Interviews

Splitting her time between Brittany and Manchester, Léna C has evolved from a collective selector into a solo producer with a knack for weaving global rhythms into ethereal club tracks. Her latest EP, Stimuli, marks an adventurous step forward on the Earthly Measures label, pulling inspiration from the rich sounds of Guadeloupe, La Réunion, and Sudan. We caught up with Léna to discuss her formative years in the UK scene, her studio evolution, and the story behind her heartfelt tribute to the late Danielle Moore.

Hello, nice to chat with you today. Can you introduce yourself to our readers? How did you first get into DJing? Was there a specific club or a party that got you hooked?

Hey! Thanks for the invite.

My name is Léna C. I'm a selector, DJ, and producer splitting my time between Manchester and Brittany (FR). I started DJing in 2017 with the Manchester-based collective Me Gusta. After three very formative years with the collective, I decided to continue my musical journey solo, as I wanted to explore music production and start making my own tracks.

The parties we were putting on with Me Gusta definitely made me want to keep sharing music with people in the UK and beyond, regardless of gender, race, background, or religion. The unifying power of music - and club nights like the Me Gusta ones - felt really unique, and they truly inspired me to carry on.

How would you describe your studio process today? Do you usually start with a beat, a melody, or a specific sound?

It really depends on my mood and the type of track I have in mind. At the moment, I tend to play around on the keyboards to find a melody and some chords first. But when I'm working on a more percussion-driven track, it's usually because I've found a sample or come across a track that really triggered my inspiration.

What are some of your direct influences on your latest Stimuli EP?

My direct influences for the EP weren't specific people, but genres - namely zouk from Guadeloupe, maloya from La Réunion, and jaglara music from Sudan.

How did you get linked up with Earthly Measures for this release?

Earthly Measures reached out after the release of my first EP, Promenade, which I think they enjoyed. At the time, though, the tracks I was working on weren’t quite ready for a potential release, so we collaborated first on a remix of Donde by Sidirum which came out in June of last year.

What would you say is the signature Léna C "feel” to your tracks?

That’s a very difficult question, but I’d say ethereal chords wrapped around a percussion-led, clearly defined melodic track.

“Elle, Dani…” is a beautiful tribute to Danielle Moore. Is there a specific memory of her when you hear the track?

Thank you. Quite a few, but the one that comes to mind first is seeing her perform at Jazz Café in February 2024. Danielle invited me to open their Crazy P gig, and I’d never seen Crazy P or Danielle perform before.

That night, I remember thinking: wow, what a powerhouse of a woman. Everyone in the crowd was mesmerised by her energy and movement on stage. She was such a generous soul, both on and off stage. It was a truly beautiful and inspirational moment to witness, and I’ll never forget it.

What are some recent record finds or favourite new releases?

I’ve been listening a lot to my good friend Nonna Fab’s latest release, Deeper Dance Archives, which came out in January. It’s a really strong balearic, jazzy house release.

I’ve also been enjoying a more ambient record that came out last month on Music From Memory: Aquaticos by Fabiano do Nascimento and E Rusha V. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

Check out the latest release from Léna C.