2011 is an important year for vocalist/songwriter, Betsie Larkin. Having already released “You Belong To Me,” with Producer Bobina, and being voted the future favorite on Armin van Buuren’s “A State of Trance,” there are no signs of slowing down. Betsie’s work in electronic dance music has been a whirlwind ever since her first collaboration, “Made of Love,” skyrocketed to the top of dance charts worldwide reaching the top 40 pop charts in Europe. As one of the most sought after voices in dance music, Betsie has had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the genre’s top producers.
2011 promises the release of her first solo EDM album on Black Hole Recordings/Premier, which will feature collaborations with producers hand-picked by Betsie. Additionally, she is contributing two tracks to the artist album of Ireland’s number one DJ, John O’Callaghan (Armada/April 2011). Also on the horizon is her collaboration with Super8 & Tab, “Good Times,” from their critically acclaimed album, Empire.
USTM: Hello Betsie, How are you doing? Looks like summer is over here in NY! How did it treat you?
Betsie Larkin: Hi! Doing really well! It’s nice to be moving into the Fall. The Summer is always a bit oppressive in the city, but I was lucky to escape for a handful of shows and vacation. Having the album come out here at the end is the best of it. Lots to celebrate!
USTM: Your single “All We Have Is Now” is one of my favorites, and is in the run for tune of the year! Can you tell us a bit more about the meaning behind the track, and what it means to you personally?
Betsie Larkin: Thank you so much – that’s very nice to hear! I actually wrote three versions of “All We Have Is Now” before deciding on the current melody. I had to write a song with this message…I think that enjoying life is something that has to be done at the momentary level. If you’re waiting for something to happen to be happy, you will never get there. I wrote this song to remind myself to be present and appreciate what’s here now.
USTM: Did you come up with the lyrics to all songs on the album yourself, or do you write the lyrics with the DJs? Where do you get your inspiration from when writing lyrics?
Betsie Larkin: I wrote all of the lyrics on the album and pretty much always write the lyrics to songs that I sing. I write mostly about relationships (e.g. “Save This Moment” and “You Belong To Me”) and a mix of philosophy and spirituality (e.g. “Made of Love” and “All We Have Is Now”). I try to be as clear as possible and resist the urge to be overly poetic at the expense of relating to my listeners. It’s important that I’m able to express myself and also be understood.
USTM: Any upcoming events to celebrate the release?
Betsie Larkin: Yes! I have two shows in Argentina next week and will be performing the first single from the album as well as the next one, “The Dream,” which was produced by John O’Callaghan. Sied van Riel is also booked and we may just have to share our collab from the album, “The Offering.
USTM: What three people have influenced your music career? And how have they influenced you to get where you are today?
Betsie Larkin: Truthfully, there are more than three, but the following people really contributed to me being where I am. The first is my first real boyfriend. He was a guitarist/songwriter and thought we would go all the way with our band… We didn’t, but he was the one who made me believe that I could have a serious career in music. The second is a friend, Jon D’Uva, who engineers/produces almost all of my vocal tracks. He recorded my first solo material on spec and it led to many of the opportunities that I have now. The third is Ferry Corsten who almost single-handedly made me known to the trance audience. He was always very generous in sharing the credit with me and has encouraged me to do more in this space. I’m really lucky to have crossed paths with these guys.
USTM: Can you tell USTM something exclusive, that we are the first to know?
Betsie Larkin: Hmm… How’s this – I have a half-naked picture of Bjork hanging in my apartment. Needless to say, I’m a big fan… of her music!
USTM: Thank you for taking your time Betsie, Looking forward to see you again really soon! All the best for the rest of 2011 and future.
Betsie Larkin: Thanks so much for letting me share about the album! All the best to you and your readers!
Electronic Dance Music is definitely on rise in America. Trance and people like Betsie and Ferry are leading the way