LIL C: COMMUNITY AS MUSE

Throughout history, the figure of the muse has long been documented. Originating in ancient Greek mythology with the 9 muse goddesses, the muse was a source for inspiration; a conduit through which an artist found motivation, creativeness and their vision. In art, music and design, the muse has continued to be an important concept that has maintained its resonance throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. From French painter Édouard Manet’s muse Victorine Meurent to Californian designer Rick Owens’ wife and muse Michèle Lamy, the muse continues to embody a personal sense of inspiration through connection.

Celebrating the launch of the Nike Air Max Muse, an all-new silhouette for women, END. connected with London-based DJ and broadcaster, Lil C, to speak about her inspirations and muses.  A founding member of DJ crew Prestige Pak and the host of Pum Pum Power Hour on NTS Radio, Lil C has built her name over the past ten years, seamlessly blending dancehall, reggaeton, bashment and afrobeats to an ever-expanding audience.

A key figure in London’s party scene, Lil C’s infectious approach to DJing has rightfully positioned her as a mainstay of the capital’s independent radio culture. Having cut her teeth on Brixton’s Reprezent Radio, the illustrious selector has spent the past decade building an extensive network of musicians, DJs and party organisers, finding inspiration in their passion and energy. Commenting on muses, Lil C said “on my personal muses across culture, it is hard to attribute that to a single person. I’ve got to give a lot of love to a lot of people here. I’ve been really fortunate that I get to travel with what I do, and I’ve got to go to places across the globe and connect with people who feel the same or think the same. We all run on a similar frequency and that’s a really beautiful thing.” Further reflecting on the people she has struck a connection with, she commented, “I think we all inspire each other to hold space for people to come together and just cut loose a bit. Times are pretty tough, the world is feeling quite intense, and it feels like a joy to get to provide spaces for people to just bring some lightness into the life that we all get to live and sharing that with each other.”

It's this feeling of connectedness with her wider network of DJs and producers that drives Lil C and her creative endeavours. “The people who I really feel are doing great work all over the place are DJs and producers: OK Williams, Sippin’ T, DRYBABE, Half Queen over in New Zealand, a lot of my friends who run SLIPMODE in Milan, people in Paris, like all over the place,” said Lil C, “There’s an artist called Tokischa who is amazing and makes music that I wake up every day and listen to because it gets me galvanised and gives me the energy I need to get through the day.”

Through speaking with Lil C, it’s clear that her passion is rooted in cultivating a sense of community, drawing inspiration in those close to herself and finding motivation through this connection. “I think we're coming into an era where there's a need for the idea of community; people want to feel connected. So, even if it is an individual that they focus on, that individual is usually part of a wider community. If you look at football players, they are quite a good example of people who were looked up to, the same as models in the ‘90s and ‘00s. But now I think people look at either musicians or people who are good at things and are masters of what they do as inspirations,” ruminated Lil C. “But those people who are at the front pay a lot of attention to highlighting the communities that they come from and the wider things that they are connected into. I feel like we just live in a time where people are looking for connection, whether that's in real life or online. People want to connect as they are feeling quite lonely and isolated, so a way to do that is via being inspired by things that you like. I think that always comes with being set as a part of a wider thing. However, individual human beings will always be the thing that you're like, wow, that's really amazing and I like what you do. So, I think that's why it will always be an important thing.”