Hot Girls

Hot Girls: Intimate and Entertaining Conversations about Creativity and the Music IndustryThis week Lex chats to Jelani Blackman. Having spent years creating music for fun with friends, Jelani's musical journey changed almost overnight, when Noisy (Vice) shared an early track he created. From there he was signed to a record label in LA and had a few years releasing EPs, working to establish really what sound was authentic and right for him. This year he's released multiple singles, inc. P2P with Big Zuu, featured on Fire in the Booth, amassed over a million streams on his Colours x Studio performance, and is just getting started... Head over to YouTube to see the videos for Colours, Nobody's Son, and check out new single "Foolish" on all streaming platforms now. Jelani HandlesInsta: @jelaniblackmanTwitter: @Jelani_BlackmanLex Handles:Twitter: @lexonthedecksInstagram: @lexonthedecks

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-mixesPlaylist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0M8WInsGc6kYGht82WXPgzInsta - @LexOnTheDecksTwitter - @LexOnTheDecks

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.zineLex Handles:Twitter: @lexonthedecksInstagram: @lexonthedecks

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-mixesPlaylist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0M8WInsGc6kYGht82WXPgzInsta - @LexOnTheDecksTwitter - @LexOnTheDecks

This week Lex is joined by singer-songwriter, Olivia Louise. Olivia shares with Lex her experiences as an artist and the major contrasts that can create in your life. She talks about one weekend where she went from song-writing with Craig David, to mopping floors where she worked at the time. 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_LouiseUKInstagram: @olivialouiseukLex Handles:Twitter: @lexonthedecksInstagram: @lexonthedecks

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-mixesPlaylist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0M8WInsGc6kYGht82WXPgzInsta - @LexOnTheDecksTwitter - @LexOnTheDecks