Sixteen-year-old producer and artist L30N5 has been creating original music since he was barely a teen. Following the release of his superb new single Your Love, we we blessed with the opportunity to interview the young musician, to find out more about his journey so far, his thoughts on the music industry, and his plans for the future. Here’s the conversation in full.
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Hi L30N5 – thanks so much for the interview! Big fan of the single Your Love, congrats. For those who don’t know – how long have you been producing original music, and what first prompted you to start?
I’ve been producing music for about 3 years and originally came across a DAW because I wanted to edit songs. However, I’ve seen tutorials on how to make music completely by myself, and that inspired me a lot – since then I make my own music.
How did you come to collaborate with the singer featured on Your Love, and do you have more music planned together?
So I was planning to produce a song with a female singer and there is this page called soundbetter.com where you can create a request and send it to certain singers. In this request you specify things like budget and genre of the song, etc. and then the singers will contact you if they want to work with you or not. If an artist wants to work with you then you exchange the song and receive versions of your song including vocals.
Another project with the singer is not planned at the moment. For 2019 there are other things on my list, but in 2020 it could be that we do something together again.
How do you generally get started when crafting a new track, and how do you know when it’s truly finished and ready to be shared with the world?
There are many possibilities to start with the production of a song. Sometimes you have a bassline in your head and build on it or you have a melody which you really like but you always need a certain idea. To be able to say at the end whether the song is finished or not, you listen to the song very often and pay attention to details again. If you then say that everything is 100 percent right, the song is finished and ready to be released.
Have you performed live much yet, and is there a dream venue or event you’d like to appear at?
No, I have to say that I have not performed live yet. But my goal is to be allowed to perform at Tomorrowland 😉
How do you balance building a music career with living life as a teen – education, social life, work, etc?
I still go to school and have lessons from 8am to 4pm and have to learn additionally for exams.
For example, when I have to learn for exams the production of music often comes too short. But if you don’t write exams during the week you have a lot more time to produce music. It can be said that the school sometimes prevents you from producing music but you always find some time to work on songs.
Is there a longer project on the way, and if so – what can we expect from that?
Yeah, I’m working on another big project right now. This one will be accompanied by vocals again and will be released in about 3 weeks.
Who would you say inspires or motivates you in the music world at present?
Martin Garrix inspired me the most, as did Steve Aoki, Armin van Buuren, Brooks and Dirty Palm.
If you could sit down to lunch with anyone at all, who would you choose, and what would you ask them about?
I would choose Martin Garrix and I would probably ask him if he could listen to my music to give me some advice. I would also ask him what phases he went through, for example if he had no motivation or that nobody believed in him.
What’s the best thing that could happen for you as a producer in the next six months?
The best thing that can happen would of course be a contract with a label like Spinnin Records, Armada Music, Universal, etc. But a big goal would be also 100k plays on one song 😉
What’s something about you that most people don’t know?
When you have an idea, this is really just the beginning. Until an idea becomes a song it takes a lot of work. It’s not always so easy to motivate yourself and develop the song every time.
That’s why I always have 2-3 projects which I work on, and not every idea becomes a finished song. My hard disk is full of started songs…
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
I am happy about any feedback and by that I also mean criticism. Especially when you are at the beginning it is important to have an open ear. I also think it’s great when people ask me why I did it this way and not differently or something. This is the chance to improve. Of course, there are people who don’t like the genre, that’s the way it is.
Right at the beginning I had the luck to meet Shane and Andy. Both of them have been making music for a long time and live around the corner from me. I am very grateful for their patience and tips. You need people who challenge you again and again and say “step on the gas”.
From the very first hour my father was not only the biggest fan, but also the best supporter and hardest critic. He always says talent is nothing if you don’t work hard and an idea is always just the start of a long journey.
Thank you for the interview.
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A big thank you to L30n5 for his time & insight. Find & follow him on Facebook & Instagram.
