LOVELY LAURA

Lovely

• Welcome Laura, it’snice to say hello, how are you? Hello! I’m good thank you, though feeling a little tired from a crazy weeekend of touring. No complaints though ☺

• Tell us, who are you and how did you start playing music? I am a musician (predominantly a saxophonist but also a vocalist) who is currently touring the world performing alongside my husband Ben Santiago who is a DJ. Together we are a sax / house music duo who started our musical journey in Ibiza, Spain. I have always been into music since a baby. My Mum always says that I was scatting along to Ella Fitzgerald before I could talk! I love jazz and gained a degree in Jazz at Leeds College of Music in England. I always loved improvising on my saxophone so to jam along to records is a dream job for me!

• Does your family support what you do? Yes, very much so. They encouraged me to go into music when I was a child as they recognised that I had a natural ear for music, so I was very fortunate that they nurtured this. However, I still think they would prefer me in a school as a music teacher as it’s more of a normal, stable job. Not sure my Mum totally gets all this travelling that I do!

• What has prometed you to dedicate yourself to this profession? Purely the music. I could not live my life without music. It has been my passion throughout my whole life and actually makes me feel alive and gives me a sense of purpose. Also my saxophone. I remember the first time I picked one up to play –I could not put it down! It feels like an extension of my own voice but with a serious amount of power and soul!!

• When did you decide that you wanted to be a musician? Where did all that inspiration come from? I was lucky in that both sides of my family are musical. My Grandad was an amazing jazz pianist who had his own jazz band during World War 2. My Dad is also a pianist who plays with so much feeling. I guess I must have listened and learned when I was a child –they were always playing!

• What influences do you have and how do they influence your work? Everything I play on my sax has been inspired and developed from my jazz roots. I love players such as Stan Getz, Paul Desmond, Cannonball Adderley plus of course other instrumentalists like Chet Baker, Oscar Peterson and vocalists Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and massively Stevie Wonder! I saw him in concert in New York and successfully cried the whole way through his concert! Haha! That voice… he seriously moves me with his soul. It’s all about the soul; what your heart is saying at the time

• What is it to be a recognized businesswoman? I’ve never really thought about it if I’m honest. I have always just followed my passion and stayed dedicated. Looking back it has not been easy at times but I could not think of anything else I could do as a job. Music is my life, so I guess working hard and dedicating your life to something makes you a successful business person. Now you’ve mentioned it though, and have called me a recgnized businesswoman makes me feel very proud. Clearly the hard work is paying off!

• What do you like most about music? How it can move you and change your whole mood. It can transport you to a place in your mind, to somewhere totally different. It can make you smile, it can make you cry –it’s so powerful and so beautiful.

• Leaving a little of the subject, any memory of your experience that would like to relive it? My honeymoon with my husband –I got really sick and couldn’t eat any of the gorgeous food!

• What super hero would you like to be? Why? Absolutely no idea! Never got into super heroes. However I saw Spiderman recently and thought he was pretty cool!

• What have you learned from your previous successes? That you usually hit the ground with a thump right after! I have had some amazing opportunities during my career that I foolishly thought would be the making of me –but no, they are all small parts of the journey. In fact, I learn more from my failures than I do my successes!

• What have been the biggest difficulties as a woman that you found in this work? Sexism has been a problem on occasions. Having said this I think I’ve had it lucky compared to many females out there. I was the only female in the jazz orchestra at college and also the lead alto in the horn section so I felt huge pressure because of this. I worked hard though and never got distracted by petty comments or rumours. I would say I’ve felt more discomfort at being a female in the dance industry which is also very male populated! I used to feel very vulnerable and often felt like I was not taken seriously. Thankfully I believe in my music and my saxophone and I will always channel any negativity into kicking arse on my sax –that usually shuts up any chauvanistic males!

• What about in your spare time, any sports you practice? I wish! Unfortnately at the moment I don’t have much spare time. Having said this I’m not the most sporty person. I love yoga and would love to get the time to get into a good book!

• What future projects do you have in the pipeline? Plenty of music making! Both Ben and I have been so frustrated recently as we have just not had any time to get writing and composing. This makes me sad as this is the whole reason we love doing this job, but it’s all the other stuff that goes with the job that gets in the way. I also want to spice up our shows a little bit. I bought a new toy recently to use alongside my sax so we are looking to get a bit more experimental and creative.

• What would you say to the women who are just beginning, so that they can go on fulfilling their dreams like you? Stay focused and do not give up! If I had given up on the first bad review or the first ‘no’ in this industry I would not be here now. Believe in yourself and know that you CAN make it. If you feel your product or talent is good enough then you must keep perservering –even if it means juggling three jobs to pay for it! Eventually you’ll get a break and boy will it feel amazing! What you put in is what you get out.. simple.