NEWS
EVENTS
Maya Jane Coles Interview
House | Wednesday 7th December 2011 | Osh
How are you doing?
I’m good thank you.
Are you enjoying the photo-shoot?
It’s good, we just got started so we’re getting into it now.
What do you think about fashion/ what is your relationship with fashion?
For me it’s pretty important because I like to express myself through how I look. I like to experiment with colours and I change my hair colour like every month. As a creative person I think it’s a big part of the whole thing, even when I’m performing.
What do you think about the relationship between fashion and music?
Because I’m an artist, anyway that I put myself out there is a form of expression of how I’m feeling.
How do you feel about life?
I feel pretty lucky at the moment to be able to get up every morning because I’m following my dream and being able to make a living out of what I love doing. There are a lot of people that aren’t able to do that. I’ve been making music for 8 years now, I started when I was 15, that’s pretty much all I wanted to do with my life. I feel blessed to be able to do it.
What pushed you to continue through that period (with djing)?
Just the love for music, I’ve been through times where I’ve felt like “have I really made the right choice?” because it’s such a struggle because it’s not easy. Some people think that it’s just something that happens overnight but there’s hard work that needs to go into it. A lot of time needs to go into it, I’ve always known that if you want to do something, that if you push at it you can get there no matter what. The hard part is keeping focused as there are always obstacles holding you back.
You started doing music when you were 15, what did you start making music on?
I’ve always had a love for music, I grew up listening to 90s hip hop, and RnB and stuff. When I first started making music that was the stuff I was doing. I didn’t get into it through dance music, that was something that came later on. I had a mac at home because my dad is a graphic designer and we had really crap demo cds, almost like making music on a Playstation. I remember sitting around playing with these loops, messing around and thinking it was quite fun, thinking that there was a better way that you could do this. My Dad had a lot of musician friends as well and managed to get me a copy of “q base” on disc. I was able to use it at home and wouldn’t leave the computer, but I used to play instruments as well, like guitar and stuff, I’d sit there and record loops and mess around. I used to have mates at school, and stay for hours in the computer room and we had this rubbish studio in our school, it had a pc from like the 80s, like really budget equipment but we just made the most of it and did what we could. I think people could get spoilt with all gear, no idea. If you don’t have a lot you can utilise what you have.
How did you start getting into drum loops and house?
I think when I started going to parties that played really underground, cool house, because before that I was only exposed to commercial dance music which wasn’t my cup of tea. So I didn’t ever think that I’d get into dance music, but then I got exposed to really good music when I started partying I started going out and hearing DJ’s that’s when I thought I could really get into this. I’m so open with music, I’m inspired by loads of different genres, so if I like something I’d go home and try and make my own version of it. I started getting into house music so it was only natural that I’d go home and try to make it. My first release was more tech-house, for a label called Dogmatik, so that gave me my first break and I kept releasing music on the house scene.
What instruments do you play?
Nothing amazingly, but I’ve learnt how to play loads. When I was at school I picked music as a subject so I got free tuition, so I just made the most of that basically. I never carried on with anything long enough to actually be amazing at it but I had lessons in drums, bass, saxophone, cello and I taught myself keyboards. Knowing how to roughly play something helps with loops and expands my knowledge of music composition. I sampled myself playing before to use in a track, It’s helped me a lot.
What do your parents think about your music?
I’m really lucky to have such supportive parents, who really understand what I do. I have a lot of friends who are musicians and artists whose parents don’t understand what they do and who think they should get a proper job. There’s been times when my parents have been like “are you gonna do something” or do something else as well, but for me it’s all or nothing, you have to put 100% into it or leave it.
I’m good thank you.
Are you enjoying the photo-shoot?
It’s good, we just got started so we’re getting into it now.
What do you think about fashion/ what is your relationship with fashion?
For me it’s pretty important because I like to express myself through how I look. I like to experiment with colours and I change my hair colour like every month. As a creative person I think it’s a big part of the whole thing, even when I’m performing.
What do you think about the relationship between fashion and music?
Because I’m an artist, anyway that I put myself out there is a form of expression of how I’m feeling.
How do you feel about life?
I feel pretty lucky at the moment to be able to get up every morning because I’m following my dream and being able to make a living out of what I love doing. There are a lot of people that aren’t able to do that. I’ve been making music for 8 years now, I started when I was 15, that’s pretty much all I wanted to do with my life. I feel blessed to be able to do it.
What pushed you to continue through that period (with djing)?
Just the love for music, I’ve been through times where I’ve felt like “have I really made the right choice?” because it’s such a struggle because it’s not easy. Some people think that it’s just something that happens overnight but there’s hard work that needs to go into it. A lot of time needs to go into it, I’ve always known that if you want to do something, that if you push at it you can get there no matter what. The hard part is keeping focused as there are always obstacles holding you back.
You started doing music when you were 15, what did you start making music on?
I’ve always had a love for music, I grew up listening to 90s hip hop, and RnB and stuff. When I first started making music that was the stuff I was doing. I didn’t get into it through dance music, that was something that came later on. I had a mac at home because my dad is a graphic designer and we had really crap demo cds, almost like making music on a Playstation. I remember sitting around playing with these loops, messing around and thinking it was quite fun, thinking that there was a better way that you could do this. My Dad had a lot of musician friends as well and managed to get me a copy of “q base” on disc. I was able to use it at home and wouldn’t leave the computer, but I used to play instruments as well, like guitar and stuff, I’d sit there and record loops and mess around. I used to have mates at school, and stay for hours in the computer room and we had this rubbish studio in our school, it had a pc from like the 80s, like really budget equipment but we just made the most of it and did what we could. I think people could get spoilt with all gear, no idea. If you don’t have a lot you can utilise what you have.
How did you start getting into drum loops and house?
I think when I started going to parties that played really underground, cool house, because before that I was only exposed to commercial dance music which wasn’t my cup of tea. So I didn’t ever think that I’d get into dance music, but then I got exposed to really good music when I started partying I started going out and hearing DJ’s that’s when I thought I could really get into this. I’m so open with music, I’m inspired by loads of different genres, so if I like something I’d go home and try and make my own version of it. I started getting into house music so it was only natural that I’d go home and try to make it. My first release was more tech-house, for a label called Dogmatik, so that gave me my first break and I kept releasing music on the house scene.
What instruments do you play?
Nothing amazingly, but I’ve learnt how to play loads. When I was at school I picked music as a subject so I got free tuition, so I just made the most of that basically. I never carried on with anything long enough to actually be amazing at it but I had lessons in drums, bass, saxophone, cello and I taught myself keyboards. Knowing how to roughly play something helps with loops and expands my knowledge of music composition. I sampled myself playing before to use in a track, It’s helped me a lot.
What do your parents think about your music?
I’m really lucky to have such supportive parents, who really understand what I do. I have a lot of friends who are musicians and artists whose parents don’t understand what they do and who think they should get a proper job. There’s been times when my parents have been like “are you gonna do something” or do something else as well, but for me it’s all or nothing, you have to put 100% into it or leave it.
Which one of your tracks make the crowd go crazy?
It would be a track that I’m getting a bit sick of playing now! Haha. It would be ‘beyond my control’, which is the track that really got people into my music. Well, a lot of people into my music that they might not have heard of me before. That’s the track that most people recognise.
So do you have an album on the horizon?
Yeah yeah. There is no set date yet but it will be out I reckon the first quarter of next year. There is a lot of work still to go and it’s definitely my most important project to date so everything has to be right! Until now, this is the most true reflection of myself that is going to come out. EP’s and stuff are all part of what I do. But this album is me!
Tell us about your parallel project ‘She Is Danger’ with Vocalist Lena Cullen. What is that about?
At the moment, me and Lena are focusing on our solo stuff. When we have more time, we will finish the album and start releasing it and stuff. We have put it on hold for a bit.
How about your Dubstep stuff?
The Dubstep stuff was always a small side project and it was never my main focus, again an ongoing thing. Just a bit of fun. It was a separate entity away from the usual house stuff. It’s got a different market. I don’t even like using the word ‘Dubstep’ for that project anymore, the whole Dubstep scene has kinda slowly got further and further away from the music I used to consider ‘Dubstep’. There is more to come, but for now I am just focusing on my ‘Maya Jane Coles’ stuff.
So what record label are you going to release your album on?
I haven’t decided yet. There have been many offers. Until the project is finished I just don’t want to tie myself down to a certain label. It’s going to be a big decision who to go with.
You have had so much support, I mean people that buy your music, I was talking to some people in the industry, this was before ‘What They Say’ came out and people said that you better watch out for this girl. It must feel great that a lot of people are behind you.
When I started getting support by all these producers and DJ’s who I have always looked up to and that have always been an inspiration to me, to get that support from them is nice feeling!
How do you see yourself in ten years?
I’ll definitely still be making music. For me, my aim at the moment is to make music that is genre unspecific. I want to get more into producing for bands and stuff and I just want to have no limits to what I am doing. I like writing music I like producing music, that’s what I want to do.
So here’s a scenario, you are exiled from your home and thrown onto a desert island. What 2 people would you bring? (dead or alive)
OK, I would say Joni Mitchell and Jimi Hendrix!
So do you have an album on the horizon?
Yeah yeah. There is no set date yet but it will be out I reckon the first quarter of next year. There is a lot of work still to go and it’s definitely my most important project to date so everything has to be right! Until now, this is the most true reflection of myself that is going to come out. EP’s and stuff are all part of what I do. But this album is me!
Tell us about your parallel project ‘She Is Danger’ with Vocalist Lena Cullen. What is that about?
At the moment, me and Lena are focusing on our solo stuff. When we have more time, we will finish the album and start releasing it and stuff. We have put it on hold for a bit.
How about your Dubstep stuff?
The Dubstep stuff was always a small side project and it was never my main focus, again an ongoing thing. Just a bit of fun. It was a separate entity away from the usual house stuff. It’s got a different market. I don’t even like using the word ‘Dubstep’ for that project anymore, the whole Dubstep scene has kinda slowly got further and further away from the music I used to consider ‘Dubstep’. There is more to come, but for now I am just focusing on my ‘Maya Jane Coles’ stuff.
So what record label are you going to release your album on?
I haven’t decided yet. There have been many offers. Until the project is finished I just don’t want to tie myself down to a certain label. It’s going to be a big decision who to go with.
You have had so much support, I mean people that buy your music, I was talking to some people in the industry, this was before ‘What They Say’ came out and people said that you better watch out for this girl. It must feel great that a lot of people are behind you.
When I started getting support by all these producers and DJ’s who I have always looked up to and that have always been an inspiration to me, to get that support from them is nice feeling!
How do you see yourself in ten years?
I’ll definitely still be making music. For me, my aim at the moment is to make music that is genre unspecific. I want to get more into producing for bands and stuff and I just want to have no limits to what I am doing. I like writing music I like producing music, that’s what I want to do.
So here’s a scenario, you are exiled from your home and thrown onto a desert island. What 2 people would you bring? (dead or alive)
OK, I would say Joni Mitchell and Jimi Hendrix!
