Click here to read the main story about the Cayman Islands Winter Music Festival.
What’s all this Winter Music fest about then eh?
In the past two or three years amidst the rise of
underground music and crossover of dance music, Cayman has been at the
forefront in the Carribean. Combine beautiful locations and a deep well of
local and international talent and you have CIWMF
Weekender loves music, and loves asking stupid questions to
the perfectly fine people that bring it to us. So that’s what we did. Here’s
what they said. None of them smacked us upside the head yet either. Though the
night is young, of course.
Hi again Lizzie! What colour is your hair at the
moment?
Hey guys! Great to be speaking to you. Well now, that’s a
curious question ;0) At the moment it’s a rather intriguing deep purple
ebony….and I am currently considering adding flashes of bright pink for
Cayman!
We’ve missed you. What’ve ya been up to?
Awww…the feeling is mutual. I have missed your island so
much!! I have been keeping myself very busy. Let’s see. The tour
highlights of the past year for me include headlining a special
Halloween event in New York, USA, bringing in the New Year for Hed Kandi in
Brighton and several peak time sets for The Gallery at Ministry of Sound in London.
I have also launched my own record label Curiousity Club, where I had none
other than Stonebridge remix our first release and headline our roadblock
launch party. I’ve also had new singles released with Robbie Rivera and George
Acosta.
Craziest moment of 2012/13 so far?
DJing in New York was amazing! Hundreds of awesome
people all decked for Halloween in the most outlandish costumes I have ever
seen, totally rocking out to my music blew me away! Especially when
I dropped a cheeky bootleg of Michael Jackson’s Thriller and I had a zombie bride
and groom join me on stage for an impromptu Thriller dance off!
What can we expect from this year’s set?
Roof-raising house music all the way! Uplifting classics and
hands-in-the-anthems, combined with my own cheeky bootlegs and brand new
material, all wrapped up with a huge dose of Curious energy and good
vibes.
Track of the moment?
It’s got to be my forthcoming single with Jesse Voorn ‘To
The Stars’ – the lyrics I wrote are very special to me and I think it has uplifting
anthem written all over it. All this is pretty cool, innit Sian kid? I
just am so delighted to have taken that little idea that Devon and I had when
sitting at the bar at Calico Jacks one day looking out at public beach – musing
about how great it would be to have top DJs playing there, on the beach all day
on a Saturday, to what CIWMF is today. To be entering the third year of what
has become the premier music festival on this paradise island we call home is
truly amazing! I feel lucky to have been able to make dreams and ideas
become a reality.
Hey Stonebridge, how many seconds did it take to say yes to a
Caribbean festival in March?
About minus 30 seconds as I was asked to come before they
asked – amazing coincidence. Seriously though, heard about it the last two
years so really looking forward and happy to be invited!
What is Europe listening to right now?
UK seems to think Deep House is the new thing. I’d say
energy and hooks will never go out of style and wherever I play, it always goes
down a storm!
What are you looking forward to about your Cayman visit
(apart from being on stage)?
I have heard so much about it and when I announced it on Facebook,
I must have received 20 detailed lists of beaches and sights to see. I will be
very busy, let me put it that way.
What’s the answer?
There are no problems, only possibilities!
How many actual kick drum beats have there ever been over
the years in total, and how many is that each?
I would say a trillion divided by an average of 163 per
beat. That’s a lot of kick drums my man. To be entering the third year of
what has become the premier music festival on this paradise island we call home
is truly amazing
How’s the air miles account looking?
Haha, they are stacking up rather nicely at the moment.
Things have really taken off in the last year or so, and I am finally getting
to see places I never thought I would. In the last month, I have been to Paris,
Riga, Graz, Warsaw to name a few. Can’t wait to add Cayman onto the
list!!
What’s the hottest genre right now and why?
I think the music scene is great right now, dance music’s
audience is wider than ever, and even with the ‘SHM / Aviici’ sound being so popular
in the main rooms, there is an excellent under current of brilliant house music
coming through, taking the music back to it’s roots using influences from 90s
garage, soulful vocals and rave sounds, which is what I grew up on, so I love
it!
Tell us something people might not know about
you.
I am a dyslexic, which I only found out in the 3rd
year of uni. On the morning of my dyslexia assessment I called their
office to find directions, and found I travelled to the wrong town – Stratford
not Streatham!! They laughed their heads off, and said not to bother showing
up!!!
Fantasy collaborations please and why.
I have so many of these, but I have always been a massive
fan of The Prodigy. It was their album ‘Experience’ that got me into the music
to start with. So, It would be a dream to hook up with Liam Howlett. The
guy is a genius.
Why do people dance?
The way music moves people fascinates me. No-one can really
explain it, but it really is built into us. Even babies find themselves moving
to music without even being taught to. I believe it comes from our ancestry
caveman instincts, when we would drum, and dance to the beat to please the
gods. The drummer was controlled by conductor of the ceremony, or ‘The Shamen’,
which they say was the first form of ‘DJ’ or music controller…
What is it like being a resident at the world famous Ministry
of Sound?
It really is a dream come true. It has only been one year,
and the club feels like home already. I just love the crowd, the layout, the staff,
the other residents, and THAT sound system. It really is a pleasure to play
alongside some of my biggest idols at the decks, and I hope it continues
forever.
You are always busy in the studio, what can we expect from
you in 2013?
I love creating, remixing and collaborating. I have a large
number of remixes in the pipeline, and collaborations with Richard Dinsdale, Sheldon
& So Called Scumbags on our label – Grin Recordings. I also have tracks
coming out on Toolroom, World Sound, amongst a few others. I can’t wait for you
to hear them! There will be a few exclusives played at the festival.
Has anyone actually told you ‘Welcome to Paradise’ before,
and if so in what situation? This is of course a family newspaper, unfortunately.
Hmmm. Maybe the first time I stepped foot into Space
nightclub in Ibiza ?? However, I have been informed that nothing compares to
Cayman which actually is paradise, and I really can’t wait to experience it. I
am very lucky indeed. Bring on CIWMF 2013!! 🙂
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