It's your boy Lab here... I've been a bit quiet recently so thought I would drop in and say hi!
It's been a whirlwind of excitement since we last spoke and I feel dizzy just talking about it! I've put my first album out Electronic Earth which went in at No.2, which was a huge achievement for me and my team... and a big shout out to Team Lab for all their hard work. Between all the madness I'm prepping to release my next single off the album next week. Express Yourself is the next single and it just spells out summer for me and I can definitely feel everything ramping up for the festival season!
This last week I have been taking part in the Olympic Torch Relay as part of Coca Cola's 'Future Flames' initiative. I have passed through some key places in the South West including Taunton, Cheltenham and Bristol and and I gotta say the vibe has been incredible! It's mad how many people have been out to show their support and how excited people get when they see the torch coming through their town! Until you are involved in something like this you don't really understand how patriotic our people really can be! The sun has been blazing down on us and it makes me feel very blessed to be part of it all. I reckon the sun makes everyone a lot happier and I have to say despite all the rough times our country has seen over the last 12 months it's weeks like this when people are coming together, smiling and being excited to be part of something positive for their town/city etc that it almost seems to good to be true! It's been madness - some of the streets have been so rammed they are full to the brim and our vehicle can't get through!
The Future Flames idea is sick... and something that I feel really strongly about. It takes young kids from different parts of the country that are really doing great things for their area - these kids are pushing positivity despite the issues or problems that life has thrown at them. These kids have used their passions to inspire others and having met some of them - its pretty humbling. They have all done amazing things and it just really drills down to what it's all about.
These youngsters are our heroes of tomorrow and I feel very lucky to be involved with such a thing.
I have been performing at all of these different places and it's been nice to see so many people knowing my music! I've seen a lot of families out there in the crowd dancing along to my beats in the sun and that makes me smile!
I gotta be honest - although I was of course stoked to be taking part in all of this - since I've been on the road the energy has just been insane and it's taken it to a whole new level. The feeling is just infectious and I have to say it makes you feel on top of the world. I was a bit nonchalant about the Olympics... I was like "yeah its cool and that" but now I feel properly excited about this huge event that we have coming to our city. I think it's almost like the glue that we needed to stick everything back together after the hell this city has been through recently... let's hope it's a damn strong glue and it holds us together for a while, hey!
My only worry of the whole situation - as I have mentioned in previous blogs - is that I just hope all of this is sustainable for Hackney as a community. I do sometime feel like they've just picked up this huge sprawling metropolis and plonked it in the middle of what really in some pockets of the area - is still somewhat of a deprived and struggling community. I hope the glitz and glamour of the Olympic games has helped to put my little home town on the map and that when all the excitement is over and the fun has been had - that people still remember that the Hackney residents have to carry on as they did before. I hope the support continues and we stay blessed.
It's been a whirlwind of excitement and I feel dizzy just talking about it! But I gotta concentrate, get back in the studio and do some cramming as I gotta single out next week! If you haven't already heard the track the check out my Express Yourself video here for some summer vibes to start your week off with.
Chat soon - take it easy people. Lab x