For the Dr. Martens OFFBEAT Summer campaign, we went on an exciting road trip to Bristol to meet Saffron Music. šµ
We caught up with the multi-faceted Danielle, Marla & Izzy to learn more about their trade(s). š¤
What advice would you give to someone looking to gain traction in the music industry?
Record mixes! Itās a great way to get used to the pressure of playing out, and helps define your sound, create an online presence, say yes to opportunities that come your way whether thatās volunteering as a producer on a radio station or getting a part time job working with your favourite promoters, it all helps!
What has been your most exciting booking to date?
Playing at Organik festival in Taiwan last week was incredibly special. Another dj couldnāt make her set due to covid so my set time got swapped quite last minute but it ended up being even better than my original set time as it was on the main stage during the sunset, and it was everything I hoped it would be for my first ever time playing a festival in Asia. Iāll never forget it
What have you learnt about being a mentor through Mix Nights?
You learn a lot about yourself when you teach, as it magnifies a lot of your personality traits and is a good way of working on your communication skills for the better. I also learnt a lot about djing, itās been really insightful going back to basics and working out why I do some of the things I do when I DJ as I taught myself so never thought about the art of djing really until I started teaching it.
What keeps you going creatively when you feel creative burn-out?
Listening to old mixes I used to love, or listening to old records I have, I also like going to galleries and getting inspired by what other people are up to. It can also be good to get out into nature, take a nice long walk or go on a long drive somewhere
ā ļø Danielle wears the Myles Sandals ā ļø
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Marla:
Can you tell us about a time that you felt empowered by someone else, and a time you felt like you were the one empowering?
After a show with Loyle Carner I got a message saying how inspiring it was to see a black woman taking up space and being successful in music. It meant a lot.
Ā How do you find your chemistry degree helps with your music production?
It doesnāt help really, which may come as a surprise to those who believe thereās a particular approach to music taken by people with a āscientific brainā, or perceive a relationship between science and music. But Iāve found that since graduating last year, I have not used that degree a LICK!
You recently released your debut solo single with an EP releasing in autumn, how did you feel completing this huge step in your music career?
It feels unreal! It started producing āRevolveā in 2020 and it went through quite a few iterations, so to finally have it out in the world is beautiful. Plus, the single was received incredibly well ā with coverage from DJ Mag and Crack Mag, radio plays from Shanti Celeste and Jamz Supernova, and features on Spotifyās editorial playlists!
Iām really excited to be releasing more singles: the next is coming in mid-May so keep an eye out on my socials.
What musical styles are you loving at the moment?
Iām really into Burger Highlife at the moment. Iām reading āA Quick Ting on: Afrobeatsā by Christian Adofo which beautifully illustrates the genreās history. Starting with Fela Kuti in Nigeria, the story meanders through West Africa and takes a stop off in Germanyāwhich was unexpected to me because I wasnāt aware of how significant the migration of Ghanaians to Germany was, let alone that it birthed a new genre!
āļøĀ Marla wears the Blaire in āBlack Brandoāāļø
Izzy:
Tell us about your best experiences in the Bristol music scene. What DJs have you seen that inspired you and what are the unmissable venues?
We are truly spoilt for choice in the Bristol music scene, every weekend brings a jam-packed line up and there is a venue for every mood. My favourite venue is probably Strange Brew as they have a front room which is great for DJs and live music, there is always a great crowd and the setting is lush. For the heavier nights they also have a back room and the sound is top notch.
A memorable bristol night for me was the Psychotherapy Sessions event in the Exchange. LSDXOXO was playing and his set was outrageous (in the best possible way). He played a madonna – ray of light edit and everyone lost their minds! Other Bristol heads on the line up like Grove, Jurango and Alya L all did amazing sets and itās one thatās stuck with me.
I also played an Illegal Data night just before covid hit, it was a small venue but a great crowd and everyone got involved. It feels more special as it was my last party before a long stint of nothing at all. I met the Illegal Data guys at radio, they were both so lovely and it wasnāt long before they booked me. It feels like thatās what the Bristol music scene is all about!
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What excited you about becoming a mastering engineer?Ā
Getting to work with new artists and music every day. I can work on a christmas pop banger and an experimental orchestral track in the same day! Every day brings new challenges and I am constantly learning as I work. I was lucky enough to be linked up with a fantastic mentor through Saffron, Katie Tavini. She is a mastering engineer and I was so inspired by her work and ethos, and after a few months of mentoring, I knew mastering was the route for me. Also, mastering can seem like a confusing part of the music-making process to a lot of artists, so I was really excited to create rapport with my clients. Itās a pleasure to connect with such talented people, and the āno stupid questionsā approach creates a working relationship that leads to the best results.
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What do you enjoy about being freelance?
Lie-ins! No, but in all seriousness I do love the flexibility of being able to balance my work with other life things. I am lucky enough to work with a bookings manager, so she helps me manage my workload and work sustainably. I also feel encouraged to work hard, as I directly reap the benefits of the hard work and I get to see my client-base and career grow.
You also DJ ā tell us about your approach to mixing.
Have fun and donāt take it too seriously! I started DJing because I love music, so I try and keep that in mind. I can get pretty bad performance anxiety, so I try and only do gigs where I know I can play what I want to play. Iām always happier with the results when I stay true to what I love. I tend to mix a lot of different genres because thatās what I enjoy, but I try and keep the energy similar even if theyāre from different genres.
š Izzy wears the Myles Slide š
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