Coffee break with Just Her
Producer, songwriter and label owner - the list goes on. From being a music lecturer, to co-forming Him_Self_Her, Just Her has had her feet firmly cemented as a solo artist since 2015 and is a true force to be reckoned with. We managed to grab some time with her to ask some questions we've been itching to ask.
Hello Claire, thanks for taking some time out of your busy schedule to speak with us! Please tell us what you're currently working on at the moment?
Hello and thanks for having me :). Right now I am actually running around manically trying to pack and prepare for my upcoming South Africa tour which begins tomorrow. I’m heading to Cape Town, then Johannesburg for 10 days, but I've only just got home from ADE so I only have time to unpack and pack again - but that’s pretty standard!
Music wise, I’m working hard in the studio when I’m at home and have a few new releases coming in the next few months on Anjunadeep, Global Underground and Deeplomatic. I’m also working on the final release of the year for my own label Constant Circles, which is actually our first vinyl release - a stunning EP from Onur Özman, with remixes from myself and Jozef K.
It’s fair to say that you're quite the business woman - not only do you DJ, write songs and produce your own music, but you also own your own platform and label, ‘Constant Circles’, where you run art shows in London and your current home of Brighton, release music and curate two radio shows. What is your key to balance and how do you schedule around your personal life?
I've always been the kind of person who is constantly looking for the next challenge, and when you are doing what you love every day it doesn’t really feel like ‘work’ anymore. I do everything myself, from production, engineering and songwriting, to running my label including the A&R, release schedules and even the accounts, as well as organising parties, art exhibitions and running two music blogs. I can’t help myself, I just absolutely love it all and don’t want to give any of it up! I have always been into fitness and the outdoors and I think this has helped in keeping me balanced throughout my career so far.
However in recent years, particularly as the industry has got faster and more competitive, I have started to experience burnout and have realised the importance of switching off and taking time out from creating and working and from social media in particular. So now I make sure I have complete time out, both daily & weekly, where all devices are off and I’m in the real world. I’ve also developed an amazing morning routine which includes journaling, exercise and meditation - things which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to supercharge their day.
Tell us how Constant Circles came about? Why did you choose this name and what does it signify? What would say is the one constant thing that is predominant across your music, the label’s releases, art showcases and radio shows?
I wanted a concept really, more than a name, and something that can be applied to different areas. I’ve always been fascinated by trends, particularly in music and fashion, and how every idea is really inspired from something else at its very foundation. We are constantly moving in cycles in every aspect of our lives, and perpetually influenced by where we have been and where we want to go. It also pushes the notion that art is timeless - any good piece of music, art, fashion, if it is really good, will still be relevant years later. A great example is all the 80s sounds we are hearing in house and techno now, almost 40 years on; we move in constant circles :).
I'd like to think there is a consistency in both quality and risk taking across the brand - I try to stay away from trends and just go with music & art that evokes emotion and feeling within me.
Now a little bit about your background. You've always been into music, with your career as a music lecturer, with you then focusing all your attention on your DJing/producing after your success with Him_Self_Her. What do you think is the biggest lesson learnt from your teaching career and how have you applied this into your current lifestyle?
Teaching is actually a pretty tough vocation and I don't think those working in education get enough credit for what they do. I was teaching for around 10 years and I learnt so much from it, including next-level organisational skills, working under pressure, team work and of course the ability to stand up and perform in front of an audience, which is pretty important in my job!
When ‘Gone Too Long’ became a success, it was well known that the vocals used were that of your then student, Kieran Fowkes. When looking for the next vocal in a track, what are the most important factors you go for?
I’m not sure really, it’s hard to pinpoint specific things, as it always comes down to the vocal itself, how it flows and the details of each specific performance. For me when looking for a vocalist I really just look for something unique in their tone and how they deliver - something away from the standard pop or house style sounds I guess.
Talking of vocals, you used your own in 2017 for ‘Follow You Down’, as well as writing the lyrics. Being such a hit as it was, did the track have more of a significant impact on you? What was the inspiration behind the lyrics?
Every vocal I've written has been based on a time in my life or a particular feeling, but then as I’m writing about it, I try to widen it out into a more general theme which I know will resonate with people. I think the absolute key with lyrics is finding something that people can relate to, but by interpreting the messages in their own way. This track was particularly special to me though, as it was the first full vocal that I wrote for myself - I had only written for other people to sing in the past.
At the time of recording the track I didn’t really feel confident enough in my own voice to put it out, and it sat on a hard drive for almost two years before it found a home on Global Underground. The fact that it did so well definitely gave me the confidence to sing more myself, so I’ve also started writing and guest singing some for other artists - most recently “Lay Your Weapons Down” with Raw District which came out on Crosstown Rebels.
One line of your lyrics says ‘knowing I could win you over’. Has there ever been a time for you where you’ve had to win anyone over with your music, and if so, how did you accomplish this?
Haha, a clever question! This is definitely an ongoing thing... as an artist & DJ, your life’s work is really just to win people over with your music, isn’t it?
You call your sound ‘music with feeling’. With the ever-growing popularity of melodic and soulful dance music, what’s the key to your success?
I think that description came from those hands in the air moments on the dance floor as a clubber, and wanting to get behind the decks and create those moments for other people. My achievements so far have definitely come through sheer hard work and relentless determination, and I would like to think it's also from being a decent person and trying to always be kind and supportive to others.
You’ve worked with a large variety of record labels and are now stationed with one of the scenes biggest, Anjunadeep. How do you feel your sound, productions and DJ-ing style blend in with their sound, and what is the most enjoyable aspect you find from working with them?
It definitely feels like I’m starting to find a home at Anjunadeep now, and after three singles and a remix, I am finally releasing my first full EP in December. A lot of my productions are also leaning towards house & techno, especially with my more recent stuff, so I wasn’t sure if I was going to be the right fit. However, I’ve always been deep and melodic at heart, and more recently Anjunadeep have widened their sound policy and been more experimental with the releases, so I think we've met in the middle and it has become the perfect fit!
You’ve toured a vast array of places with Anjunadeep. Is there any DJ from the label who you haven’t quite had the chance to play alongside yet, but would really love to?
I actually played at their Explorations Festival in Albania this summer, which had almost everyone from the Anjunadeep roster playing there, so I’m sure we have pretty much covered them all. If I had to pick, I would maybe say Eli & Fur, as they were on a different stage, but as we were playing the same time I didn’t even get to see their set or properly hang out with them.
Your music catalogue includes a wealth of original productions alongside many remixes for a variety of artists. When remixing a track, what's the first thing you listen out for, and what's your thinking process? Is there anything you do particularly different in comparison to when you make your own tracks?
Each project is different in that I never use templates and always like to start from a completely blank slate to see which direction I end up going. I guess remixes and projects are the same fundamentally though, as I will usually start by finding a hook or some kind of catchy element I can build the track around. If it’s a remix then I will find something in the stems, if it’s an original project then I will find a sample or write something. I will then build the track through whatever comes naturally, although usually I start with drums, then bass, then other melodic elements. It just seems to flow easily that way for me. The actual style, arrangement and composition is always different and I never know where I will end up style wise when I start a project - quite often it’s the exact opposite of where I was expecting to be!
If you had to pick five tracks to take to a desert island, what would they be?
I’m going to cheat here and just give you one track - firstly because it’s too difficult for me to pick five, and also because I wouldn’t want to give them all away! But I know for sure that Kings Of Tomorrow, 'Finally', would be on the list. It has been part of my life since I started DJing and all the way through to this present day. It was even my wedding song and then I played it on the playa at Burning Man (on my honeymoon!). I can’t imagine my life without that track.