Lola Palmer
photo: Sukru
photo: Sukru
Known for her impeccable selections, which she has been sharing around the globe for the past two decades, Lola Palmer is considered by many as one of Europe’s finest deep techno selectors.
Her consistent output of online DJ-mixes has earned her an impressive following through channels such as RTS.FM and MixCult – gathering up to 270K streams per mix. After collaborating with the likes of Terry Lee Brown Jr, Lola Palmer continues her musical journey with releases on Mixcult and a debut vinyl EP on the well-regarded BERG AUDIO label, featuring reworks from the scene’s favorites, Janeret, Priku and Dinu.
There is no doubt Lola Palmer is only at the start of her artistic path, with much more exciting news to come.
Next, while listening to the fantastic Berg Audio podcast, read the interview we did with Lola Palmer.
Hello Lola and welcome to Roomania. For starters, give us an insight into how your love affair with electronic music started?
First of all, thank you so much for having me in Skopje. I am happy & honored to be your guest for the party’s 2nd Anniversary!
You know, the groove was in my blood from childhood and my love affair with music is clearly not ready to end, it’s probably for life. I believe music gave me more than any relationship did, and I’m grateful for that! I started playing at school parties with cassettes and gradually evolved to club gigs around 2006 – this is when it all became more “professional”.
Undoubtedly, you are a master for deep sounds. Surely you’ve explored various musical styles before arriving at this. Was it a gradual transition or something you always strived to deliver to a sound system?
My biggest inspiration when I started to play was “The Timewriter” and the label Plastic City. He was like an idol and a big example for me. When I met him numerous times in person and told him the story of how I was inspired by him and his music, how I made two of my own podcast series ‘White Deepness’ and ‘Direct flight’ (That you can find on my Soundcloud) dedicated to this sound, and how I wanted to be ‘The Timewriter in a dress” he said: “Lola, thank you for your kind words, but there is no need to limit yourself to being me in a dress – you have your own beautiful style and I’m proud of you !” Those words blew my mind. I would never play music I don’t really feel. Deep sounds & house grooves always drive me crazy and I wanna show people their beauty!
I would never play music I don’t really feel. Deep sound & house groove always drive me crazy and I wanna show people the beauty of it !
Which releases catch your ear? What does a piece of music need to have in order for you to “put it in the basket”?
Grooves, feelings and positive energy. I don’t like aggressive music. I always build my set with waves of groovy and atmospheric tracks.
What are your thoughts about music styles and do you think they affect an artist’s way to express themselves?
I’ll always be loyal to classic house music. For me, finding your style is like finding your real self – once you do, you’ll always find your crowd if you’re honest and loyal to what you truly love – and don’t make choices in order to “fit in”.
Producer and DJ are two very different professions. How do you feel about these two crafts? Which one suits you best? Do you have to produce your own music in order to succeed as a DJ?
As you said, these are two different professions. I am a DJ, I like to tell the stories by building sets, I like to see happy eyes on the dance floor, I like to dance with the crowd and to be on stage. Production comes second and will always do for me! These days, I feel like you have to have the whole package, production, DJing, videos, social media etc… to even have a small chance. So, it can be pretty difficult for someone starting out, waiting to only DJ, to get noticed in this massive amount of information & content that gets thrown at us constantly.
What are some of your favorite toys in terms of music production? Are you more into hardware or software?
Software only, and trying my best in a room that is the furthest from being sound treated, to say the least haha… So mostly with headphones and that’s why I mentioned in a previous interview that from time to time, I get help for mixdowns in order to make sure the track is sounding correctly on bigger speakers.
Over the years you have performed at many festivals and clubs. Which venue would you single out as your favorite? What kinds of events affect artists the most (in terms of performance experience) and “upgrades” them?
At the moment, my fav venues are Tanzhaus West in Frankfurt, Lost Beach Club in Ecuador as well as Shelter & Thuishaven in Amsterdam. Traveling alone is an “upgrade” for me, it’s inspiring and cuts me completely from my “normal” routine, during which I’m babysitting haha! A great sound system, lights & not being too far from the crowd is also very appreciated.
photo: Chris Nesterova
Where do you feel more comfortable, while performing in a club or at a large-scale festival?
It’s absolutely different energies. I feel comfier in a club where you can experience the crowd better than at a massive stage, where you can sometimes struggle to understand which direction to take.
Living life as a constantly touring DJ is not always what others see. Can you share something on this topic? Something people do not know? What is life like “behind the scenes”?
Most people think that it’s just fun, but it’s not like that. Being on the road all the time could be very exhausting – cancelled flight, delays, not enough sleep – but you always have to be sharp & focused when you walk on the stage. I keep my life balanced. I train a lot, don’t drink that much, don’t eat meat and fast food. I am very disciplined as a person and in my everyday life.
What does the next chapter look like in the book of Lola Palmer?
It feels like a new level at the moment. Especially when I play at the same stage with my fav artists who inspire me almost every weekend! More gigs, more music, more tours with confident and ambitious goals.
Finally, this is your first time visiting Skopje. What can our audience expect from you?
Personally, I never have expectations, I like to be surprised and hope your audience will be open to that as well ! 
design: Andrej Pavlov
The event will be at club Epicentar (Skopje) on March 18th, 2023. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance to the club, at a price of MKD400 until 01:00, MKD500 after 01:00.