Rae: England's multi talent

Hi Rae. First of all thanks for taking some time for an interview with Partyflock! How are you doing at the moment and what have you been up to lately?
Hey! I'm great, thanks for asking. I'm buzzing and full of energy at the moment. I just got back from a break at the Balearics and my first gigs in Ibiza this summer; Defected in the House at Uhuaia Beach and Pacha. Both were AMAZING!

For the people that don't know you that well, who is Rae? Where are you from, how would you describe yourself and what do you do for a living?
I'm just a normal girl from England. I'm a singer/songwriter who got hooked on the dance scene and became inspired by house music, to experiment further and use my talents in a unique way. This lead to an obsession with vinyl, mixing and making music. You can say that music is my life at the moment.

Originally you're a singer/songwriter, from what age did you start singing?
I would be exaggerating if I would say from when I was born, but I've actually been singing for as long as I can remember. I have been singing all my life and it has always been my dream to make my breakthrough with it.

Later on you made your move into the dance scene. How did you get in touch with dance music? How and where did you make your first professional steps in the scene?
My older brother was into the club scene and I followed haha. I don't know if he was happy having me around, but I was addicted to the whole vibe, it really got me. I was a free spirit with a lot of dreams and ambitions. Club land was a great place to be free, to be liberated and experience new sounds and new people. Musically I was inspired, it gave me direction. Later on I got into cool projects, worked with different producers and finally met Sandy Rivera when we were dj-ing together at Bora Bora. The rest is. well, right here and happening actually.

Besides being a talented singer, you also have the dj-skills. Do you think this makes you distinctive to other artists? When did you decide that you wanted to do more than 'just' singing?
And we know it's not a fair choice, but if you had to choose between singing and spinning records, where does your heart go out to most?
I always loved singing and I've always had a musical ear. I had music in my life from a really early age. My dad is a passionate music lover so I guess that wore off onto me. When I got into clubbing I was naturally drawn into the dj-ing side of it and I wanted to know about the tunes I was hearing. I wanted to be involved, I wanted a piece of the action! Some friends had decks and we would have parties and I would always be there on the turntables. I loved it! When I finally got my own decks, I would sing my songs over instrumental tracks, getting inspired by other singers in the US house scene, and the deeper progressive sounds too. It was an exciting time and it made me believe I could do this, I could really do this whole thing. And here I am now, and I don't even have to choose between singing or dj-ing!

In an interview we heard you say that the dance scene needs more 'chicks', can you explain why the scene is mostly dominated by men? And do you get the feeling that you have to prove yourself more because you're a woman, or maybe the other way around, are some things easier being a woman? Do you face any prejudices?
You do have to prove yourself yes, maybe even a bit more. And yes, the scene is dominated by some very talented guys, but I respect that. As long as I have my place here and I can do my thing I'm happy. I just focus on that. You have to work hard to keep up and I am never complacent.

I have not faced prejudice head on but I'm sure it's out there. Some people need to see prove of what you can do to believe it, but I don't mind, it keeps you on your toes.

You've already worked with big names like Sandy Rivera, ATFC and Studio Apartment. What was working with them like and what do you learn from guys like them? Are there any other artists that you would like to collaborate with in the future?
Working with Sandy was and is great. We did a whole album together so we spent a lot of time together on that. I learned so much from him, he truly is very talented and inspirational. I truly enjoyed working on all my collaborations and I'm open to new and exciting opportunities in the future, but right now I'm focused on my own singles.

Out of your own productions, which one are you most proud of and why?
'Can't Stop' was the start of this journey, so that's of course a special one to me. And I also love 'Persuasion', it always gets under my skin.

[img right [url width=272 height=272]https://dump.partyflock.nl/6448/Tokyo.jpg[/url][/img]{non-image link}You've mixed one of the cds for the Tokyo edition of the Defected in the House compilation end of last year, which was your first mix-compilation. How long did it take you to record it and how did you make the selection for the track list?
The Defected in the House mixes are a big part of our house culture, so I wanted to do the best job I could. I put a lot of passion into it. I wanted to represent and reflect my style too, so it's a bit of a journey. I'm really pleased with it and I hope I can do more mix-compilations in the future.

Are there any plans for an album or maybe a new mix-compilation in the near future?
I'm actually working on my album right now. It will be a collective of all of my songs and will also feature four new exclusive songs. I'm really excited about it!

And how do you see yourself in about ten years? What would you like to achieve in the years in between?
I just want to get my music out to as many people as possible, work with super talented people, keep progressing further and see the world. I think I'll strive to be the best I can be forever, it makes me happy.

As a follower of your Facebook page, we've noticed that you're traveling around the world a lot, regularly visiting countries far away. Don't you miss home and your friends and family a lot? Or do you feel blessed to get the opportunity to go to all these nice places and cities?
The traveling is part of my job and I love it. I feel very privileged and I embrace every minute of it. I'm doing what I love doing, what more can I wish for? I thrive on seeing new places, meeting new people and seeing different ways of life. It makes me appreciate what I have and I love the contrasts in my life.

One of the countries you regularly go to is Japan. You're very popular there and you've mixed one of the cd's for the Tokyo edition of the Defected in the House compilation, like we mentioned earlier. How do you explain your popularity in Japan? What do you think of country and the Japanese people, and what is it like to perform there?
I love Japan! The people are so refreshing and really lovely. I'm really pleased they like my sound, I got good vibes over there and I can't wait to go back again. It's a buzz just walking through the streets in Tokyo, it's so vibrant and busy. And they have great food, sushi all day long, oh yes! Add a glass of saki and the jet lag is sorted. It's an honor to get to tour such a fantastic country.

With your busy schedule, do you still have time left to relax and do some sightseeing during your trips?
Not that often unfortunately, but I try when I can. I always make sure I get a taste of the food; but I want to check out a proper restaurant not just room service. Sometimes even that small experience is special. I still have so much sightseeing to do but right now it's work work work. But that's all good. I will squeeze in some rock and roll soon.

The summer has officially started, although you wouldn't say so looking at the weather in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands at the moment, what are your plans for this season? Will it be a hot and busy summer with a lot of gigs, or do you also have time out for yourself and a nice holiday?
I'm feeling good summer vibes for sure. Crazy times ahead! I just had a holiday, which was perfect. I came back tanned and refueled, ready to hit it hard. With my summer gigs I get to enjoy some sun and chill time here and there, so I'll be fine.

Rae, thanks a lot for answering our questions, hopefully you also enjoyed doing it. We hope to hear a lot more from you in the future, keep up the good work and we are looking forward to your upcoming album later this year!
Thank you, it was my pleasure doing it. Big love to the Netherlands, one of my favorite places to be playing this year, great crowd every time. See you at Lakedance Festival on the 20th August!