If you do a Google search for the name Lisa Shaw, the first hit you get back is Lisa Fowler (Shaw) from the British soap opera (and my favorite show) EastEnders. But to house music aficionados, Lisa Shaw is a mega-star. Her vocals have graced many a late-night soundscape — so we don’t need no stinkin’ Google to tell her who he she is. She’s performing alongside DJ Jask this Saturday at Dharma Lounge, so we rapped with her a little bit before she makes her way to the Queen City.
Creative Loafing: How crucial is radio air-play to a city trying to build a house music scene?
Lisa: That’s a given. KCRW (a Los Angeles radio station) has been huge for us. Some of our biggest sale points for records have been L.A., Atlanta and New York — and one of the biggest reasons for that has been because of [KCRW]. They really do an amazing job at pushing the underground music scene, especially house music. We’ve always said that if we had a KCRW in every city that would be amazing. It would be huge for the entire scene. But even if we got some of the local stations to play this music, it would be a definite plus for the whole scene
Speaking of radio, would you ever consider doing something a little more mainstream?
Not with that in mind. It’s one thing if what I do becomes popular in the mainstream, then that’s OK. I don’t believe that there’s such a thing called “selling out." You only sell out if you don’t like what you do.
So you wouldn’t necessarily seek out a (insert popular R&B producer name here) track?
No, I’m not going to seek it out. But to follow a path like Jill Scott, or Sade or Alicia Keyes, then yeah; that to me is great music that happens to be mainstream. But if we’re talking about “pop” music, like Black Eyed Peas, then no. I can’t stand that stuff.
Are there any songs that you wish you would have recorded first?
Well, no. People have thought that I have sung certain songs that I didn’t actually sing; a few songs that are on [the record label] Naked, like “Pure” and “Music and Wine.” On the flip side of that question, I’m like “No, that wasn’t me, but thanks for the compliment, 'cause I love that track”. So, no ... I mean, there are songs that I love, but I also love the voice that’s on that track. So it’s not about me, it’s about people mistaking me for that voice that gets me stoked, like “Ohh, thank you!”
What’s your favorite song that you recorded?
There’s been so many, but one of the ones has to be “Always.” That is such a classic ... one of the ones I’ve been doing since the beginning, and it’s forged its place in the whole house scene and in my life. Just the whole effect it’s had on people that didn’t know anything about house music or the kind of music that I was doing. That record has had the biggest impact on a lot of people’s lives, including my own. That one and “Everyday.” Those are probably my two favorite songs.
You’re from Toronto, but you moved to New York, are you a Raptors fan or a Knicks fan?
Of course I’m a Knicks fan! But I live in Miami now, so ...
— Ray Anderson
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