EQUATE Meets Lex on the Decks
"I was writing, and DJ-ing and I loved both mediums but the worlds felt very separate so I wanted to do something creatively which connected these different bits of my output."
The music industry still lacks female representation without a doubt - in response to this ongoing issue, the podcast ‘Hot Girls‘ was born by Lex on the Decks. Swiftly after, Akua Ofei joined as creative producer - now, they have successfully developed the platform into a space for celebrating women in music. The podcast has recently started its third season, founded by Arts Council London. To this date, a notable amount of artists and industry professionals have been featured on it, such as Komali, Kelly Kiara and Ellie Ramsden, to name but a few.
We had a chat with her about ‘Hot Girls‘, her platform Cleopatras and what else she is up to right now!
Read the full interview below..
EQ: How did you first get the idea of setting up a podcast?
L: I’d wanted to do it for ages to be honest! I listened to a lot of Podcasts so I was a fan of the format. Then I was writing, and DJ-ing and I loved both mediums but the worlds felt very separate so I wanted to do something creatively which connected these different bits of my output.
EQ: What was the reason for naming your podcast Hot Girls? Love the name!
L: Ah thank you <3 Well with the show, I wanted to celebrate powerful female artists, while breaking down any misconceptions about what it took to really have success in music. To kind of reclaim what it meant to be a ‘Hot Girl’ - what it really took to be one… and I wanted it to have a contemporary, fun energy to it. Had to be Hot Girls!
EQ: Your USP is to pay homage to celebrate women in music. Do you think that equality within the music scene has improved over the years? Looking at festival line-ups it still seems like there’s a long way to go…
L: I want to say yes. But, it hasn’t really. Not really. There’s still this huge issue around perceived credibility. And the women who make it to the top really do everything. Their music obviously has to be there, then their image has to be on point, always, their creativity and brand perfected, their socials, dance routines, team. It’s just not the same for guys. I think the increase in transparency, whether that’s through podcasts, social media, interview culture etc. is having a very positive impact though in opening up the doors. We’ll get there.
Series Illustrations by Badly Drawn DJs (Sean Ryan)
EQ: Who is a guest that you would love to have on your podcast one day?
L: Nicki Minaj. She knew what she was doing and she’s a 24/7 performer. I’d love to know whether she finds that exhausting!
EQ: You’re also the founder of Cleopatras, a digital magazine. Tell us all about it! How did that all come about?
L: I am indeed. Cleopatras started at a time in my life where I felt like I’d accepted my plan B - the ‘safe route’ - and I didn’t really know why or how I’d ended up doing that. I felt like a huge part of it was due to the lack of really honest guidance on success and mentality which was in women’s spaces. I discovered Stoicism which had a big impact on me and then knew I wanted to build a space to explore how we can achieve everything we want. How to navigate our journeys - and I wanted it to be a female-first space. Named after a woman who did just that, but plural because I believe we all have that desire inside of us.
EQ: Being a DJ, which are your favourite songs to spin on your show right now?
L: My current faves are, El Ritmo by Vega and Romero, Countach by Butch, and Nocturne Sonata by PAWSA. But this list will change every other week 😉
“And the women who make it to the top really do everything. Their music obviously has to be there, then their image has to be on point, always, their creativity and brand perfected, their socials, dance routines, team. It’s just not the same for guys.”
- Lex on the Decks
EQ: If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which would it be and why?
L: So a typical day in music for me might include piano in the morning (currently a lot of Sophie Hutchings), Ben Bohmer’s Cercle show when I start working, rap when I’m on the move, and tech-house when I’m switching to party tiiiime. I could never pick one album forever, it would be like picking one body part. (Sorry!)
EQ: Haha, fair enough! So you’re also planning on releasing your own music by the end of the year as well, can you already unveil more about that?
L: I can unveil a little. It’s in the electronic space, bouncy party music, with quite a global sound. I can’t give a date but I’m very excited for it 🙂
EQ: Anything else you’ve got planned?
L: Too much. I have a compulsive need to create things - my friends and family get the worst of it when I’m tired all the time. One I’m working on at the moment I’m excited about is a new nightlife concept (@spiritsnds), which will be launching next year. I start a new radio show on Brighton’s Trickstar Radio this summer, and some whisperings of another venture in the podcast space. Stay tuned!
Listen to the most recent episode of ‘Hot Girls‘ below!
Spotify/Hot Girls - Lex on the Decks
Stream ‘Hot Girls‘ HERE
Keep up with Lex on the Decks on socials
Tik Tok: @lexonthedecks
Twitter: @lexonthedecks
Facebook: @lexonthedecks
Soundcloud: @lexonthedecks