lau.ra: Reinvention, Resilience & Why Your Best Tracks Come Together in Three Hours

This week I'm joined by Lau.ra - producer, DJ, vocalist, and one of the most consistently excellent self-producing artists in UK electronic music right now. Teen idol at 16, in a band Nigel Godrich, 5 years as FEMME and onto getting a Pete Tong Essential Mix. She's been doing this a long time and she's done it her own way.We get into how she taught herself to produce entirely out of necessity, why she has almost no unfinished tracks on her computer, and the simple approach to finding your signature sound. We talk about testing tracks in DJ sets as the ultimate finishing tool, and why the best tracks she's ever made came together in about three hours.We also have a really honest conversation about the realities of releasing music today & what labels actually need to bring to the table beyond a digital release, and how sync has quietly been one of the most important income streams in her career.Oh, and she recorded this with her seven month old in the room. Respect.KEY TAKEAWAYSLearn the language: lau.ra became a producer out of frustration — sessions with other producers left her with half-finished demos on someone else's laptop. Learning to record herself gave her creative control and a technical vocabulary that made everyone take her more seriously.Don't overthink it: The best tracks she's ever made came together in around three hours. The ones she spent months on, she'd sucked the life out of somewhere along the way. Speed and instinct are underrated.Use your DJ sets as a finishing tool: Testing tracks in sets across different sound systems is her primary way of knowing when something is done — and when it isn't.Build a signature sound through constraints: Same drum sounds, same two or three bass synths, SH-101 for texture. The thing that changes track to track is the vocal or hook element. Limiting your palette forces a consistent identity.Know what you're actually signing: If a label can only offer a digital release, that's not enough anymore. Before signing away masters for ten years, ask what else they're bringing — events, press, relationships. That conversation is more important than ever.Sync is a real income stream: It's been a core part of her business since her pop days and continues to fund her artist career. Get a publishing deal if you can, write to briefs, and build that relationship early.BEST MOMENTSI've never been scared of reinventing myself. I actually find it really exciting.The best tracks I've ever made came together in about three hours. The ones you spend months grinding over the finish line - you've sucked the life out of them somewhere along the way.Making music is like 10 or 20 percent of my week if I'm lucky. The rest is emails, invoices, content, fan messages. The actual studio time is such a small percentage of my existence now.I put on a pair of shoes. It makes me feel like I'm ready to go to work.If a label is only providing a digital release, that's not good enough anymore. There has to be something else on the table.EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXTMikey V - Why The Music Won't WaitABOUT THE HOSTLex Luca is a London-based DJ, producer, and label owner known for his infectious energy both behind the decks and in the studio. With releases on Snatch!, Nervous, and his own label In Tune, Lex has garnered support from Pete Tong, Annie Mac, and Claude VonStroke. A former BBC Radio 1 producer, he delivers a unique blend of house, disco, and techno that has taken him from London to Ibiza and beyond. Lex founded OpenDAW Songwriting Camps, bringing together independent musicians to collaborate. As the host of OpenDAW Talks, he shares his journey and insights with the next generation of music creators.VALUABLE RESOURCESFollow lau.ra CONNECT & CONTACTOpenDAW InstagramLex Luca InstagramEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.