The London icon in hot-pink lipstick has teamed up with Melanie C to collaborate on three track dance EP, The Night. The mini-album, produced by Jodie Harsh and co-written by both Melanie and Jodie, is a collaboration between the two artists, resulting in an unlikely yet groundbreaking merging of the worlds of pop music and the underground club scene.
We caught up with Jodie to find out more about working with the former Spice Girl,Lovebox, what she likes to get up to in the night and exactly what’s in her closet…..
Tell us a bit about your EP – what can we expect?
It’s a bit of everything really. There are three tracks, all quite different. ‘Set You Free’ has some dubstep moments and then throws itself into a hands-in-the-air Euro dance chorus; ‘Sunrise’ is quite Baelaric with big synth pads and a sing-along chorus; and ‘Walk Away’ is a melancholic ballad with a trip-hop beat and strings. Something for the whole family.
It’s a collaboration with Melanie C. How did that come about?
We met a few years ago and kept in touch on email. I’d send her music and keep her in the loop with what was going on in club land – she was a real clubber before she joined the Spice Girls and used to go to warehouse raves every weekend! We started writing some music and it’s finally coming out.
Individually, what do each of you bring to the record?
I love Melanie’s voice – you don’t want to hear me trying to make noise! So she sings all the songs we wrote together and I produced the beats. All three tracks sounded very different in their demo stages – I dug them out on iTunes the other night and thought ‘Whoah. Thank god I revisited these tracks in the studio after the vocals were recorded!’
“[Melanie C] was a real clubber before she joined the Spice Girls and used to go to warehouse raves every weekend!”
What were some of the key things that brought you together and made you think, ‘We’re going to make a go of this?’
I wanted to produce music for a massive female pop artist and Melanie wanted to revisit the dance days of her former albums as a special project on the side. We certainly didn’t have to persuade each other.
So what’s she like to work with?
A true pro. I have no complaints. She’d even give me a lift to the studio! Melanie is a really great person to be around and I loved every moment.
Were you a fan of the Spice Girls?!
Sure, who wasn’t?! I had ‘Wannabe’ on cassette tape the summer it all went crazy for them.
The EP’s been described as an unlikely yet groundbreaking merging of the worlds of pop music and the underground club scene. So what were you trying to achieve with the tracks?
If people want to dance to ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Set You Free’ and have a little chilled moment to ‘Walk Away’, we’re happy. This is a special ‘capsule’ project, if you like. A collaboration. We didn’t make it to hit the charts or reshape Melanie’s musical style, we just wanted to work together and make a dance record.
The EP’s called The Night. Where did the title come from?
It’s a line from ‘Sunrise’ – “We dance through the night, from darkness into light…”‘ We wanted to name it something simple and catchy. I nearly called it ‘Through The Night’, and now I’m spotting loads of posters around town for an album called that, so I’m glad I suggested we shorten it a little.
So what’s your favourite night time activity?!
I like to get dressed up, party and DJ. I’m at my happiest with a busy dancefloor in front of me and a load of laser lights. Simple pleasures.
“I wanted to produce music for a massive female pop artist and Melanie wanted to revisit the dance days of her former albums as a special project on the side. We certainly didn’t have to persuade each other”
Tell us a little about your creative process – do you mull over an imminent track for ages or do you just get cracking?
I made some demos which we wrote the lyrics to over tea and lunches at her place and mine. We brainstormed a lot, wrote loads of lines that ended up being scribbled out and listened to loads of dance albums. Then we laid them down over a series of studio days – I think it was two or three full days of singing.
After that I revisited the tracks one at a time for extra tweaking, and some of them completely changed. ‘Set You Free’ sounded so different, it was a bit Swedish pop! I thought “this sounds a bit done now…let’s tear it apart and put dubstep and house music beats in there…together!”
You’re a co-promoter of Lovebox. What’s so special about the festival?
The Sunday is a great day out with amazing line-ups. Grace Jones is headlining the main stage, there are tons of cool club tents and things going on. Awesome music, awesome production, loads of fun.
So what are you most looking forward to at this year’s anniversary outing?
My stage, of course! Mika and Dev are playing on the This Is…Circus stage, which is a little club night I’ve carefully cultivated over the past six years into a festival and touring brand. We have some amazing DJs – Felix Da Housecat, Kris Di Angelis and loads of performance and video action. It’s going to be a big show.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t give up and don’t let others fuck you over. Club people can be so shady but I’m pretty thick skinned and I have a loyal following of party people. I’ve been around for a while and I know how to defend myself!
When the phone rings, who do you hope is calling?
Sporty Spice.
You wouldn’t know it, but I’m very good at…
Making a good ol’ dance tune.
“Don’t give up, and don’t let others fuck you over. Club people can be so shady but I’m pretty thick skinned.”
I’m not very good at…
Flat hair.
So, what’s in your closet?
A couple of hot guys and some nice handbags.
The perfect evening starts with….?
A strong coffee.
And ends with….?
A shower.
Finally, what’s next for Jodie Harsh?
A TV show would be pretty cool, I have some ideas in the pipeline. Lots more club stuff happening in London and around Europe this summer, and definitely some more records. But I’d really, really like a holiday first!
Find out more about Jodie at www.jodieharsh.com.
The Night is available now on iTunes as a 3-track download plus digital booklet featuring song lyrics and exclusive images of Melanie shot by world renowned fashion photographer Tim Bret-Day.
Source: Gaydar Radio
Author: Stephen Beeny
