RB Exclusive Interview: Bringin’ the Heat With Betsie Larkin

If you haven’t heard of Betsie Larkin since the last time we did a piece on her, before her show at Talking Stick Resort, you might have heard the buzz of her electric performance swarming the corners of the EDM world; even if you think you haven’t, she has the multi-talented ability to also lend her vocals to tracks, a privy to having her work touched by the great Armin Van Buuren, and a sleek knowledge of production values mixed with a set of impressive pipes that can sling any hook. Although Larkin is accustomed to the musical world of performing live, she brought her best game in the form of a rad DJ set that definitely left a powerful impression. Relentless Beats is sitting down with Betsie Larkin to get the full scoop in the day of a life:

You just came off from your “Release” show at Talking Stick Resort; how did you vibe with the Arizona crowd opposed to some of the other cities you have toured?

I had a lot of fun at Release – it was a baking hot day, so it was great to see people leaving the comfort of the pool to dance in front of the booth. I loved the lazy Summer vibe and it was fun to play some of the groovier tunes to fit the desert backdrop.

Armin van Buuren presents Rising Star feat. Betsie Larkin – Again

Armin Van Buuren gave a remix to your song that was released together with his Rising Star alias, Again, where you laid down vocals for the track as well. What kind of musical experience do you achieve having experience with being both behind the boards and behind the mic?

That’s an interesting question – it is a unique experience when I play my own vocal material in my DJ sets. The fact is, so many clubs aren’t set up for vocals so it’s pretty cool that I get to perform them through the medium of DJing. I usually just try to forget that it’s my song and appreciate it as a piece of music, as I do with the other tunes that I play. Of course getting a good reaction from the crowd and seeing them sing along always makes me feel good!

One of your earlier tracks with Ferry Corsten, Made Of Love, shows a lot of progression in your sound and where you came from up until 2016: has anything specifically changed in your vocal delivery or “goals” of production you wanted your brand to be since 2009?

I still view Made of Love as a little gift from the music gods. As an idea, it just landed in my lap. All of the words, meaning and melodies took very little work. I’m still proud of what that song conveys melodically and lyrically. These days I’m a little better at self-editing and consciously deciding what a song or a lyric needs… that said, there’s a lot of luck in what I do.

Ferry Corsten feat Betsie Larkin – Made Of Love

Although we have seen many collaborations, as well as frequent releases of your radio show, do you find that you prefer working alone, or jamming with other artists to get the best ideas out of your brain?

I was in a band when I started out, and that pushed me toward wanting to do more solo. Doing so much solo work made me want to do more with others. At this point in time, I think I’m still on the collaboration kick. There’s nothing better than being on the same page with other musicians and having double the good ideas. It probably has a lot to do with working with people who are cool and encouraging as well.

Lastly, we want to say, thank you for not only giving us an awesome set down in Scottsdale, but we also want to ask a light question to end the interview: what are you currently bingewatching right now on Netflix/Any streaming site?

I just finished Cooked, Michael Pollan’s mini-series on Netflix – amazing if you’re a food nerd. I also watch Miyazaki films when life gets too intense. He’s an Oscar-winning animated film director from Japan who just sees the world through a beautiful lens. I’ve watched and rewatched many of his films. Check out Spirited Away or Howl’s Moving Castle if you want to start with the popular ones.

It was a pleasure sitting down with the femme fatale force of nature known to us as Betsie Larkin. Keep an eye on her Soundcloud for more upcoming editions of “Larke Radio,” as well as hopefully catching more of her next time she tours around the west coast. We at RB can gladly confirm to you that Betsie Larkin is here to bring us a musical force to revitalize her genre. 

Connect With Betsie Larkin: Facebook | Official Website | Twitter | Soundcloud