues you had before.

How do you feel the industry can help and support those suffering from mental health?

I think we just have to speak about it more, raise awareness and be patient with one another. Lots of people are suffering in silence, so the more open and understanding we can be about it, the better. Having at least one person in your network you can speak honestly to about these things makes a big difference and can help take the pressure off.

What's your relationship with creating mixes? How do you decide what tracks to use? What's your process?

I have a playlist called ‘next show’ where I put any tracks that have really stood out lately or I’ve enjoyed mixing. I’ll then spend a bit of time going through new releases and put into a larger playlist which I’ll later organise in more detail. I’m slightly anal with rekordbox haha - I generally do quite a bit of tagging, auto-cueing/colour markers in the tracks to make sure I hit certain energy points in the mixes when a melody or new transition of the track comes in. I also love using loops, especially with vocals or melodic breakdowns to mix into. The Art Of DJing episode with Avalon Emerson really resonated with me in terms of using the technology we have to our advantage. I definitely think I can hit the mixes much harder when I spend a bit of time organising the tracks and emphasising various energy points!

Looking back, what advice would you give to other solo artists just starting out? Is there any advice you'd like to give specifically for women?

I would say that as a female artist there is more underlying pressure to try and prove yourself, or that it can sometimes feel like your voice isn’t as valued as highly. So far I’ve been fortunate to experience mostly positive interactions and lovely people, but I do feel more pressure to prove myself and be successful off my own back, and know there are still a lot of imbalances and challenges out there.

I’d recommend connecting with other female artists as much as possible, maybe reaching out online or introducing yourself whilst out. The value of having that community with people experiencing similar things is second to none and really helps build confidence, inspire new ideas and build a positive relationship with your music :)

What is your focus for 2022?

To slow down and enjoy the process! I’m trying to remind myself there’s no rush and to just do things when I feel ready. I don’t need to always be working to be successful, and it’s fine to take more time out to focus on music without releasing any, or not say yes to every gig!

Lastly, are there any other female artists we should look out for this year?

Small Crab, Sister Zo, Surgeons Girl & Suchi :) All the S’s!

Small Crab’s forthcoming EP is one to watch out for this year! It was great to play alongside Surgeons Girl at the Nous’klaer Audio x Cabin Fever gig last November, and I’m very excited to be on a compilation with Suchi which is coming out next month. Sister Zo is also on Martyn’s mentoring scheme and has just released a killer EP on Scuffed Recordings, which is definitely worth getting your hands on if you haven’t already!