Interview: La Fleur Discusses- Magnetic Mag
Very few DJs can boast the same level of talent, intelligence and determination as La Fleur, the Swedish DJ who has been etching her name into the dance music canon for over five years. Her passion for music originated from her adolescent love of dancing. It was this sense of abandoning oneself on the dance floor that eventually led her away from her career as a pharmacist and propelled her onto a more creative path.
Her unique sound, oscillating between Techno and House, has consistently caught the attention of several producers and clubs including Panorama Bar and Watergate where she has enjoyed a long standing residency. Sanna’s ever-growing list of credentials extends to residencies at ‘Sunday Secrets’ and ‘Berns’ in Stockholm, not forgetting her stint hosting ‘P3 Dans’ on Swedish National Radio who, very recently, presented her with the award of ‘Dance Act of the Year,’ and deservedly so.
Sanna is certainly not a one dimensional musician having founded her own record label, Power Plant Records, back in 2010. It’s via this ‘breeding ground for artists’ that she released a string of EPs including Eavesdropper,Feline and Flowerhead. There’s a real sense of curiosity and intimacy within her tracks that captivate those listening to them, making La Fleur an important voice in the industry.
Magnetic Magazine caught up with La Fleur ahead of her appearance atCoincidance Festival this week to chat about the highlights of 2015 and what’s coming up next year.
La Fleur
Hi Sanna, it’s been a big year for you- would you mind telling us about a couple of your highlights?
It’s been great! Started off with winning P3 Gold in the category ‘Dance Act of the Year’, it’s the Swedish equivalent to the Grammys. Then I had my baby girl in February and since then things have been pretty great and hectic haha.
Congratulations Sanna, you must be thrilled! It’s been an exciting year for you as a producer too…
Yes, I released and EP on Sasha’s label Last Night On Earth as well as Make A Move EP on Watergate Records amongst other stuff. I’ve had a fantastic year with some really fun and memorable gigs and I’m currently rounding off the year with a U.S, North and South America tour.
You’ve played a lot in America whilst remaining a resident DJ in Berlin- do you feel this city still has one of the most exciting and progressive music scenes or do you feel its reign is coming to an end?
Berlin is definitely still cooking. And I think it will be one of the leading scenes for many years to come but exciting things are also happening in other parts of the world. I am currently touring America and staying here for a while to also visit some family- combining business and pleasure. I will also be touring Brazil and Mexico in January, but I will be back in Berlin at the beginning of February and I can’t wait!
It sounds like a really busy start to the year. What else does 2016 have in store for yourself and Power Plant Records?
It will see the release of a Various Artist compilation with tracks from me, Jesper Ryom and some new faces to Power Plant, including Justin Massei and Acid Mondays. A new EP from me will also follow and a re-release of my track Flowerhead with some killer remixes. All this to celebrate my little label turning 5 years!
Having recently released a new EP with Watergate records, could you tell us a bit about the process of producing a track in terms of where you gather your inspiration from?
Being creative in one way or another has always been with me since I was young and making music is one of those ways. Inspiration can come from a lot of different things and it varies but usually I get inspired by a sound or vocal and then start making the beat around it. With Make A Move the inspiration came from the vocal “I saw you last night, but I didn’t make a move” something I thought we all could relate to in one way or another.
La Fleur
Definitely! Do you think the tracks you produce such as ‘Make A Move’ differ from what we hear from your live sets?
Sometimes I feel the tracks I produce have more of a house feel to them than my sets do. I play house during my sets too- I love it- but I usually play a mixture between house and techno which I think differ from my productions which are more housey.
So, what can we expect from your set at Coincidance Festival on January 1st?
The best I got! I’m packing my record bag with some heat and I can’t wait to share it with you all. It will be the first gig in the new year so that will be special too.
Is there anyone we should look out for at Coincidance?
Me haha. There are a lot of interesting, cool acts booked so I am sure everyone who goes will have a blast and a great musical beginning to the new year!
La Fleur will be performing on 1st January at Coincidance Festival, Mexico.
Please see original published version here.
