Hello and welcome to Hot Girls with me Lex on the decks. Today, I’m going to be exploring the life, approach, and work of a woman with more soul than a saxophone. Someone who has had a huge impact on music and culture, not just from her own releases but also from her approach to creativity, to artistic freedom, and also to the influence she’s had on some of the most notable people in music. She’s a woman who’s transcended genres from hip-hop, to blues and funk. The mother of neo soul, a genre she says she’s fine making but doesn’t like it’s name. A woman of the Earth and a woman for many ears and years.

This week I’m bringing you a lesson in soul, taught by Erykah Badu.

Hot Girls Handles:

Mixes - https://soundcloud.com/lexonthedecks/sets/hot-girls-the-mixes

Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0M8WInsGc6kYGht82WXPgz

Insta - @LexOnTheDecks

Twitter - @LexOnTheDecks

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This week, Lex chats to Michelle Hung. Michelle has a background in film and photographic production and worked at brands including ASOS and Urban Outfitters. She founded Eden Zine after witnessing the ambition in her son to be successful but having a slightly warped perspective of what it takes to get there. Hers is an honest account of working it out as you go along when starting a new creative venture.

Michelle Handles

@michelle.hung_studio

@eden.zine

Lex Handles:

Twitter: @lexonthedecks

Instagram: @lexonthedecks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve decided this week to look at a woman who is relatively new to the game but has achieved a hell of a lot in a short space of time. She’s someone I believe to be really culturally important and someone I really want all women to be cheering on. I think she could really be as big as the biggest. I’m talking Beyoncé big, Nicki Minaj big, Cardi B big. And I think those women agree because they’ve all collaborated with her.

That woman is of course Megan the stallion.

Hot Girls Handles:

Mixes - https://soundcloud.com/lexonthedecks/sets/hot-girls-the-mixes

Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0M8WInsGc6kYGht82WXPgz

Insta - @LexOnTheDecks

Twitter - @LexOnTheDecks

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The pair also talk about how being female can impact you in male dominated environments and different creative mechanics to work around this.

Olivia Louise Social Handles:

Twitter: @Olivia_LouiseUK

Instagram: @olivialouiseuk

Lex Handles:

Twitter: @lexonthedecks

Instagram: @lexonthedecks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I'm looking at Janelle Monae.

An artist of incredible versatility and passion. An individual who experiments with different sounds and instruments, on an endless pursuit of quality and polished art.

The thing I adore about Janelle Monae is how directional she is. She knows exactly the kind of artist she wants to be and more than that she knows exactly the type of person she wants to be. I read a quote in one of life coach Tony Robbins books some time ago now in which he spoke about his decision to only work with and be with the best in every field. I think Janelle is similar in the way she’s pursued influences, she talks about Prince, about Stevie Wonder, about Lauryn Hill. artists who crafted not only their music, but their visuals, their performances. It’s an almost obsessive perfectionist approach to art which is necessary if you want a certain status in the creative world. 

This is a lesson in identity. As taught by Janelle Monae.

Hot Girls Handles:

Mixes - https://soundcloud.com/lexonthedecks/sets/hot-girls-the-mixes

Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0M8WInsGc6kYGht82WXPgz

Insta - @LexOnTheDecks

Twitter - @LexOnTheDecks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Lex is joined by the very lovely Alexandra Ampofo. Someone who has multiple successful endeavours in the music industry. She is the founder of Acoustic Live, a life music event organiser for which she worked closely with Boxpark. She is also one of the founders of Women Connect, an organisation bringing together women from Sony Music and Live Nation to connect and help each other accelerate through the industry. And she also works for Metropolis music, as a promoter, for which she's seen an interesting year!

Enjoy, and don't forget to subscribe to not miss an episode.

Alex Handles

Twitter: @planetAlex_

Instagram: @planetAlex

Lex Handles:

Insta/Twitter: @lexonthedecks

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This week I’m taking a look at one of the most powerful voices of our generation. An artist whose released multiple platinum selling albums, and won five Grammys. 

I decided to explore Mary J Blige's career after seeing her crop up in the videos of Lil Kim and Missy. I thought I’d be writing about the influence of those relationships and the importance of sisterhood. However, while that definitely is a part of her story and character, when I dug into her journey there was a different narrative which came through more poignantly.  

This is a lesson in ambition, as taught by Mary J Blige. 

Hot Girls Handles:

Mixes - https://soundcloud.com/lexonthedecks/sets/hot-girls-the-mixes

Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0M8WInsGc6kYGht82WXPgz

Insta - @LexOnTheDecks

Twitter - @LexOnTheDecks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rapper Jords is at an exciting point in his career having just released his first album under a label having previously been independent. We talk about his journey as a musician, from making bedroom beats with his brother to a million streams. Jords also chats us through the strong women who have had an influence on his life, and some of his favourite artists from Chronixx, to Wretch 32, to Destiny's Child.

Enjoy!

Intro track: Swing - Jords

Jords Handles:

Insta/Twitter: @jordsonline

Spotify/Youtube: Jords (Almost an Adult)

Lex Handles:

Insta/Twitter: @lexonthedecks

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This week, I’m slipping out of the rap world a bit to shine a Spotlight on a musical talent it’s almost impossible to categorise. If you have to Rock 'n' Roll is where she’d fall but as a Black Women performing in the 40s in glamorous outfits you’d sooner expect from a soul performer she doesn’t slot into the bracket we’ve created for Rock and Roll. It’s this exact reason I wanted to spotlight on her today. Because many women like Sister Rosetta Tharpe have been written out of history books and give us a warped perspective on the development of sounds. And I think it’s up to all of us working and exploring music to make sure we’re learning and sharing the stories of these people so a more accurate picture gets passed down. 

So sit back, relax and enjoy this exploration of the life and work of Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Hot Girls Handles:

Mixes - https://soundcloud.com/lexonthedecks/sets/hot-girls-the-mixes

Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0M8WInsGc6kYGht82WXPgz

Insta - @LexOnTheDecks

Twitter - @LexOnTheDecks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm joined by the wonderful Laani. DJ and host of the Fulljoy experience, Laani discovered her pull to the music industry through a DJ course with Bristol's female led 'Mix Nights'. She suddenly realised she was in the wrong industry and found her way, through much tenacity and fearlessness, as a tour DJ with Die Antwood and part of the team at Giles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings.

Enjoy this joyous and open conversation and take a listen to some of the artists mentioned when you're done!

Laani Handles:

Insta: @alannah3nry

Show: The Fulljoy Experience on Worldwide FM

Host Handles:

Insta / Twitter: @lexonthedecks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.