She recently shot to the dance music spotlight with her newly released track together with producer Shogun called “Save Me” that was heavily supported by Armin van Buuren and winning plenty of requests from listeners around the world. British singer, songwriter, and musician Emma Lock has been in the scene for over 10 years working on both rock and electronic music. Her other track “Hiding To Nothing” with Beat Service also received positive reactions from music lovers and was included on the compilation Lange Presents Intercity Spring 2010, prompting her to work again with Beat Service on “Cut and Run” exclusively for A State of Trance 2010. Emma is also an accomplished songwriter and composer and has already released a wide range of music since 2005.

Seems like we’ll be seeing and hearing more of Emma Lock this year. We’ve invited her to guesthost this week’s edition of Radio KUL, so here she is for this exclusive Extra interview.


Emma Lock

Emma, first of all congrats to you on the release of “Save Me.” How did this track come about?
Thanks so much, I can’t believe it’s got to number 1 on Beatport, so pleased. Well I got sent an instrumental by Andrew Chen / DJ Shogun after he contacted me, I listened to his music on his MySpace and I was really excited about working with a trained musician. It’s just what I needed really, as I work best collaborating on a track from the beginning and not just adding a vocal to a completed track. So anyways Andrew sent me over a stripped down instrumental and I sat there with the winter rain pouring down outside my window and I started writing “Save me” almost instantly like magic, it just all seemed to flow very easy really, must have been in a good song writing mood or something. From there Andrew mixed it up good and proper and now we have “Save Me.”

Did the reactions to this track surprise Shogun and you?
Shogun and myself were ecstatically charged with excitement about “Save Me” being remixed by Stoneface & Terminal and Walsh and McAuley, we were really interested how it would sound. Stoneface & Terminal are incredible producers and I was very happy about this as was Shogun too. I have worked with Walsh & McAuley on other projects so when Ciaran said he was going to make a mix, I was so happy as their work is so beautiful and works well with my vocal :)

You’ve worked on “Hiding To Nothing” and “Cut And Run” with Beat Service. How did you guys meet?
Lovely Madis from “Beat Service” contacted me in late autumn of last year and sent over some amazing instrumentals for me to write too. Good old Internet mate :) It’s my life line.

Tell us about “Missing.”
This track is a jazz track that I am working on with a New Zealand producer whose work is so powerful, I mean heart throbbing amazing, it’s going to be part of an artist album that gets released sometime next year with some amazing musicians from all over the world, still a little more work to do on that one ;)

Tell us about some of your pop releases.
There are quite a few tracks in the pipe line in so listen out. In addition to a large number of existing tracks and my first album called Stepping Stones which is featured on my iTunes page. To listen or download just follow the links from my website or enter Emma Lock into iTunes and you will be navigated to my page. I am working with some amazing producers on some amazing tracks, I think there are a few for pop industry but you know what pops like, easy come easy go, there is no guarantees in that industry so I plod on.

And there’s talk of an Emma Lock album? Will it also be dance oriented? Any idea when it will be released?
Yes I have a second album written, I am just trying to find time to catch up with the producers, this album is called Making Waves. I will get there one day, it’s really a gothic rock album, but there will be a few remixes I guess in the dance oriented sound, just to add something different, probably next year now, so busy but I may find time from somewhere, you kind of have to force it a little sometimes..

Who are some producers that you would like to work with at the moment?
Well I am very happy with who I am working with at the moment but would love to work with Armin Van Buuren, Andy Moor, Si Hulbert in London, Tiesto – heard a good interview with him in a traffic jam on way back from London about music, he’s cool and a little daring with music sounds fun also he seems to be crossing over to house slightly which would be good. So Tiesto email me buddy. Above and Beyond yes please, love their track “On A Good Day.” Just really beautiful tracks, I am not too fussy about that I am already living the dream creating the music.. I am a chilled person really I just want to create some banging tracks for you all that’s all and then do music in my own right as an artist, so wind up records come wind me up I am ready for you :)

You’re also a songwriter and you write all of your songs. Where do you draw the inspiration from?
Well for a start I need a really great instrumental, example sad piano sample loop and then I can feel my way like a cat does with its whiskers. I let the music surround me and take me to places like meditation. I walk sometimes while writing that’s always nice with my MP3 player :) Some songs take weeks to write, some take few days. I think out of the box, I like to think of words in a different way, I suffer badly from dyslexia so some words I see differently, but I try to make my tracks dreamy and pictures, so it takes the listener to somewhere in their mind. Also having great patience and being humble helps you find answers and ways to express situations and moments in time, sometimes I have to wait for the works, sometimes they come in to dreams, sometimes there on the tip of my tongue. I find having breaks from writing helps too, but in my case that’s only a few days as I’d go mad without my music!

What are the plans like for the rest of 2010?
Lovely Armada has a few of more tracks signed now, so waiting on these releases, working on some more tracks with Beat Service, Shogun, and Walsh & Mcauley. I also have a few other tracks kicking around one with Matt Everson with is a beauty. Another with Pedro Del Mar, such a great person he is, also Working on music with Si Paul, a really great producer and friend of mine and Will Holland from Enhanced, have tracks being submitted to other record companies too with David Moralee and others producers too lots of things going on – so much going on I can’t really plan anything these days. I just go with it a little as I am new at this but it keeps me hell of a busy. Also having some new photos shoots with my photographer John Wood and making a video with Del and hoping to do some live performances too :) Keeps me out of trouble.

And lastly, a message to your fans around the world reading this.
Thank you to all that have stuck with me through the years and believed in me, thanks for all your wonderful comments, your amazing really you are, all your help and advice and emails just help me so much in all areas of my life.. Thanks for all the support of all the DJs and producers, and I am so pleased your happy with the tracks, I hope they make you as happy as you make me :) Kiss kiss kiss.

Emma Lock will guesthost Radio KUL 148. The first hour will be mixed by Simon Lee & Alvin and hosted by Emma with a selection of some of her discography, followed by a guestmix from Beat Service. Airs Friday, 9th July 2010 at http://www.radiokul.com/ and available as a podcast on iTunes and on Mugasha. Radio Hi-Tec Netherlands and 1Mix Radio UK will also stream the show live, see website for schedule.

“Save Me” is out now on Armada.

More info :

  • Emma Lock – http://www.emmalock.com/