Lonya – Exclusive Interview
September 23, 2017DJ/Producer Lonya is the mastermind behind a dynamic and unique progressive imprint “Asymmetric” we take a deep dive into the label and the man behind the label.
Rondo: Can you give us a bit of background about yourself, origin, years in the industry, what drives you to succeed in the music industry?
Lonya: I have been passionate about music since I can remember, this is what I always wanted to do. Later I begun to experiment with sound and play musical instruments and then came djing and music production and with it residencies, planning events in the clubs and everything connected to it. Asymmetric evolved into something serious towards the end of the last decade and since then the work on the label became a huge part of my life.
R: Life and work, with the hours required, is it a challenge and how do you navigate to find your ideal balance.
L: I’m still navigating to find the right balance. It’s a demanding job, we work days and nights, traveling and not being home is a big part of it. I think in the end its all about priorities, understanding what is the next right step, what is needed in order to make it happen the best possible way and then implementing it. I like to sleep but lately, it became like a hobby.
R: Where did the inspiration for your label come from?
L: From so many talented and amazing producers working so hard and struggling, I would like to give a platform to release on to everyone I find interesting, but unfortunately, it isn’t always impossible.
R: Is there any development of talent in the Israeli underground music scene and who are some of the new up and coming producers to watch out for?
L: I can’t point at someone particular at the moment, lately, I get a lot of music from local producers sounding a bit the same, lot’s of recycling is happening. New artists from Israel that are doing good on the label now, that I think developed good skills and are making unique sounding productions are Kobb, Eli Emsalevski, Maydan to name a few.
R: How did you go about curating the producers that you collaborate with?
L: I try to be involved in a lot of aspects, sometimes maybe too many, where I feel there is a need for it, and at the same time only to observe from a side and not interfere at all when it’s not needed, this is something I discovered over the years and it comes from personal experience as well.
R: Tell us for new and upcoming DJ/Producers what should they focus on most?
L: Becoming a good producer is a long time process. Nowadays there are so many things you need to master to become good and versatile.
But luckily kids are starting at an early age, the technology is available to create and learn, but you need patience, experiment a lot and never compromise. R: How do you think Social media will impact the future of brand awareness and distribution for music?
L: It completely changed how we conduct business already, it’s impossible to predict what is next and what will happen, it depends on so many factors. I would say the online experience will continue to evolve and will sometimes completely dominate how we enjoy music, buy, sell and listen to it. Needless to say how much time is usually spent on brand awareness on the media, sometimes more than making the music itself
R: Tell us about your collaboration with Sudbeat and Hernan Cattaneo, how did the relationship develop?
L: My relationship with Hernan began 7-8 years ago, I was always interested in his work and there is so much to learn from him. We gradually became friends, he guides me in many ways and gives a lot from his experience. This helps shape the decisions I make in my career and motivates me a lot. Sudbeat became not only a versatile and a flagship label but also a family consisting of people with similar musical visions. All this with tremendous work from Hernan and of course Graziano Raffa who became over the years a close friend as well and a partner in many projects and collaborations.
R: You were at ADE2016, what are your plans and expectations for ADE2017 and label showcases that you are involved in?
L: This year following the success of last year’s Timelapse a collab between Sudbeat, Reworck and Asymmetric, we have prepared an even more diverse musical lineup and expecting many guests from all around the world. Club NL gives us freedom in preparing this night and we are working constantly between ourselves on every little detail.
This year we are collaborating with Jonathan Feinberg founder of Rondo (www.rondo..me) an amazing platform that has built profiles with integrated booking/calendar features that enables artists, their agents or managers to manage their bookings, but they also work closely with Mixcloud, to promote guest mixes and distribute a lot of content through their global social media footprint. It is an exciting collaboration that no doubt will bring a lot of value to the marketing for Timelapse and many of the DJs that will be performing.
Looking forward to the unforgettable night.
R: IMS Ibiza vs ADE do you attend many Music conferences, which do you think is the most important for Underground, in the industry and why?
L: ADE is important because it’s truly a gathering of many professionals, colleagues, fans, and enthusiasts. It allows us to meet a variety of people, learn about new trends and exchange ideas. It is unique in many ways. Also, Amsterdam is amazing at this time of year, not too cold and the atmosphere is very welcoming!
