About Lady V
Having performed on some of the World’s biggest stages and in more than 40 different countries with leading global dance music brands and at luxury corporate events, Louise – Lady V has now spent the last couple of years focussing on performances back around her hometown in the northeast of England.
Graduating with a B.A Hons degree in Music from Sir Paul McCartney’s institute of Performing Arts, Lady V is credibly in her 20th year as a professional Musician. As well as decades of World class global performances, Lady V has recording credits on multiple record labels, including Toolroom Records and Fierce Angel records.
Interview with Lady V
How long have you been playing Sax?
As a sax player – over 30 years now, I started when I could barely carry it, I think the case was bigger than me! Professionally – Almost 20 years now, I graduated in 2006 and have been earning a full-time living form music ever since.
Favourite gig?
That question is almost impossible to answer! – From performing 5 shows at the super exclusive Singapore and Abu Dhabi Formula 1 after party events, through to serenading selected guests of Cartier and Jacob & Co at corporate launch events in Monaco and Switzerland, I couldn’t pick a favourite! I feel so blessed and proud to have travelled the world and seen so many amazing countries and performed for different cultures with music connecting people that hardly speak the same language. It’s the best job in the world for me.
Favourite music to play?
I’ve grown up listening to huge amounts of different genres, including soul, funk, pop and cool disco classics, I think that’s really reflected in how I play.
I love improvising, I love creating musical energy without compromising on tone, your overall sound is so personal and identifying, and important to me too, I believe similarly to how you recognise singers’ voices, you should always be able to identify how someone sounds playing the sax.
I can’t ignore that I’ve also played alongside live DJ’s and improvised over house and dance music since I was 15! Quite often my parents had to drop me off and pick me up from venues back in the early days when I couldn’t drive at all times of the day and night.
In fact, my family all played a huge part in my career choice, they’ve spent hours when I was a child, taking me for lessons, concerts and shows, patiently listening to my practice and my thoroughly infuriating nature of being a musical perfectionist where I would go over the same part for 6 hours, – I don’t know how they didn’t kill me!
Can you read music?
“Yes yes” – Quick lifestyle snapshot – this double affirmation is a leant behaviour courtesy of my husband Ian, who after 30 odd years in the emergency services answers all his questions with the double Yes or a double no, even down to shall we have a cuppa! – Which is usually Yes Yes!
So yes, although I can read and compose music, I sat my grade 8 exam when I was early teens, I’m not shy on the fact that I’ve made a full career out of listening to music and jamming along with it by ear adding my own twist to it.
What’s your favourite type of gig now your back home and based full time in the northeast?
I love the diversity of all my bookings, but creating musical memories for people on their wedding day is really special!
Who are your musical inspirations?
There’s so many amazing players I love listening to, Candy Dulfer, Dave Koz, Eric Darius, but one of my all-time favourites is Snake Davis, I love all his big iconic Pop style sax solos and beautiful tone and versatility across the different saxophones.
Growing up I was obsessed with M People, and to this day the delicate sax in “Search for the hero” still gives me goose bumps. He also wrote and played the original sax part for the iconic Take That’s “A Million Love Songs” – amazing. And Bizarrely – not many people are overly aware of this, but it’s also Snake Davis who recorded the original sax on the now very famous and chart topping Klingande’s “Jubel”
