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We chat to Jozi pop singer Lisa Goldin about her latest single, life lessons and future plans

Cape Town  - Having performed across the globe, Lisa Goldin started making a name for herself performing alongside the emerging global superstar Ed Sheeran at the 15 Minute Club at Saint Catherine’s Dock in London. 

Lisa spent 6 months in the dance capital of the world Ibiza, where she had a residency at Teatro Pereyra opening for the legendary African American house & soul singer Barbara Tucker. After the Ibiza season she returned to London and performed alongside Jesse J & Scouting for Girls. 

In 2015 she released her debut single Really Doesn’t Matter, and in February 2016 she teamed up with British hit songwriter Sarah deCourcy, best known for her work with Armin Van Buuren to co-produce her latest single My Fire. 

We chat to her about her single, life lessons and the future.

Channel24: Where did music start for you? Do you come from a musical family?

Lisa: We did come from a musical family, we were all in musical plays, and I just ended up taking it a bit more seriously. I did all the Eisteddfods, and competitions, and eventually I ended up studying it at school and from there it just branched out.

C24: Was there like a defining moment where you realised that this is what you want to do?

Lisa: Yes, it was pretty much in high school, in my final year, I had a really brilliant teacher who kept on pushing me for stuff and then she said to me, you should really look at studying further. And so I did. I did do something at Pretoria tech initially and then I went over to the UK. Then I started studying there and doing stuff there. My songwriting started there, and I started performing. The songwriting circuit there is amazing, there’s a platform for you to start. 

C24: What has been a highlight of working overseas? Anything that stands out?

Lisa: I think for every interview I say something different! But one of my favourite moments was Scouting for Girls, like a Brit pop act, just before they broke onto the charts and went to number one, the frontman used to always try and watch me sing at the Bedford. He loved my songwriting and he really supported me and he asked me if I would just do a solo set just for his little gig in Harrow, and called it ‘little gig’, but he filled this place, and every single person knew all the words! It was such a stunning thing to watch and I was just like, 'wow!', I want that. 

C24: You've worked hard over the years, what’s the most important lesson you've learned while doing music overseas?

Lisa: You can’t resort to alcohol or drugs, you won’t survive. There’s no way. You have to exercise, you have to look after yourself, you have to do your vocal warm-ups, otherwise you’ll get nodules. Have loads of honey, I live on honey. I’m like a bee! And sleep, sleep is very important if you’re singing. The standard thing when you’re abroad is that you sing 4 x 45 minute sets, that’s about 4 hours of singing every day. And then you’re dancing, so you’re whole body impacts, and you’re standing in 6 inch heels. So most important thing is sleep, just to recuperate. Sleeping is the best facelift you can get.

C24: Your single, My Fire, what was the inspiration behind the song and what do you want people to take from it?

Lisa: So especially in today’s climate in South Africa, I think South Africans need to stand on their own two feet, to say that this is their word and that this is what they want for their country. And I think that as an inspiring message for SA, I’d like them to use My Fire. And say right, this is our country, we want to look after it we want to do something positive and make that change. I am who I am and this is where I have come from, but this is my fire! For me it’s a beautiful song, it came to me last year. I was part of the production part of it. Sarah wrote it, she has written for Armin van Buuren, Little mix etc. 

So she brought that song to us and that was at a perfect time for us, because we were doing a lot of stuff in studio and experimenting with my voice. And then this song came to me and I was like this is it, this is the one! And it took a lot of vocal capacity to do it, and it’s really been fantastic working on it, because I had to work hard. I mean I worked on it a month before I sang it on track. Then we nailed it with the first session, and then we tweaked the production around it. 

C24: When did you decide to come back to SA and what do you think is the most challenging part of breaking into the local music industry? 

Lisa: I had a travel bug for quite a while, like 5 years I was on the road, and before that I was living in London for a while and studied there and have done my time. When I got to Dubai, I also had a tragic relationship. And I was just like, I need my family’s support if I’m gonna do this music thing, now, right now in my life. I just need to be home right now. And as well as that, I looked at a lot of the territories, to go back to the UK instead of coming to South Africa, and I was just like, I’ve been watching it from afar and I’ve been seeing how it’s been growing and growing, with the bigger festivals, more people coming here now. And I just thought to myself, I want to try it here in South Africa, and it’s been tough, no jokes, but it’s been 3 years, and I’ve actually had it really good. 

C24: If you could collaborate with anyone local who would it be and why?

Lisa: The two people I would like to collaborate with are Prime Circle, their keyboard player Neil Breytenbach is amazing, and then Kwesta. I love his voice, this guy is epic! 

C24: What are your future plans?

Lisa: I’ve wanted to sign with David Gresham Records because they have an American branch, and they’ve got a lot contacts on that side, they also have a lot of contacts in the UK. And that’s where the music is booming, but you first have to make it here before you can make it over there. Which is cool, because this time around, I’ve got people believing in me and pushing me, so that’s beautiful. My 5 year plan is to be global, globally recognised, even as a songwriter for writing songs for other people or as an artist as well, whichever way it goes. Because it can go either way and then eventually it comes full circle and you do both. 

For more info on Lisa and her upcoming shows like her Facebook page here.

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