2013-05-24T23:01:00-04:00 Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=labrinth Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Labrinth Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1961492 2012-11-12T19:00:00-05:00 2012-12-30T17:46:54-05:00

Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.com/labrinth/
Although at first I wasn't sure about going - I must say my time in LA was blessed. I was one of the few producers who got to hit the studio with Dr Luke and for those of you that don't know who he is - the man is pretty much the epicentre of the pop world. He is a pop 'architect' if you will. A 'pioneer' of pop music. The man is a powerhouse and has made records for Katy Perry, Rihanna, B.o.B and Nicki Minaj amongst others. In my eyes one of the most respected and creative producers of the last 10 years. I learnt a lot from him man. I want to do a big American collaboration and there have been talks going on with a few people but I don't wanna say any more than that! But watch this space!

Those that know me know that I'm not 100% in love with commercial pop music. It's not my preferred genre - I don't do squeaky clean pop. But it was interesting to see it from a different angle and see how others understand pop music. I met up with my good friend Mike Posner (who co wrote my new single Beneath Your Beautiful) and worked with one of Dr Luke's producers called Ammo whilst I was over there and it's healthy for me to see how other artists work. I learned we all take different approaches and use our own environments to shape the sounds we come out with. Different cultures produce a different 'cool'. And your perception of 'cool' changes depending on where you are.

It's been interesting to see how my music is received over in Oz - it's totally different - the album reacts and appeals to different audiences within their perception of what they love and how they interpret it. Until you play your music out to an international audience you never really appreciate the full extent of this I don't think.

It's cool to understand this on a much bigger level and then be able to apply it to the new music I am making.

I also went to Oz to play in the Parklife tour alongside some of my UK peers such as Benga, Chiddy Bang, Rizzle Kicks and Plan B - it was insanely crazy on a whole new level. I met some cool people and one night we had a crazy jam in our little penthouse in the Hilton Hotel in Sydney - me, all the band members and some of the other artists - we had everyone rammed into one room and we made some new sounds! It was good to meet a lot of other artists that I have been crossing paths with but never actually got to spend any time with. Knowledge is (musical) power and what better way to learn that to see others do their craft!

]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1736503 2012-08-03T19:00:00-04:00 2012-10-03T05:12:02-04:00

Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.com/labrinth/
So much has gone on since I last put pen to paper but really the main thing for me has been being part of the Olympic celebrations and carrying the flame last week....I was lucky enough to carry the flame from Brent last Wednesday and I gotta say I've been on a bit of a high ever since. I was a bit vague about it all before and was like "yeah that's cool" but didn't really understand or appreciate the magnitude of what it all stood for you know. I was a bit of an Olympic grinch!

Jeez thou the atmosphere was electric when I stepped out there. It was like for one tiny minute everyone was just getting on and smiling at each other, all different races and background. And it was just nice, you know?

London can be a very cynical place, as I'm sure you'll all agree and people can get moody. But it was quite a magical moment when everyone felt at peace. Some of the runners were crying and I was like, "wow this is deep. Lab - you better hold back those tears."

Although I was more concerned about not tripping over - it was only 300 metres but you are carrying a naked flame and one wrong move could see it all go wrong! When I came out of the bus loads of people were trying to grab the torch - it was madness - I felt like Jesus or someone! It was crazy.

Such a cool experience though and i'm so honoured to be proud of the whole thing! Big up London!

Aside from that I've really been focussing and drilling down on the live side of me as an artist. I remember this time last year when I was just embarking on the festival circuit, trying to figure out what I wanted to look like in a live environment.

I gotta say it's one of the things I really enjoy working on - I love surprising people and I think people still don't know what to expect from me. I really enjoy 'festival life' as it were and I love the reactions when I bring out my guitar on stage. The crowd are always a bit like "what the hell is this urban guy doing with a guitar" and thats what I love - the shock element of it all!

I think people expect a pop act because I am with SYCO but I don't do that. I love scrolling through my Twitter afterwards and seeing what people have to say! Some people are like "Lab, give me guitar lessons lol." I love the energy and adrenalin of when you are on stage and I think it really broadens what I am about.

Aside from that I have been working on developing my act ExR (Emergency Room) who are a very talented duo made of up-and-coming female vocalist Etta Bond and super sick producer Raf Riley. We've just dropped the video for Boring Bitches last week which features Lady Leshurr and it has gone mad.

The guys have just released their first self titled EP 'Emergency Room' which you grab from here and I am super excited about what we have coming up for them. i think people are gonna like it! So make sure you stay tuned for more details about that! I really am focussing on these guys after my album and I want to move quite quickly on them... so that will be 'another side of me' which I am looking forward for you all to see!

Right now I need to shoot and get back into that studio... I have got music to make! Catch ya very soon, stay safe - Lab x]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1552914 2012-05-30T19:00:00-04:00 2012-07-30T05:12:13-04:00

Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.com/labrinth/
It's been a whirlwind of excitement since we last spoke and I feel dizzy just talking about it! I've put my first album out Electronic Earth which went in at No.2, which was a huge achievement for me and my team... and a big shout out to Team Lab for all their hard work. Between all the madness I'm prepping to release my next single off the album next week. Express Yourself is the next single and it just spells out summer for me and I can definitely feel everything ramping up for the festival season!

This last week I have been taking part in the Olympic Torch Relay as part of Coca Cola's 'Future Flames' initiative. I have passed through some key places in the South West including Taunton, Cheltenham and Bristol and and I gotta say the vibe has been incredible! It's mad how many people have been out to show their support and how excited people get when they see the torch coming through their town! Until you are involved in something like this you don't really understand how patriotic our people really can be! The sun has been blazing down on us and it makes me feel very blessed to be part of it all. I reckon the sun makes everyone a lot happier and I have to say despite all the rough times our country has seen over the last 12 months it's weeks like this when people are coming together, smiling and being excited to be part of something positive for their town/city etc that it almost seems to good to be true! It's been madness - some of the streets have been so rammed they are full to the brim and our vehicle can't get through!

The Future Flames idea is sick... and something that I feel really strongly about. It takes young kids from different parts of the country that are really doing great things for their area - these kids are pushing positivity despite the issues or problems that life has thrown at them. These kids have used their passions to inspire others and having met some of them - its pretty humbling. They have all done amazing things and it just really drills down to what it's all about.

These youngsters are our heroes of tomorrow and I feel very lucky to be involved with such a thing.

I have been performing at all of these different places and it's been nice to see so many people knowing my music! I've seen a lot of families out there in the crowd dancing along to my beats in the sun and that makes me smile!

I gotta be honest - although I was of course stoked to be taking part in all of this - since I've been on the road the energy has just been insane and it's taken it to a whole new level. The feeling is just infectious and I have to say it makes you feel on top of the world. I was a bit nonchalant about the Olympics... I was like "yeah its cool and that" but now I feel properly excited about this huge event that we have coming to our city. I think it's almost like the glue that we needed to stick everything back together after the hell this city has been through recently... let's hope it's a damn strong glue and it holds us together for a while, hey!

My only worry of the whole situation - as I have mentioned in previous blogs - is that I just hope all of this is sustainable for Hackney as a community. I do sometime feel like they've just picked up this huge sprawling metropolis and plonked it in the middle of what really in some pockets of the area - is still somewhat of a deprived and struggling community. I hope the glitz and glamour of the Olympic games has helped to put my little home town on the map and that when all the excitement is over and the fun has been had - that people still remember that the Hackney residents have to carry on as they did before. I hope the support continues and we stay blessed.

It's been a whirlwind of excitement and I feel dizzy just talking about it! But I gotta concentrate, get back in the studio and do some cramming as I gotta single out next week! If you haven't already heard the track the check out my Express Yourself video here for some summer vibes to start your week off with.

Chat soon - take it easy people. Lab x]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1405399 2012-04-05T19:00:00-04:00 2012-06-05T05:12:01-04:00

Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.com/labrinth/ Electronic Earth is finally out! It's been a real learning curve for me, and my single (Last Time) was out last week and it went in at No. 4 which was amazing! That was a really healthy result, and I owe my fans a lot for supporting me and being patient with me. The last few weeks have made me think about things a bit differently and I've definitely learnt a few things. I think with Last Time I went into my own head a bit and I really wanted to push boundaries with the video. At that point into the campaign I was really up against it time wise, but I still really wanted to be ambitious and crazy.

I'm not gonna lie, it was always going to be hard to top what we achieved with Earthquake, but that song I think was an easier catch to get into. The track was very edgy and I think with Last Time it was a bit more of an odd slide, and it took people a while perhaps to understand it. I honestly didn't expect it to go to No. 4 and I really respect my audience so far, as when you are trying to achieve something fresh it can be difficult for people to follow that.

I think as an artist I wear a lot of different hats and people have to join all of the dots. I guess I'm a bit of a jigsaw puzzle - and this album is me putting all the pieces together! I'm a perfectionist and to actually finish something is good for me. As a breed, I think artists are never 100% satisfied with their work and we will always want that little bit of extra time to put the final gloss on it.

It's been a mad couple of weeks, I did Jonathan Ross last week and that was brilliant. Creating and putting the performance together was really enjoyable and I like to think it gave people a good taster of whats to come. We had an incredible response, and that was so encouraging for me to see that people were into what I was doing. You put yourself out on a limb when you do TV shows like that and sometimes the feedback you get can not be what you want to hear... but the response I got also reassured me a bit that the wider market is into Labrinth!

I've been touring with Drake at the moment and this has also been an eye opener, as his audience and mine are quite different. The London shows were interesting for me as the London crowd is always a hard one to win over. It's kinda like they scrutinise you harder than anywhere else! Standing on stage at the 02 is mad... I mean, I never thought I would be doing that 12 months ago. Getting in front of that many people at any one time is no mean feat in itself and once you are up there you just gotta do your best and give the audience something to talk about! Team Lab have been great at supporting me throughout this, and at one point we trended on Twitter, which was amazing!

It's been a journey to say the least, and I gotta show some love for all my fans out there that have allowed me to do my thing, and I really hope the finished record is as enjoyable for everyone to hear as it was for me to make. I can't tell you how much hard work has gone into that and how many sleepless nights I've had during the whole process - but hey, that's what it's all about right? Challenging yourself to always go one step further and above the rest.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1344380 2012-03-15T19:00:00-04:00 2012-05-15T05:12:01-04:00

Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.com/labrinth/
The whole downloading music has always been a grey area....of course it goes on, of course people share music within their circles. And I'd be stupid if I didn't say that I didn't think about how it may affect my release...it does play on my mind.

I've got friends that have downloaded music illegally - it never seemed important because I wasn't part of the business - I was just like everybody else and I didn't truthfully understand all the hard work that went into it. I guess the attitude was, if it's free then it's there for the taking.

Now that I'm head over heels, ploughed feet first into the whole industry then it kinda makes you think about it from a different angle. When you understand about the money and time invested into it, the hard work that goes into touring, paying for studio time, travelling around the country - wow, all I'm gonna say is that it don't come cheap!

I'm not scared about my album leaking... you know I'm not gonna be a flash in the pan artist, I've gotta hundred more of those records in me - this isn't gonna be my only shot. I've been working on my music for 10 years, and I'm not saying music should be disposable but I have so much more to give. I do really feel like free music is a gift and curse - you know, Passout was passed around that way, it was originally put out as a street track.

And then people started talking, people passed the links on and boom - it all kicked off and turned out to be probably the defining moment in my career so far. So in the same breath - in the right way free music can be amazing and can help artist development.

You know free music can sometimes keep people talking and keep the chatter up - it can be a buzz and go full circle and then people support!

Although I guess there are those situations when artists take it into their own hands and randomly give away music without telling their label, their team and then it kinda screws up the whole marketing plan. Sometimes that can backfire.

So you best watch out Mr Cowell, make sure I don't have one wild night in the studio and decide to give away album number two for free! Can you imagine the telling off!?

I guess the moral to this story is repsect the artist and respect the amount of time, effort and creativity they have put into their music - sometimes its not even about the money - it's the price you put on the blood, sweat and tears they have put into that record!

Until next time...See ya, Lab x]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1313290 2012-03-02T19:00:00-05:00 2012-05-02T05:12:01-04:00

Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.com/labrinth/
Anyone that ever said touring is easy and a walk in the park must have been kidding...Me and my entourage of 21 people (I don't even really know why I have 21 people...that's a bit greedy surely?!) plan everything down to the last meticulous detail. This group of people are my lifeline during my tour and they really are the backbone of it all. Without my team, the show "could not go on" as it were!.

Each and every one of them has been handpicked by my manager and I, some are old friends that have been with us since the beginning, some are individuals that have been recommended by people we trust in the industry and some are newcomers to #TeamLab. You need a team around you that you can trust, and that you know have your best interests at heart.

The first tour an artist does is a strange one... because you can never tell how the audience is going to react.

Generally speaking, the artist life cycle begins doing PAs in the clubs and bars, then moving onto festivals, and then embarking on your first tour. Doing it this way makes sense as it's so important to use this opportunity as a learning curve to understand how the audience interacts with your music, which songs connect, and which songs don't.

It's like a test to see if what you think sounds good in the studio is going to be able to make that crossover into a live music environment. I've made so many changes to my records because of the way the audience has reacted at the various festivals I've played - I've taken tracks back into the studio, stripped them bare and built them back up again to create something entirely different.

The constant challenge for the artist is that the song needs to be presented the way it sounds in the studio - so that sound needs to be able to translate into a live set, without losing any of its integrity and with it being able to create the same vibe as it does on CD.

I started planning my tour last year with my team, and having played festivals such as Glastonbury, Wireless, Hop Farm and Oxygen I had enough information to be able to construct something that I believe is a true representation of my music, on stage, in a live environment. During the festival season I really began to get a grasp of what it takes to become a good frontman... I didn't really perform with many instruments at all, and now this is something I've integrated into my set.

Social media has played a huge part in all of this, as this platform is the quickest, most honest (and sometimes brutal) form of feedback from all of my fans. I try as much I can after every live performance to read all the comments my fans post on Facebook and Twitter, as this helps enormously for me to understand straight from fans what worked and what didn't. So for any doubters out there that think artists never take any notice of what people write on social networks about us...think again - it's our first port of call normally!

I'm playing KOKO as one of the last dates of my tour... and needless to say my first big solo gig in my hometown is extremely nerve wracking. I need to pull out all the stops and deliver - and make everyone proud! Come and watch the show and leave a comment on my Facebook and let me know whether I have done myself justice...just make sure it's not too brutal!]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1260969 2012-02-08T19:00:00-05:00 2012-04-09T05:12:01-04:00

Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.com/labrinth/
It's been another mad week in Labrinth land. I don't know if any of you heard but I threw a big party last week at my restaurant in conjunction with Raymond Weil watches. I don't think Wood Green has ever seen so many people! And I definitely never knew I had so many friends... I was really pleased to see so many familiar faces turn up, we had Tinie (Tempah), Plan B, Emeli Sande, Alexandra Burke, Wretch 32, Mr Hudson, Gary Numan as well as some up and coming names such as Shakka and Bluey Robinson as well as my own Odd Child family, Etta Bond and Raf Riley.

The atmosphere was buzzing and it felt more like a house party rather where people were just milling around chatting, having some cocktails and generally having fun. It felt really good. Although I must admit at the beginning of the evening it was all a bit overwhelming and I hid upstairs in my studio making some beats... there were so many people in my little restaurant! So many people and famous faces that some of the restaurant staff got a little star struck and forgot which tables had ordered which dishes! So the food came out a little later than expected, but to be honest I don't think anyone really minded as everyone was playing musical chairs and swapping tables! The food is definitely worth the wait though... and no I am not just saying that because it is my restaurant!

After all the guests had been fed and watered it was time to clear away the tables and have some fun. We had a bit of an open mic session and one of the girls that got up to sing is called Kyria who is under the same management as Wretch 32. I think she's going to be one to watch out for, you know, I'm going to work with her a bit over the next year, so I can't wait to see what comes out of our sessions together.

It was a late night and I think I turned in at about 4am... and had to be up about five hours later for a full day of promo! No rest for the wicked ay! I saw a lot of nice feedback and comments on Twitter throughout the whole evening thanking me for inviting everyone over and all my guests saying what a great time they had. Fans were sending in comments too - it kind of felt like they were there too. Isn't it mad to think what we did before Twitter and Facebook? I mean, how did artists find out what their fans were thinking before? For me it's important to stay grounded and stay close to my fans. Team Lab all the way!

You will have heard me talk about my own own label, which is signed to SYCO, called 'Odd Child' and over the weekend I took a couple of my artists into 1Xtra to meet some of the guys there. I took two of my young protégées, a singer called Etta Bond (who features on the latest Wretch 32 track 'Forgiveness') and a producer called Raf Riley (who makes some SICK beats!) into see Ronnie Herel on his show. So I took a bit of time out from 'me' and spent a bit of time nurturing Odd Child and showing the other side of Labrinth as it were.

Talking about 'showing the other side' of me, I think people are going to be surprised about how many different sides I have to my music and how this is reflected in my album. It's gonna be a real variety of sounds to keep you all on your toes. Everything I've put out so far has showcased a different 'part' of me as a musician and I just can't wait to you all hear how all the parts of the jigsaw fit together on the album!

I also saw some snippets of the new video for Last Time and oh wow... I'm not gonna say too much apart from the fact it's in a whole other league from Earthquake and really will bring the song to life! If you loved the video for Earthquake you are gonna love this!

So that's pretty much it for me this week... I've got a busy couple of weeks ahead, I have a session with John Legend and I've been chatting to various people including Usher and Busta Rhymes about featuring on their albums... so watch this space!]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1230890 2012-01-25T19:00:00-05:00 2012-03-26T05:12:01-04:00

Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.com/labrinth/
Hope everyone is having a good one.... not going to lie it's been a bit of a stressful week for me. I'm on the verge of releasing an album, which is a mixture of sheer excitement mixed with complete fear...

I've been told that this is a phase every artist goes through and I should know about it, I've worked with countless amounts of them! I've been analysing and observing lots of different artists for years and always thought that some of them become a bit over dramatic and a bit self obsessed when releasing a record, and become so channelled into their 'musical vision' that they see the world only through their eyes.

However, now the tables have turned and the shoe is on the other foot so to speak - it makes me see that I kinda got it wrong. I was a little too hard on the artists I'd been observing. Now I'm at that crucial stage of experiencing what they go through and there are so many issues and challenges I feel like I have to face. I have learned that while your putting your record together you can get so caught up in making what you want that you forget what you wanted in the first place.

You feel the importance of trying to stay relevant amongst your peers and keeping your game face on, when actually sometimes you feel like you are heading the wrong way...

Then there is the challenge of 'marketing' and selling the product, which is my music, which I have spent years crafting and shaping into something that I feel reflects me and what I want to stand for. Doing all of this whilst trying to focused in a business that can drop you at anytime. It makes me realise it's not as easy as I once thought!

Although I must point out that with everything I have said I do not I want to sound like I am complaining or taking what I have for granted... I feel very privileged to be in this position, I know these opportunities come few and far between. I think I just wanted to highlight that it has been a really important learning curve for me and the whole journey from becoming a producer to an artist has shaped me and changed my outlook on the process of making music. I guess it's kinda natural that you would go through this process when the product you are selling is you, ya know?

But then I look at how well British music is doing at the moment and I feel so proud. Although, The Brits nominees in my opinion overlook some of our hottest talent at the moment, Wretch 32 had a No.1 album and 2 No.1 singles and he didn't get a nomination which doesn't make sense to me. However, we really are flying the flag for homegrown talent with artists such as Emeli, Ed and Jessie. Lets hope we take home some gongs!

Meanwhile, I'm trying to get all of these artists I know to turn up to my pre-Brits dinner that I'm hosting in my restaurant this week - now who's plugging away! I'm just so pleased to see such a good crop of British talent nominated this year and flying the flag for UK music - that in itself is something to celebrate.

Hopefully a little bit of food for thought for you all for the day....so until next time, take it easy.

Lab x]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1210571 2012-01-17T19:00:00-05:00 2012-03-18T05:12:01-04:00

Labrinth http://www.huffingtonpost.com/labrinth/
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoyed Christmas... I managed to escape for a bit to the Maldives which was amazing but as soon as that aeroplane hit the runway it was back to business. 2012 is going to be a huge year, not only for me but for music in general.

I was so happy to see my good friend Michael Kiwanuka get the topspot for the BBC Sound of 2012 list. I've known this gentleman for years now, we actually used to play in the same band a few years ago. We'd play at a bar round the corner from my studio at a night called the Wednesday Jam Session, at somewhere called the Karamel Club - Collage Arts.

He's such a talented guy who makes honest music that has a really honest sound to it. One thing I remember about Mike was that he was always trying to figure out who he was an artist - he kind of went missing and off the radar for two years - and then came back all of a sudden and he was a singer!

He had never really sung before and I remember the first time I heard his record I was like, 'who is this guy singing?!' It didn't sound like Mike at all! Needless to say I am thrilled for him and I think we have a lot of talent coming through this year - Etta Bond who signed a production deal to my label Odd Child is one to watch out for, as is Delilah and Lana Del Ray... I feel her vibe - it's weird - but slightly enticing.

When I think back to everything that happened to me in 2011 it was a bit of a whirlwind, and it all started in my family home back in Hackney all those years ago. Then it makes me think of all the crazy things that happened in Hackney towards the end of last year with all of the riots. I remember my mum was on Mare Street, going about her business and doing the shopping and it all got a bit wild. I don't like to see people jumping on the bandwagon and acting like that but I guess for some people they believe if they can't get their voice heard, then they have to go about it in different ways. It was pretty upsetting to see and it gave my community a bit of a bad name.

However, on the flip side... we do have the Olympics this year which is putting Hackney on the map for an altogether different reason. I have mixed feelings about this - obviously I think it's great that my community can play part in hosting something that is such a huge deal for our country, but the general feel I get from talking to my people in the area is that the community don't actually feel that involved.

It's almost like all these big amazing buildings have been picked up and dropped around the area. Some of the local residents don't have a lot of money and may find it all a little bit overwhelming. Hackney could have done with a helping hand years ago - its a bit like the 'Uptown has come to the ghetto'! I am really looking forward to doing stuff in the community around the whole event though - you know we're actually a good bunch round there! There's a lot of talent that has come out of Hackney over the last couple of years what with myself, Pro Green, Plan B, Maverick Sabre...so we have a lot to shout about!

Although saying all of the above, it is going to be a huge opportunity and platform for all artists to get involved with, and I am excited. At the moment all I can think about is finishing my album and by the next time we speak it should (fingers crossed) be all done... if not then I'm going to be in trouble with the big man! You can keep up with me on Twitter @labrinthda1st or Facebook www.facebook.com/labrinthTV

So until then.....stay safe, Lab x]]>