Current Texas resident and producer/DJ LP Giobbi (Leah Chisholm) has been known for her live energetic spirit at festivals to now bringing that same energy on her Twitch live stream. The former jazz piano student from UC Berkeley has proven her success as an alumni in sharing the same stage as Gallant and Sofi Tukker. Balancing her work for Animal Talk and Femme House, LP Giobbi shows she can do anything even during tough times.
B-Sides spoke with LP Giobbi about quarantine life, her virtual performances, and recent single “Meet Again”. Check out the interview and make sure to catch LP Giobbi join Sofi Tukker’s live stream in the first week of August!
How have you been during quarantine?
It has its highs and lows. I think it’s a silver-lining blessing to slow down and breathe. There’s a lot of nourishing things I didn’t have time for before. In that way, it’s been really great but it’s still mentally hard. Especially since I’m close to my family and both my parents are at risk so not being able to see them plus not being able to play live shows. I’m really missing that.
I’ve seen your online vids where you’re constantly smiling, in difficult times like these– how do you keep on smiling & staying energetic in 2020?
That’s a great question! It doesn’t present itself every day. When I’m playing music, it always just comes out. I’m playing music that I love the most and I get to pick it. When streaming, you can’t really read the dancefloor. Listening to great tunes and standing by good speakers is such a joyous and grateful experience. Also, having fun with it makes me smile I guess.
How have you managed your set to perform solely online and to a virtual crowd?
I was talking to Tucker of Sofi Tukker just the other day. It’s weird because there’s no dancefloor in front of you. So you can’t really feel when to build, set back, or feed them next– it’s part of the cycle. But, you kinda still can internally. It’s pretty wild and I didn’t realize it. I can tell if a track isn’t right and you can tell from the energy on Twitch chat. I get energy from people, but also from the music itself.
For artists where much of their income is earned by touring, has there been a financial struggle and have you adjusted to it?
Right when it hit, I had fifty-three shows canceled. It was really scary and hard. I’m also W Hotels North American music director so the Hotel industry is also furloughed. Those are the two things I do for joy and for money. Actually, Twitch has become an amazing platform that does provide payment for artists so that’s been a savior and I’m so thankful. I’ve done other festival live streams and getting gigs that way. It’s kinda cool because I can do a live stream from my house and not get on a plane. Also, music streaming. By far, my best release was featured on Spotify’s Mint playlist so that shot my streams to the roof and I never had streaming income.
Your released single “Meet Again” with Little Boots is about hope and you mentioned the Queen’s speech. How did the song come about?
I wrote the track in December while I was on the European tour with Sofi Tukker. I was leaving Germany onto a train in Vienna. It was one of the most beautiful train rides. It was mind-blowing. The snow was falling, I was in the hills– it was just heaven. My live show consists of a drum machine with a TB3 synth bass. I had those on me in the train so I took over a table, started setting it up, and went jamming. It was a patient song with no massive builds. The original is seven minutes long. I sat on the track for a while then in March where everything got shut down, I sent it over to Little Boots and she just finished watching the Queen’s speech. An hour later, I get an email with her vocals. I shared it with Sofi Tukker and they said “This is gonna be the one”. Then they started to play it on their streams.
Is Little Boots part of Animal Talk or FemmeHouse?
I met her through her agent who knew about FemmeHouse and referred her to me. Little Boots was very supportive of FemmeHouse. We collaborated, sent ideas back and forth, so it was very exciting when it all came together.
Is this a lead-in to more new music ahead?
Yes! I have another track coming on D&D recordings around Aug. 8th. It’s more piano techno. Then another one at the end of August under Thrive Records. In September, I’m releasing a few tracks for Insomniac and one more in October. I’m lined up for the rest of the year.