Louise Eksteen gets the Spotlight

Louise Eksteen, the mastermind behind Bride Reunion, describes their music as a theatrical showcase of female mania and desperation.

She is inspired by other artists and write, produce, compose, arrange and record her own music.  We have a closer look under the Streetlamp spotlight:   

Streetlamp:  Tell us about your background? Where do you come from, how did you get into music…
 
Louise Eksteen:  I was brought up in a musical family, and have been singing since I can remember...
 
SL:  To those who have yet to hear your music, how would you describe your sound?
 
LE:  The sound is a combination of different types of electronica - from the cheesy side of  trance to the superb production sounds of Hip Hop.
 
SL:  Who are your main musical influences?
 
LE:  Many, many different artists - Kate Bush, Moloko, Portishead, Bjork, Maria Callas, The Cure, Roni Size, Air, Babybird, Beck, Ben Folds, The Chemical Brothers and Erykah Badu.
 
SL:  What is your music about? Is there an underlying message?
 
LE:  Oh yes, major underlying message.  I love the different aspects of the classic female's psyche.  All the different emotions women go through and how they deal with it.  On a girl/women's wedding day it appears that women go through all these different emotions and literally lose it.  Bride Reunion is a theatrical showcase of female mania and desperation.
 
SL:  How do you write music? Do the words come first or the music?
 
LE:  It generally goes both ways, it depends on which way I'm creatively inclined on the day.
 
SL:  If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be?
 
LE:  Love the Brixton Academy...
 
SL:  Where is your favourite place to play music (venue)?
 
LE:  Locally?  What a tough question... Venues in JHB are lacking a bit.  If they don't pay you in spaghetti bolognaise, they'd have an incompetent soundie.
 
SL:  Do you play any cover songs when you perform? If so, which ones?
 
LE:  Have only done one cover thus far... Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush
 
SL:  What do you do to pay the bills, or does your music earn you enough?
 
LE:  Haha!  I have a real job that pays for my delinquent dreams of "making it". Making music is my second job that I do at night for free...
 
SL:  What's your outlook on the record industry today?
 
LE:  Locally, more money needs to be pushed into a greater variety of artists.  Normally you can count the local bands in the charts on one hand.
 
SL:  What are the biggest obstacles for upcoming bands or artists?
 
LE:  The risk of giving up would be the biggest obstacle; I do ask myself everyday why I keep on making music.   
 
SL:  "You'll know you've made it when..."
 
LE:  Your cellulite's discussed in Heat Magazine
 
SL:  "It'll be time to pack up the gear for good when..."
 
LE:  I'm deaf
 
SL:  What are your plans for the future?
 
LE:  Building a better studio, producing at least 5 albums all in different genres and producing other artists.

Streetlamp eagerly awaits her next move...

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