Growing up listening to 90s R&B and hip-hop, Lois recalls bopping to Snoop Dog as one of her first memories of listening to music as a toddler. But from the age of five she moved onto something a bit more dexterous – playing classical piano. It when then she knew she had an affinity with music.
Image: Lois Rae/Instagram
“Music is a universal language that everyone can understand,” Lois told Audio. “It has the power to make you feel every emotion.
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“I love the way it brings people from all walks of life together and allows people to express themselves however they want, when words alone simply aren’t enough.”
She’s right – nothing quite compares to the way music can make you feel. It’s a lifeline for so many people, even more so in lockdown.
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Lois’s love affair with music has grown ever since touching that piano for the first time. But although she’s moved away from Snoop Dogg and classical piano (not something you usually hear in the same sentence), Lois has taken her music down a pop route these days – and it suits her well.
Now, she takes inspiration from strong, independent female role models with powerful voices, like R&B icons Alicia Keys, J.Lo and Ashanti. But Lois explains how she often finds inspiration in everyday life too. Things as simple as looking out the window at the Manchester skyline, trying new food or meeting somebody new she says can spark ideas. Spoken like a true creative.
But over the last year, Lois has been no stranger to the effects of the pandemic on the music industry. Of course, that hasn’t stopped her though. Whilst finding ways of adapting, she’s still grown as an artist. “COVID-19 has decimated parts of our industry. But seeing how people have diversified has been inspiring and made me proud to be a musician,” she said.
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“The virus has shone a light on the versatility, creativity and fighting spirit that the music industry possesses, against all odds. I truly think Manchester has led the way.
“Personally speaking, it’s meant I haven’t been able to gig live. But it has definitely made me push myself to be more inventive in other areas such as with social media. I have a whole home studio set up now too and it’s also given me time to write more which is something I love doing.”
Lois’s latest song, ‘THAT’S ME’, shares the same liberating attitude as her R&B predecessors. It’s a tribute to her independence and her own relationship with herself.
“‘THAT’S ME’ is all about not relying on anyone else for your own self-confidence and success,” she said.
“Right now, a lot of people aren’t feeling their best. So, I wanted to release something uplifting and empowering to remind people how important it is to love and celebrate themselves and their successes. I want THAT’S ME to make people feel confident and capable of anything.
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“I’m really excited for my first big body of work to finally be out there for the world to enjoy. I can’t wait to engage and connect with everyone who hears my music too!”
Whilst Lois Rae’s debut EP is out this March, her new single THAT’S ME is out on all platforms from today. Go and support your girl.
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Iconic Manc movie 24 Hour Party People is set to return to cinemas for its anniversary
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most iconic movies is set to return to the big screen next month.
Remastered in 4K and returning to UK cinemas to mark 24 years since its original release, Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 biographical comedy drama film, 24 Hour Party People, tells the story of Manchester‘s popular music community from 1976 to 1992 – specifically about Factory Records‘ founder Tony Wilson.
The film begins with the punk rock era of the late 1970s, before moving through the 1980s into the rave and DJ culture, and of course, the ‘Madchester‘ scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The narrative largely follows the career of Tony Wilson, played by Middleton-born actor Steve Coogan, while also covering the careers of the major Factory Records artists – especially Joy Division and New Order, as well as A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, and Happy Mondays.
If you haven’t seen 24 Hour Party People before, it’s a dramatisation based on a combination of real events, rumours, and urban legends, as the film is sure to make clear.
Coogan is joined by a cast by a mixture of big names and, at the time, rising stars like Paddy Considine, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, John Simm, Ralf Little, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, John Thomson, and even Peter Kay, alongside cameos from other figures connected to the Manchester music scene.
Before it returns to cinemas, the film will first open music and media festival/conference, Beyond The Music, at MediaCity in Salford on 6 October.
The screening at the festival will also be followed by a Q&A with Coogan, Winterbottom, and producer Andrew Eaton.
24 Hour Party People will then be re-released in UK cinemas from 9 October, and you can check your local cinema for screening times and book tickets online now.
Featured Image – Altitude
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An affordable club night with £4 doubles is coming to an iconic Manchester nightlife venue
Thomas Melia
One of Manchester’s most-famed nightlife venues is preparing to host an all-new affordable student club night every single week.
Manchester is already a clubbing haven, but now it’s about to receive a fresh face courtesy of events company Oops!
The club night has already seen massive success just over the Pennines hosting a weekly event in Leeds’ student hotspot Headingley every Saturday.
This time, Oops! has chosen none other than one of Manchester’s most iconic nightlife venues, Joshua Brooks, to host its affordable weekly night out.
Clubgoers can expect £4 double and mixer drinks as well as £2 shots and not one, but three rooms of music setting totally different vibes.
The basement is raver-ready with disco-tech and house to soundtrack your evening, the middle room has R&B and slow jams covered, while the top floor takes care of ‘Everything you pretend not to like’.
Oops! also runs in further Northern cities and receives a great reception, hosting nights every Friday in Newcastle and a previous stint in Liverpool too.
This club night company couldn’t contain their excitement revealing in a social media post: “Joshua Brooks is second to none when it comes to sound, production and its deep rooted history in the scene.
Hannah Starkie -
29th January 2021 
