Lisa Oakes

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In Techno Vinyls Records ’ series of interviews, we talk to producers who have releases on our label.

Interview with Lisa Oakes

What does producing mean to you? When did you start your music career and what motivated you?

  • It means the world to me. For me it’s a tool to express my emotions and it has got me through so many hard times in my life. Every track I’ve made when I listen back I can remember exactly what I was going through at the time and to me there’s specific feelings and emotions attached to the sounds. I don’t know what I’d do without it. I started producing about 5 years ago, I’d been a dj for about 8 years and was lucky enough to play alongside a few of my musical heroes up in the clubs in Leeds in the UK and I was curious to see how much further I could go with it all. I had a bigger ambition and It seemed like the next exciting step on my musical journey, so I set about teaching myself how to write music. To my surprise my first EP went to number 1 on Beatport and I realised this was definitely something I wanted to pursue, the fact it has helped me through so much is a bonus.

How have your releases inspired you throughout your career?

  • Each release has just inspired me to keep making more. I’ve been in the charts 4 times and have had some of my favourite Djs and musical idols play and support my music over the past couple of years, that definitely has inspired me to keep going towards my goals and dreams. Ben sims played my last release for Techno Vinyls Records on his radio show recently and even announced my name at the beginning of the show and that was huge moment for me after being a fan of his for years!

Do you like to collaborate with other artists? What do you think about remixing? Do you like to remix or do you like to have your music remixed?

  • I’ve not had the chance to collaborate with anyone just yet, but it’s something I’d like do in the future. I wasn’t sure about remixing at first, but now I’m more settled in my style and i am more experienced, I really enjoy it, I love being able to take something and add my own style to it. My first remix was supported and played by dj Rush who is my favourite Dj and that has inspired me alot this year to keep the creative flow going. Getting recognition from the Djs I look up to has been incredible. I’ve done a few more remixes since which are due out over the coming weeks. Alexia K. is the first person to remix a track of mine for my release on Techno Vinyls Records and it was really exciting to hear someone else’s spin on my music. I’m looking forward to more in the future.

How do you choose a title for your tracks? Do you think a well-chosen track and EP title matters?

  • I think it’s really important to get the track title right, I can sometimes take days to come up with something that feels right, it’s usually to do with what has inspired the music or something I’m feeling at the time or going through.

Is a well-designed cover important to you?

  • Yes 100%. I’m a perfectionist and I believe the artwork is an important part of the whole process of the release. It’s what people see before they listen to the music so for me it’s important it looks professional.

How do you choose record labels (what is a good label for you and what are your expectations)?

  • Firstly i try and find labels that suit the style of the track, most have specific sounds they look for and it can be hard sometimes finding ones that fit! secondly I try and find ones that look professional and put effort into every aspect of the end process like the artwork and promoting.

How do you see track sales in the digital millennium data flood (for example: how do you see the digital sales, promotion tracks, illegal downloads etc.) ?

  • It’s a hard one to answer, I know my tunes have been available on illegal download sites alongside most tracks that are released these days and I do find it disappointing, obviously it is not good for the artist or label but I guess I understand why people use them. Not everyone has money to spend on music and it’s still good it gets out there and gets played and enjoyed. It’s just hard to judge exactly how well a track has truly done when they’re not downloading from a reputable site and the artist and label lose out after so much hard work and that’s a shame.

What are your future plans for making tracks?

  • I’ve been so focused on remixes now for the past few months, I’m now focusing on getting all the tracks I’m currently working on finally finished and released. It’s such an odd time with the pandemic without clubs open, but for me it’s still important to keep being creative and it’s helping me through such an uncertain time. I’ve been keeping myself busy with it all and I’m really excited to share with you all what I’ve been making recently .

Thank you for accepting our interview request, we wish you much more success in your producer work!

Thank you! Best wishes!