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[EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] Empowering Women Through Bass Music: Jessica Audiffred, LAYZ, And SIPPY Dive Into Redefining Sullivan King's ‘Overthrown' Album With Their Unique Remixes
Kicking off December, the dubstep and bass community has come out of the gate firing on all cylinders. Sullivan King just dropped Overthrown (The Thrones of Blood Remix Album), which unites both rising and veteran artists, such as Blanke, Kompany, GHENGAR, and Chime, to name a few.
There are also mosh pit-primed tunes forged by a selection of the top female artists in today’s electronic music circuit. Jessica Audiffred reinvents King and Ray Volpe’s “The Dead March,” fusing intense lyrics, drum solos, and invigorating electric guitar notes with a brain-scrambling drop.
Meanwhile, LAYZ puts her signature twist on “Fall Apart,” opening a Wall of Death with skull-crushing bass, and SIPPY transforms “Watch The Crown Fall” into a psychedelic, raging adventure.
These three artists have collectively been a proud representation of women in the bass scene since launching their projects. Each one of them has climbed up the ranks through their musical genius, unbounded creativity, and electrifying live performances.
We had the honor of chatting with these bass superstars about the process and inspiration behind each of their remixes on this thrilling project, and their outlook on the rapidly expanding female presence across electronic music.
Check out iEDM's exclusive interview with Jessica Audiffred, LAYZ, and SIPPY below.
iEDM: Jessica, your remix of “The Dead March,” along with the original, encompasses intense lyrics, drum solos, and invigorating electric guitar notes. How did you approach blending these elements with your signature style to create a unique sonic experience?
Jessica Audiffred: Anytime I start doing a remix, I try to maintain the essence and vibe of the original track but incorporate my own style as well.
For example, we already know the metal style that Sullivan has and the melodic style of Ray. I just had to mix those styles in a way that made me feel inspired when I started the remix.
iEDM: Being a notable figure in the bass and trap genre, your sound has evolved and garnered a significant following. How did you navigate the creative process for this remix, considering the distinctive style of Sullivan King's original track?
Jessica Audiffred: When I started digging on the stems, I heard things that I felt that I should keep, like the guitars. As soon as you first hear those riffs, you know there is going to be a mosh pit in the crowd.
So the song kept pushing me to make a hard drop. But like I mentioned, it had to be done in my way and blend perfectly with Ray and Sullivan's original track.
iEDM: Can you shed some light on the production techniques and steps used when crafting the drops in this remix, and the impact you aimed to achieve with them?
Jessica Audiffred: Regarding drops, I always think about the sound design and how to blend multiple noisy sounds that make coherence between them.
When I use Serum, I start tweaking knobs and then when I have a good sound I convert that to audio and I begin layering that with other sounds from different libraries or even other basses from another sound design session.
Once I have the correct sounds, I just start moving them from here to there to make a solid bouncy rhythm and the rest is history.
iEDM: As someone who has collaborated with many other bass artists and toured extensively, how does your experience and background contribute to the reinterpretation of Sullivan King's work on this remix album?
Jessica Audiffred: Every time I play with a different artist I feel inspired by their tracks, the sounds on them, their melodies, and other elements of their music. So when a show ends, I think maybe I should do this or that on the next song that I write.
That is why my songs sound different but also similar in the end. I always adapt the artist's music to my unique style.
iEDM: Your remix stands out as a mosh pit-primed tune! How do you envision the audience connecting with and experiencing the energy of your remix in a live setting?
Jessica Audiffred: I already played my remix a couple of times, and this one is perfect for mosh pits. It makes people rowdy!
iEDM: LAYZ, what would you say are the biggest sonic differences between the original “Fall Apart” and your remix of it?
LAYZ: For all of my songs, I strive to incorporate organic thunderstorm FX that I record outside, and my “Fall Apart” remix is no different.
Throughout the drops, I went in a more heavy direction, rather than the melodic route on the original song.
iEDM: As someone who has rapidly become a fan-favorite in the bass scene, how did you approach remixing “Fall Apart,” considering its heavy, new-age sound?
LAYZ: This was my first time writing a song at 130 BPM, so it took a while to adjust and find a rhythm since I usually write at 150 BPM.
I love a challenge and this was fun to experiment with! I am really happy with how the final turned out!
iEDM: How did your live performance experiences influence the production choices you made while working on your remix for this album? Were you aiming for a certain energy level when making this rendition?
LAYZ: My favorite part about dubstep shows is the high energy I always see and feel from the crowd. I always aim for my music to match that!
iEDM: Can you share insights into the sound components and techniques you incorporated to ensure your remix stands out while complementing the overall theme of the album?
LAYZ: I used my go-to basses, fills, and drums to give it that LAYZ touch. I love the energy throughout the Thrones Of Blood album, so my main goal was to match its energy.
iEDM: Listening back to it, what soundscape or part of your “Fall Apart” remix are you most drawn to, and why?
LAYZ: The first drop is definitely my favorite part of my remix! Every time I played this remix out, the crowd always had a great reaction to that drop!
iEDM: SIPPY, your remix of “Watch The Crown Fall” takes its audience on a psychedelic, raging adventure! What inspired your creative choices in transforming the original, and how did you inject your distinctive style into it?
SIPPY: With most songs and remixes, usually I just get into the flow and the result comes about naturally. The biggest thing was that I wanted to make the “SIPPY version” of this song. I thought to myself, “If this was my song, how would I have written it?”
As far as injecting my specific style into it, mostly sound design cultivated the remix into something that aligns with my project, such as the heavy bass throughout.
iEDM: Having transitioned from a supporting act to headlining shows globally, how did your journey and experiences shape your approach to remixing “Watch The Crown Fall” for this album?
SIPPY: I never really take my past experiences or come-up in the bass scene into consideration when I am writing. I simply write what feels right creatively at that moment for me.
This song is definitely banger material, primed for playing out and headbanging to.
I am more in that headspace now that I am traveling, touring, and headlining shows around the world. This has influenced me to cater some of my songs for these live performances.
But still, I wouldn’t say it is too far off something I would have written back in Australia.
iEDM: What would you say is the overall vibe of your “Watch The Crown Fall” remix? Can you share insights into the sonic elements and production techniques you used to convey this vibe?
SIPPY: The remix is in the 170-174 bpm range, so at that half-time drum & bass tempo.
However, all the sound design and drop feels like an allusion to the old brostep era, especially some of the fills. The drums are a bit more in that realm as well, which helps convey the brostep vibe.
iEDM: How did you balance maintaining the integrity of the original track while infusing your signature sound to deliver a powerful bass-heavy rendition?
SIPPY: I kept most of the structure of the original the same. There were a few spaces and sections that were a bit longer, which I cut short.
I was going to create a second drop but after a couple of attempts it just didn’t feel right, so I kept it similar to the original with one drop throughout.
A lot of the drum elements from the original are the same. I kept Sullivan King’s guitar solo as well. I absolutely love it, and the solo is such an awesome moment in the track!
iEDM: How do you think this remix will be fused into your live sets? Is there a specific venue, atmosphere, or point during a set that you can see it being the perfect fit for?
SIPPY: This remix has been in my live set for quite a long time now. I usually play it during the last 10–15 minutes of my set when I am kicking things up to drum & bass.
I love utilizing it as a transition from dubstep and the 140-150 BPM area to the 170s range.
It was something I wasn’t super confident about when I initially wrote it, but seeing how people reacted to it live made me feel great! I loved how much people connected to it and enjoyed it, without even knowing the song yet.
I specifically remember how cool it was when I played this remix at Lost Lands earlier this year.
iEDM: As a female artist making an impact in the bass music and dubstep scene, how do you perceive the current landscape for women in the industry, and what challenges or opportunities do you see?
Jessica Audiffred: We have come a long way. We are now headlining shows everywhere and getting our artistic vision out into the world.
I feel like it is a domino effect. You see a female act you look up to and get inspired. You then start your own journey. People eventually look up to you and get inspired to follow a similar path that you did.
The more females playing festivals, the more our presence in the scene will continue to flourish.
LAYZ: I am starting to see more women on lineups and I love it!
The scene is not where it should be for female representation, but we are getting closer and closer every year.
SIPPY: This is a tough one because I could spend a whole hour discussing the topic. The current landscape for women is very different from when I first started. It is met with less prejudice than there was as I was coming up in the scene, which I am really happy to see.
Women in electronic music are being taken a lot more seriously now than they were a few years ago. There is still a ceiling that is put on female artists’ influence, so we still have a long way to go.
In most rooms I walk into, I feel a sense of respect, but there are occasionally others where I still experience prejudice, even today. However, we are moving in the right direction.
In terms of opportunities, a ton more promoters, managers, and labels are recognizing the need to diversify their lineups and rosters. The challenge that comes with this is that some lock in the same female artists into specific slots, which can be difficult for rising ones to climb up the ranks.
Another obstacle is continuing to try to push through the stigmas that have been built off of earlier females in the industry who maybe haven’t had a holistic approach to this career. As women, we want to keep pushing for all of us to be up to that standard.
The biggest issue, where a lot more emphasis needs to be put, is in teaching and mentoring women in the industry. Many do not have support, and it can be tough to connect with a group of like-minded producers who will mentor them and take them in.
Sometimes it can be a bit of a boys' club, which might have stigmas or misconceptions pointed towards female artists. Education, mentoring, and opportunity are all extremely important if female producers want to keep growing as a whole and individually.
iEDM: In representing women in electronic music, how do you hope your contributions, especially through projects like the remix album, influence and inspire other aspiring female artists in the genre?
Jessica Audiffred: I get inspired by so many women every day. Especially Latinas because I know we have grown up in a similar context. To me, that is special.
I loved connecting with artists through melodies, lyrics, visual styles, and the list goes on. Hopefully, I can be an inspiration to other females as well.
LAYZ: I hope I can set an example for aspiring female artists that you can achieve your dream goals. The only person stopping you from achieving your goals is YOU!
This all started as a dream, fast-forward to now and this is my full-time job. I am now getting opportunities I have always dreamed of – such as this remix!
SIPPY: I don’t think about this often, but I do understand that it is very significant. There are artists on all different levels across electronic music who message me, either asking me for advice or thanking me for inspiring them.
In terms of my contributions, the major thing I hope for is to continue to inspire other female artists and show them that they can make it and deserve to be at the level they are aiming to reach.
Another big part is showing other people in the industry, particularly males, that we know what we are doing. We are very competent, capable, and confident.
We are skilled artists as well and have earned the right to be where we are. I want to influence them to take us a bit more seriously than they sometimes do.
Essentially, I hope the path that I am currently walking on becomes easier for the female artists who will follow behind me. Just as some have done before me. I believe this will help create a better structure and support system for women in electronic music.
As a result, they will be able to focus on the elements that matter most, which is their creativity in music writing and performance.
FOLLOW JESSICA AUDIFFRED: SPOTIFY | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | X
FOLLOW LAYZ: SPOTIFY | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | X
FOLLOW SIPPY: SPOTIFY | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | X
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