Lisa Theunissen

Interviewed by Dalesh Kowlesar: http://blogspot.nio.co.za/?p=71

A truly inspirational young woman, Lisa Theunissen [pronounced 'Tennyson'], is singing herself to fame with her new album HerStory. Many artists rely on big labels to drive their careers yet Ms. Theunissen chose to ignite her career by herself. Theunissen was born in South Africa and moved to the UK about 10 years ago. We caught up with this singing sensation through her busy schedule and event packed evenings. Let's see what she had to say:

Lisa


NI: What drives your musical passion?

LT: The stage is my home...the audience, the lights, the backstage creativity, the lessons of business and people...and then having the courage to share all that - without it is like not breathing, so I keep on keeping on I guess!


NI: We've noticed that you have a lot of musical influences. Which of these stand out for you and how do you relate to them?

LT: The reason I have a lot of different influences is because for me it's all about the song, if it touches my heart, I'm sold! I love artists that are bold and not afraid to share their life-stuff whether it's good or bad...we all have our own paths to follow and challenges that we overcome or sometimes don't even acknowledge that they are there! Preferred genres are soul, blues, jazz, hip-hop, dance, RnB and Pop.

NI: Did you pursue any other career before music?

LT: Well it wasn't before music, as I've been on stage since I was 2! It was in more recent years and it's funded my music career to date and helped me learn about business, marketing, promoting and selling more than anything else - I was in event management.

NI: Tell us which was your biggest gig and which one you enjoyed the most?

LT: Aylesbury Festival 2007 has been my biggest gig so far and my two favourite gigs so far have been my first real gig at The Kashmir Klub in Baker Street, London and when I came home recently I played at Passionada in Ballito Bay, Kwa-Zulu Natal - it was very special because my family were there to see me. Also, I now have a band and am really looking forward to being on the road with them as they are just fab musicians :-)

NI: Your fan base is growing quickly and your popularity seems to be ever increasing. What's been the toughest part of this journey?

LT: Having the courage to do it everyday with a smile on my face! But the amazing part is how my fans, I call them TheirSay, send wonderful messages and inspire me to keep on going!

NI: What was the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you at a gig thus far?

LT: Ooohh! Um, when I first started out I used to sit and play the piano. It was really scary speaking between songs and I used to fidget...a lot...to the extent that (now this is going to sound ridiculous) okay...I used to have my hands on my knees and flap my legs about!!! A dear friend kindly mentioned that it wasn't a cool look, so that kindly came to an end!!! If I'm not playing a real piano - I now stand and play...LOL!

NI: You are based in the UK, any plans to return home to give us a live taste of Lisa Theunissen?

LT: I would love to and my main aim at the moment is reaching and playing in front of South Africans (as well as every other nationality so I promise I am not leaving you out!) in the UK, so I definitely haven't forgotten my roots and wanna share all of this with you, real soon. I’ll keep you posted as to when and where...!

NI: Are you spoken for?

LT: Oh dear, do I have to answer this???! Guess I should answer...umm...no I am not spoken for!

NI: What's the strangest thing that a fan has asked you to do?

LT: Singing a song on someone's voicemail!

NI: Lisa, we all know that breaking into the music industry anywhere in the world is a tough job. You have to be your best and have a good record. What kind of advice would you give to young and aspiring musicians?

LT: It's pretty standard nowadays that a musician/singer-songwriter has to put everything on a platinum platter before labels/publishers/management/radio/press taste what you do. It's tough...you have to manage you, discover your voice/genre, live by your image, write the songs, test the songs with your audience, find the gigs (and ones that pay for originals-only showcases), be the roadie, promote you, build a fan base and maintain it, keep up with the Jones' (music-technology and competition), schmooze and ask a lotta questions, keep your bank manager onside, motivate you and follow through whilst trying to keep your wits about you...and when you are eventually approached they all want a percentage of what you have worked for! But if they believe in you and can deliver you as a product properly, it could mean you really live the dream. So find the right people to work with, find your own team and don't take the first offer because if there's one offer, there'll be more offered, you just need to not be afraid, delve deeper and stand up saying what you want - very nicely with a cherry on top! Roll up your sleeves, baby...you're gonna have to get dirty and stay on track!


And, our little brain picker
(Complied by Katryn Lester)

I cannot live without my keyboard.

The last thing I do @ night before I close my eyes is thank God for everything!

The most embarrassing CD in my music collection is some random group singing Christmas songs really badly - but it was the only Christmas album I had at the time!

My absolute favorite CD in my music collection is (I'm going to plug a certain singer-songwriter, Lisa Theunissen, here...heehee...) HerStory! No seriously...it's so hard to answer as it constantly changes, but I love Timbaland's album for now.

The way to a man's heart is most probably food?!

If I won a million rand I would give it to my Mom :-)

The biggest; proudest achievement in my life thus far is staying true to who I am and sticking to what I believe is right for me.

Music is something that I cannot breathe without; it feeds my soul and is officially my first love :-)

Our grand finale, trademark question: What's the most"Nearly Illicit"? thing that you have ever done? C'mon, spit it out!

Driving across Clapham Common in London (it's a park...) to get onto the right road in my old boss's 4x4 with my best friend giggling hysterically next to me! Sorry Nick, just testing out your wheels, man :-) For any law-abiding citizens...It was a long time ago and I've been good ever since...so please don't Nearly Illicit Magazine or arrest me! - Nearly Illicit Magazine

It is not often that I am truly impressed by original South African music. This is by no means because it is substandard, but simply because local bands often fail to truly capture the raw energy of their live performances on CD. But Lisa Theunissen is in a completely different league. Having been based in the UK for the past decade, she has undoubtedly had access to international production facilities; but not even the latest technology can create talent. And of that, Lisa has much. What struck me immediately was her astonishing voice. It’s as rich and sultry as a smoky blues lounge but simultaneously raw and emotional; bare as a room stripped of everything but the grand piano. Thankfully, Lisa is also an outstanding songwriter, a talent that comes to the fore especially on the slower songs. HerStory is a well-balanced mix of styles and emotions, but I reckon it’s the ballads that will make Lisa a household name. Tell Me How To Love and Moving On are prime examples of this masterful balladry, with Sweep Me Off My Feet my absolute favourite. Lisa has been working hard to establish herself as a serious singer-songwriter, and she is now starting to taste the fruits of her labour. Order HerStory now, or download it from iTunes, for this is one local artist who will be taking it all the way to the top.

Marketed and distributed by Lisa Theunissen (www.lisatheunissen.com). - Christo Valentyn, Mamba Online

Thank you so much for placing all your votes on Exposure Music Awards: http://www.exposuremusicawards.org/.

With all your amazing help I am so ecstatic and pleased to announce the nomination for Best Pop Rock Act! The band are heading down next week to find out who the winner is out of 5 other artists/bands, so everything is crossed...

Please do join us, the details are below to buy tickets in advance.

Exposure Music Awards - Sponsored by TourDates.co.uk: http://www.tourdates.co.uk/Lisa-Theunissen
Saturday 31st May 2008At University of Gloucestershire, Park Campus, Cheltenham: http://www.glos.ac.uk/directions/travelpa.cfm

* Click For Tickets @ £12 only: http://www.tourdates.co.uk/store/?ticketid=310342
* £9 for Students at University of Gloucestershire: http://www.yourstudentsunion.com/events
* £6 Special Offer to members of Ts.com: http://www.ts.com/portal/event/5375
* Industry Contacts: GuestList@ExposureMusicAwards.Org

As always thank you TheirSay, just cannot do this without you.

LT
XXX


The Results, 31 May 2008
Hi All

Thank you so much for all the support on this and for helping me get nominated. The winner of the award 'Best Pop Rock' act was given to Rapunzel Map: http://www.rapunzelmap.moonfruit.com. So well done to her!

It was a great night of upcoming bands and worth checking out some new talent on http://www.tourdates.co.uk. I have an interview and live performance film footage from the day too, so will let you know when it's up on youtube, etc :-)

LT
XXX
- Exposure Music Awards

• Tell us more about your album HerStory?
Well…I moved to the UK 10 years ago to the day (4 March 2008) and it has taken a long time to set myself up as a Singer-Songwriter. My musical background was theatre and I had no experience in songwriting. Moving to London has been a pretty lonely journey without family and closest friends around, especially when you’re trying to pay rent for a dingy bedsit you can barely afford, let alone travel and meet people! So I wrote about everything going on, some of the sentences were catchy and I kept hearing these melodies in my head, which seemed to fit the shape of the words. At this time I had no piano and there was no way I could play and sing together either, but somehow I was convinced I had a song nailed! The first song I wrote when arriving in London was ‘Sweep Me Off My Feet’ and the audience still request it! Every bit of energy, every second and every penny starting from scratch has been towards my music and making it…and finally I have a portfolio of gigs in great places, website presence, a fanbase, a bit of PR buzz and HerStory, my album. So what’s HerStory all about?! Being yourself, standing your ground and not ever giving up no matter what your dream is.

• What are your fave tracks?
HerStory, Take A Back Seat, Boy!, and Moving On (but I change my mind frequently on this, so don’t quote me!!!)

• You are playing a great deal in England at the moment – which dates are you really looking forward to?
Platform 9 in Guildford, Surrey on 23rd May and Aylesbury Festival 2008 in Buckinghamshire on 13th July (especially the radio interview with MIX96 FM lined up for the Festival). Also, Bernadine Woolfaardt from Burning Events (a UK-based music events company for South African artists) is lining up some shows for me, which is very exciting!

• What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you at a gig?
I’ve been lucky at the venues I have played at, as really wonderful people run the showcases, so it’s just the random nutters who pass comments like ‘need a lift home, sweetheart?’ or dancing on a stage that hardly fits my keyboard on it, are the strangest things I guess! (TOUCH WOOD!)

• What makes you groove?
HerBand – aahhh it’s the greatest thing having a live band breathe life into my songs! They rock ☺

• Have you ever had to take a massive risk musically?
Everyday! It’s a risky business and I have to stretch myself all the time, especially proving I can do this and follow through.

• Name three of your biggest influences?
Madonna, Aretha Franklin, my Family

• What do you think is going to blow us away this year?
South African music hitting worldwide charts!

• What is the last book you read?
Errr….pass!

• What is your most treasured possession?
I wear a chain with a music note pendant – it’s my emblem!

• Tell us something you’ve never told an interviewer before?
I play the piano by ear, so don’t ask me what chord I’m playing…one note at a time please!!!

• Are you signed and would you like to be?
No I’m not signed but yes, yes, yes I would love to be signed and won’t stop working until my songs are in the charts again and again (hopefully nearer to the Top 10 side)!
- South African Newspaper

Hello and welcome to a live music week in London which was, for me at least, very female dominated. By that I mean that most of the acts that I saw were female; just thought I would clarify that point. Yes guys, the girls were out in force this week, and making a very good job of it too. I started out on Tuesday at The Bedford in Balham, where the evening offered a show in the Shakespeare Globe Theatre consisting of three very talented female singer/songwriters. As an additional bonus, the show was ably hosted by the ever charming Lexie, who certainly caught the attention of one particular group of likely lads. Haley Glennie Smith opened and gave her usual professional and enjoyable performance.

By the time the second act appeared, the aforementioned likely lads were on hormone overdrive and Lisa Theunissen (pronounced Tennyson) became the object of their attention. This excellent singer/songwriter/keyboard artist from South Africa really hit the spot with the rest of us as well, with her country ballads and rock songs and her great voice. She connects very well with her audience and, to be fair to her male admirers, they obviously enjoyed her music a lot and showed that appreciation at the end of each song. All the songs were her own well constructed compositions, and she was at home in every tempo and genre. She has a band, and I can’t wait to hear her with them. I am on her mailing list and will check her out again. She has a website, www.lisatheunissen.com.

The last act, Elissa Franceschi, was there to launch her album, “Touch”, which I shall be reviewing in the next day or so. - Seatwave Backstage Pass by Peter Coulston

Woking Informer, Surrey Herald: http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t133/lisatheunissen/WokingInformer2706-small-1.jpg

What's On Guide, Surrey Advertiser: http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t133/lisatheunissen/WhatsOnSurreyAdGFest.jpg

Woking News & Mail, Surrey Advertiser: http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t133/lisatheunissen/WokingNewsMail26-06-small.jpg - Surrey Herald and Surrey Advertiser

Acoustic Lounge, 24 July
"Amazing voice" - Darrell
"Awesome, strong voice" - Amy
"The Best" - Matt
"Soul meets classical" - Norman
"That was a really moving performance thanks!!" - Tess

MyPlace, 22 June
"Beeeeeaaauuutful voice - stunna" - Scarlett Rose
"Genuinely enjoyed :-)" - Jules
"Great voice" - Chas
"Not bad...! :-)" - Neil

Bullet Bar, 16 May
"Fantastic set, great songs - I'm buying the album!" - Lee
"Amazing, incredible, stunning, great!!" - Mandy
"Me like!" - Andy
"Drop the day job!" - Mark (by the way the day job is not music-related!!!)
"Worth taking the Northern line for!" - Ian
"Fantastic voice, great piano!!" - Banks
"You made my hair stand up!" - Pintsize

Acoustic Sunday Chill in Brighton, 22nd April
"Wonderful!" - Adam
"Tickety-Boo!!" - Ali
"RAD" - Erin
"Lovely!" - Duncan
"Deeply moving!" - Owen
"Uber cool" - Shaun
"Wicked" - Florian
"Genuinely a great artist" - John
"Stunningly brilliant!" - Dean
"Brilliant" - Paul
"Powerful beautiful voice" - Katy
"Class" - Brian

MyPlace, 4th April
"Loved it xoxox" - Keara
"Great to hear a writer of good songs for once - great" - Jack
"Great show" - Mos
"Powerful vocals and piano playing! - Xan
"What a sweetie!" - Jeff
"Very melodic and peaceful...great vocals and piano" - Bianca

Shush UnSlugged, 27th March
"Food for the soul!" - Jessica
"Immensely enjoyed" - Bad boy(!) Luka Banks
"Massive!" Tim Corke
"Beautiful!" - James Bennett
"Fabulous!" - Mark Wilkinson

Windsor Castle, 18 March
"You're wicked!" - Luke
"Awesome!" - Gemma
"The new Alicia Keys" - James
"Great songs!" - Lucy
"Mint voice love XX" - Olly
"Amazing vocals!" - Ed
"See you in Cheltenham!" - Jim

The Bedford, 12 March
"...a stunning performance wrapped up with passion and heartfelt emotion by an exciting new singer-songwriter..." - Stuart
"Keep playing 'Sweep Me Off My Feet' XXX" - PC
"Very, very good!" - Ben
"Sexy!!!" - Kate
"...Hmmm, feisty..." - Paul
"Cool" - Lauren
"We love you!!!" - Mike and Hannah

Bullet Bar, 7th February
Just take a glimpse...a little sneaky peak of your thoughts...
"Breathtaking!" Hayley Allum
"Astonishing voice" - Arno
"Really impressed!" - Julian Goodkind
"Loved it" - Brandi Stevens
"Great set!" - Keira Vallejo
"Beautiful voice, could hear it on the radio..." - Amba Tremain

The Bedford, 29th January
"You lit up my day!" - James (Mexican!)
"Loved it!" - Vicky Wasonga
"Fantastic voice!" - Abraham Philo
"Emotive voice, passionate." - Darren Davey
"Very powerful - great" - Liz Grist

Fopp, 18th January
"Great marriage of music and lyrics - keep the mood" - Edward Dresch
"Great fun!" - Anna
"Impressive, fantastic and awesome!" - Godding Brothers
"Incredible!" - Laia
"Awesome" - Hanqucor
"You were A+!!!" - Astella Saw - HerTeam

Singer-Songwriter and keyboard player Lisa Theunissen is a class act.

Her album, HerStory, which she describes as 'like eating chocolate in a smoky blues bar at midnight', is full of country twang and soul.

South African-born Theunissen (pronounced Tennyson) uses the album to track life's ups and downs, with songs about love, life and keeping going, no matter what.

The catchy title song, HerStory, is an upbeat track with a funky rhythm that will get audiences dancing, as will the empowering high tempo sing-along 'Take A Back Seat, Boy!'.

The smooth 'If Only' and soulful 'Times' definitely show off Lisa's velvety vocals to their full potential. Her lyrics are heartfelt, her sound is full of rhythm and her voice is silky-smooth - a grittier and more soulful Norah Jones.

Although most of the tunes on this 11 album album are much slower and thought-provoking, it still has the makings of being a great summer record, providing the soundtrack to any chilled-out evening.
- Charlotte Talbot, Woking Review Newspaper, 5 July 2008

It was just over 20 years ago that Paul Simon's album Graceland was released. With the sounds of Africa bursting out of the vinyl, it took the world by storm … truly representing not only South Africa, but the entire continent's culture, people and viewpoints.
Other greats who emerged and closely followed in his tracks were Jonny Clegg, Claire Johnson, Alison Moyet, and Jonathan Butler. However, as the years have rolled by, the number of South African releases that have successfully reached the UK and USA - the two largest selling markets - has been reduced to a trickle.
I'm not sure whether it's the acceptance of another culture that is responsible for this comparatively poor performance, a familiarisation with the genres that have dominated sales; whether it's a lack of marketing budget, or whether the songs are just not big enough hits. However, these ethnic (and fantastic) songs are not moving up the charts as fast as others we are used to hearing, which also capture a culture, its people and its viewpoints. So where does the Great Trek lead us to now?
Almost two decades on from You Can Call Me Al, Freshlyground's Doo Bee Doo, makes an impact on the charts and receives substantial airplay. The track incorporates all the juiciness of African drums and the raw sense of sitting out in the bush, but still has the essential mainstream hook. Not that it's a bad thing, but the album tracks are the ones that really capture the essence of Africa. Yet these are not getting airplay nor climbing the charts.
Is it true to say that the classic US/Brit style of writing hooks dominates the records that make it into the charts - or is it all down to budget? With the current state of the South African exchange rate, how does a record label or publishing house launch an act with the same investment and strategy as in the USA and UK - unless, of course, they are linked with the 'Big Four' global companies to help fund such a venture?
It will be interesting to see how SonyBMG South Africa breaks its artists in the UK and America over the coming year. At MIDEM in January, the company showcased its latest profile and the word is that it received massive commendation. It will be especially intriguing to uncover what genres these artists fall into, how they keep the essence of Africa and which singles enjoy chart success.
The artists SonyBMG is currently promoting are Soweto String Quartet, Vusi Mahlasela, Just Jinger, Louis Mahlanga, Semisane, The Usual, Jurie Els, Patricia Lewis, Bles Bridges, TKZee, James Stewart, Freshlyground, Niemand, Zamajobe, and Judith Sephuma.
Do artists from different countries need to keep their identity? Do they need to keep their roots in the hook? I'm not trying to state the obvious here, but it certainly distinguishes one country from another, exposes listeners to different instruments and different sounds, and it certainly raises the bar competition-wise!
Hopefully, we as South African songwriters will have a new insight to explore, inspiring and driving our songs straight to number one.
Bring on the bare drum-roll of Africa.

Lisa Theunissen, (pronounced "Tennyson") is a singer-songwriter. HerRoots are from South Africa, although she has been living in the UK for nine years. HerSound incorporates the soft soul of Norah, with an element of the heavy blues grinding of Aretha. To listen to the album HerStory, go to www.lisatheunissen.com.

page 04 fourfour issue17 march 2007 - British Academy of Composers & Songwriters fourfour Newsletter

Please go to http://www.lisatheunissen.com for radio interviews and live sessions from GuilFest 2008 and Aylesbury Festival. They are playing on the MP3 playing :-) - Eagle 96.4 FM Radio and Mix 96.2 FM Radio