LISA REMAR – FEATURED ARTIST INTERVIEW
Lisa Remar is a composer and music director based in London and has worked with PinkPantheress, Slayyyter, and helped arranged The Kid Laroi brand activations for Charli XCX. Lisa also arranged the PinkPantheress musical performance featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series, which included the Prophet Rev2 being played by keyboardist Tina Chau Le. We asked Lisa if she could share some insight on how the Rev2 factored into this performance and arrangement process, and what it’s like to be a woman musical director in a primarily male position.
SEQUENTIAL: What is your previous experience with Sequential synthesizers?
LISA: I have always used the Rev2 in live performances. I first encountered one in a recording studio and immediately thought this was the analog sound that really elevates the texture of the music.
Tell us about the musical direction behind the PinkPantheress Tiny Desk performance.
It was a really unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience. I am incredibly proud of Vicky, the band, and myself for pulling it off, especially because there were so many last-minute changes right up until the day before the performance, even though I started working on the arrangements a couple of months in advance. Some of the reference points included William Orbit’s “Spiral,” Rob Dougan’s “Clubbed to Death” from The Matrix soundtrack, an illegal PinkPantheress demo version on YouTube, “Take Me Away” from the Freaky Friday soundtrack, and “Red Clay” by Freddie Hubbard.
The performance showcased predominantly female talent. Was this an intentional choice, and how did it shape the session? Are there collaborators from this project you’d like to highlight?
Yes, Vicky really enjoys working with women in live settings, especially in an industry that is oversaturated with men. I also find it difficult working with most men in live environments, as many do not like taking direction from women, which makes the process unpleasant and challenging for female artists. I would say Vicky was essentially a co-music director. All of the really fun additions, like the ringtone and the harmonica, were Vicky’s ideas.
Do you have any further notes on being a woman in this industry?
I only know about two other music directors who are women, and this is obviously not because we are incapable. It is because an industry oversaturated with men often struggles to accept taking direction from not just a woman, but a woman of color who is younger than them. It is honestly really frustrating, but I also see it as an advantage because there are many female artists who prefer working with women over men for the exact same reasons.
What part do the Rev2 and the Sequential sound play in the musical direction and arrangement of this performance?
There are several moments where the Rev2 really stands out. For example, it completely shaped the intro of “The Aisle.” Overall, I arranged the songs so the Rev2 could bring in that analog warmth, filling out parts of the tracks that I could not achieve without playback or execute effectively with just a two-tier setup and one keyboardist.
What is your favourite thing about the Rev2? How about the Prophet X?
I love the versatility of both. The Rev2 is very straightforward, whereas the Prophet X feels more experimental to me because it is sample-based.
Will you return to a more ‘stripped back’ performance style with PinkPantheress in the future?
I am sure PinkPantheress will have more opportunities to perform stripped-back versions of her music in the future.
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