The Lady J Podcast

Last summer, my gigs were few and far between and my motivation was low. I needed a new challenge, but also needed some answers.What makes and sustains a career as a gigging musician? How do I get more gigs? How do I become a better performer? How do I make gigs more fulfilling and financially rewarding?Just like on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, I used one of my lifelines:“I’d like to phone a friend, please.”And, without hesitation, they answered the call.Season 1 of The Lady J Podcast is a series of conversations with my friends in the industry, most of them gigging musicians for a number of years already, all happy to share what they’ve learned along their journey.These generous humans are musicians who book themselves, who work solo or in small groups, as leader or band member. We talked about what their lives look like onstage and behind the scenes, the importance of networking, education, and mindset. And, because nearly everyone I spoke to is a parent, work-life balance.Though each conversation was essentially an on-air version of one I’d had prior (maybe multiple times over many years) with my guests, I didn’t expect to hear anything that was new to me.But in every conversation I found myself surprised by a piece of advice or new bit of information. I’ve pulled those moments out here to share my learning with you.I hope that you also learn something that feels new and interesting to you. And definitely feel free to dive further into the stories and advice shared by all of these wonderful souls by listening to their full episodes.We’re all happy you’re here.00:00:00 Intro00:02:52 - Mikey Reed - gig preparedness00:04:40 Joe Bashorun - Dubai: the best place in the world for live performance00:07:21 Aston Wylie - karaoke tracks for the win!00:10:12 Timo Higgs - the importance of in-person connections00:12:21 Chris Santillán - enjoying the music more00:15:09 Janelle & Felix - the magic of live streaming00:18:24 Romario Fernando - the Dubai music scene’s grassroots roots00:20:49 Carrie Gibson - how to deal with awkward comments from guests00:23:50 Mikey Reed (Christmas special) - parenting during the busiest gigging month of the year00:25:43 Thank you00:26:38 CreditsI’m Lady J (onstage) and in the two decades that I’ve been a full-time gigging musician I’ve played nearly 3000 shows with my husband-slash-guitarist-slash-business partner. We live in Dubai with our two kids, and we continue to perform hundreds of shows per year.I firmly believe that there is nothing like being in the room with the person making the music that moves you.Live music matters.Whether you’re hoping to get your first gig, looking to get more gigs, or looking to make your gigging more fulfilling and financially rewarding, this is a place to get insights and practical advice from people who believe live music matters.I’m happy you’re here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com

Music. It’s the music that sets Christmas apart.Other holidays may also be about love, and family, and food and gifts, and peaceful wishes, but no other holiday is as inextricably linked to its music as Christmas is.Which is why it’s my favourite.The songs, oh the songs.Songs that make you feel all warm and fuzzy, songs that make you feel like a kid again, songs of hope and positivity that celebrate the magic that exists in the little things, if only you look for it.Mikey Reed, self-titled Mr. Christmas, agrees with me. His enthusiasm for Christmas is palpable: for the traditions, the food and – of course – the music.Luckily for us, as performers and hardcore Christmas fans, festive gigs flow freely in December. And it’s not just for us: anywhere that Christmas is celebrated, gigging musicians are called on to provide a live festive soundtrack to those events.Which is why Mikey is returning to chat with me about what makes holiday gigs different, which are his favourite Christmas songs to play, what he considers to be the “official” Christmas season, and what he does – despite the madness of the season - to preserve the magic of Christmas for himself and his family. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com

China was the worst.Well, to be fair, not necessarily the worst. But, of all the countries I performed in when I was touring, it was definitely my least favourite.Frankly, the sole redeeming feature of my 6-month Chinese experience was that I met Carrie and her husband, Joe, on my first night there and we’ve been friends ever since.After three years performing on the hotel circuit, I already knew Carrie by reputation. Entertainment agents and management of venues referenced her band, and her, personally, as the gold standard of top-tier performances, professionalism, consistency: someone who brought in business and who audiences adored. Guests had regularly been mistaking me for her on gigs, but I was the other Canadian singer, another brown girl with big curly golden-brown hair, a willingness to rap, a husband in the band, and a love of cargo pants.When I told excited patrons, sorry, you’re mistaken, I’m not Carrie, I’d see their covert (or overt!) look of disappointment. They, too, were sorry.It was all pretty intimidating.I made up my mind that if ever I got to meet this “Carrie” person, I would make a point not to like her.So when we walked in to Galleon Bar, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Shenzhen, to see Carrie and her band Master Plan absolutely devouring the stage on their final night, I was pretty overwhelmed.They were amazing.She was everything I’d been told she would be.When she came offstage, I steeled myself, expecting a full-blown haughty diva-esque attitude to accompany her legendary status, which I was planning to counter with chilly, one-word replies, but she was friendly, and welcoming, and helpful, and just… normal.She owed me nothing - we would likely never meet again - but without hesitation she invited me into her world. In doing so she immediately overturned my preconceptions about what it meant to be a professional in this industry.And over the fifteen plus years that we’ve been friends, Carrie continues to challenge and inspire me.She is a singer, a songwriter, a storyteller, and a coach, but she is most quintessentially, a performer. She has a lifetime of stage experience, and is an absolute treasury of guidance and advice on how to make every performance come alive, how to set audiences on fire, and how to keep doing the thing night after night, without losing your spark.Just as she did on the night I met her, Carrie continues to share her wisdom with an open heart. This conversation will challenge your definition of “diva”, and will prove how the world is a better place when we lift each other up. Carrie Gibson is, indeed, the real deal.00:00:00 – Introducing Carrie Gibson00:03:47 – Interview 01:03:07 – Lightning Round01:11:39 – Live music: Long Train Running (Doobie Brothers)01:18:05 – CreditsI’m Lady J (onstage) and in the two decades that I’ve been a full-time gigging musician I’ve played nearly 3000 shows with my husband-slash-guitarist-slash-business partner. We live in Dubai with our two kids, and we continue to perform hundreds of shows per year.I firmly believe that there is nothing like being in the room with the person making the music that moves you.Live music matters.Whether you’re hoping to get your first gig, looking to get more gigs, or looking to make your gigging more fulfilling and financially rewarding, this is a place to get insights and practical advice from people who believe live music matters.I’m happy you’re here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com

In the wee hours of a mid-January morning in 2015 I landed in Dubai with my band, ready to begin a long sought-after residency at The Music Room, one of the city’s most interesting and prestigious live music venues. A few hours later we met Romario Fernando, the resident soundman, for our first soundcheck and to begin the symbiotic relationship with the engineer who would work alongside us on a nightly basis for the next few months.I stayed in the warm comfort of that house gig for another two years while Romario left for freelancing and greener pastures, but he and I have remained connected over the last decade. We both became parents around the same time, and as I’ve watched his career evolve, I’ve only had a deepening respect for what he does and how he does it.Romario is a sound engineer, bass player, father of two, and - as I learned sitting down with him for this chat - a consummate storyteller. It was such a pleasure to reminisce about the good old days in TMR, to find a sympathetic ear for my AV-tech-sound rants, and to hear highlights of some of his most memorable gigs doing sound for legends like Sepultura and Andrea Bocelli.Most of the people I meet have set up shop in Dubai as adults (like I did), but Romario grew up in Dubai. He remembers when Sheikh Zayed Road truly was a two-lane road, not the 5-a-side super thoroughfare it is today, when half of the neighbourhoods that exist today were nothing but sand dunes, and when the local music scene looked completely unlike it does now. His description of shows ‘back in the day’ completely blew my mind.He talks about how music (and vitamin D) helped him overcome a period of burnout, the differences in being a sound engineer in studio vs in live venues, how mentorship is interconnected with his vision of entrepreneurship, and how he’s evolved his business to be able to be more hands-on with his kids.In his own words, Romario says that being behind the mixing desk is the closest you can get to being on stage. His passion for live sound and his determination to make artists sound their best onstage is truly an inspiration. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com

It’s a friendly takeover! Aston Wylie hosts a very special episode of The Lady J Podcast, interviewing Felix, my husband-slash-guitarist-slash-business partner, and me about our career together over the last two decades.Felix and I have been together since 2006, running a business and performing more than 2700 shows worldwide, and also, now, being very full-time parents to two small humans.In this behind-the-scenes episode, we talk about how we got started gigging overseas, our experience travelling in the pre-GPS/pre-Google translate era, and all the times choosing a band name turned out to be trickier than we thought.We talk about the generous offer that prompted us to write Noise Rises, our album of original music, the beauty in community we discovered live streaming during COVID, the best places we’ve played in Dubai, and what’s next for our career.Across different countries, and through many permutations of the band, the one constant we have had is each other. Find out how we got here and where we’re headed.Because, as Aston describes it, we still have “a lot of tread left on the tires”. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com

In this episode, Chris Santillán, musical director, pianist, and educator, proves how far a formal musical education can take you, if you “know your why”.Chris has spent his career telling stories through music, on tour and at sea, and he walks us through some of the highlights of his career as MD.He tells us why he studied to be an ER doctor (and what caused him to change career paths), whether or not “the show must go on” is just something old fogies believe, and how he feels about being part of the bourgeoning music scene in the UAE and educating its next generation of performers.If you’re considering a career in musical theatre, or looking to study performing arts in UAE, you need to hear what Chris has to say. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com

In this episode, Timo Higgs, DJ and producer, percussionist, music curator, lyricist, poet, and event organizer, shares how challenging life can be as an entrepreneur in a creative field, when you’re working from home… with your toddler.Timo’s been working in the music industry for twenty-five years, but since becoming a father two years ago has experienced a seismic shift in how he works.We talk about what it takes to operate in the entertainment business when your children are little, whether or not it’s possible to truly be off the clock when you work for yourself and work from home, how he feels when he’s asked to prove his DJ’ing skills, and what date is acceptable to start playing Christmas music.If you're juggling booking yourself for gigs, while performing, while staying active on social media - all with a baby on your hip - you are not alone. We're in it, too. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com

In this episode, Aston Wylie, singer-guitarist, songwriter, and fellow parent-of-a-small-child shares his conviction that original music belongs everywhere, including at cover gigs.Aston talks about his journey writing and playing his own music, when being a solo performer becomes a juggling act, how an injury led him to discover an unexpected perk of working with karaoke tracks, and the best part of being a musician parent.Throughout this conversation, his dedication to making original music - while gigging in the cover-heavy music scene in Dubai - is inspirational.This episode will definitely have you dusting off your originals and playing them at your next gig ...just like we did. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com

I’m Lady J (onstage) and in the two decades that I’ve been a full-time gigging musician I’ve played nearly 3000 shows with my husband-slash-guitarist-slash-business partner. We live in Dubai with our two kids, and we continue to perform hundreds of shows per year.I firmly believe that there is nothing like being in the room with the person making the music that moves you.Live music matters.Today we’re hearing from Joe Bashorun, a multi-instrumentalist and musical ‘ultra-marathoner’, who draws on four decades of experience to show us how he continues to evolve and find joy at every gig.Joe talks about the changes he's seen in the music industry over the course of his career, what makes Dubai such a special place for live music, how he defines a 'music scene', and the real danger when musicians undercharge.His attitude towards audiences, the music industry, and to the craft of music are proof that it is possible to gig as much and for as long as you want: Joe's four decades in and still got lots more to offer.Get inspired by someone who shows that hard work and the right attitude will keep you gigging for decades.00:00:00 - Introducing Joe Bashorun00:03:24 - Interview00:55:35 - Lightning Round01:05:15 - Live music: When Love Comes to Town (U2 & BB King)01:13:41 - CreditsWhether you're hoping to get your first gig, looking to get more gigs, or looking to make your gigging more fulfilling and financially rewarding, this is a place to get insights and practical advice from people who believe live music matters.I’m happy you’re here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com

Lady J is a singer with two decades and nearly 3000 shows of live onstage experience leading cover and function bands. Get to know her here in her introductory episode, live from home in Dubai.In future episodes, Lady J will be having conversations with her fellow musicians and other music industry professionals about what makes and sustains a career as a gigging musician.Whether you're hoping to get your first gig, looking to get more gigs, or looking to make your gigging more fulfilling and financially rewarding, get insights and practical advice from people who believe live music matters.Follow us:Instagram: @ladyjmusicFacebook: @ladyjmusicYouTube: @ladyjmusicdubai This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladyjmusic.substack.com