To describe LP Giobbi is to look at Rock N Roll with a Disco Soul draped in sequins cloaked in fog at a seance in the mountains of Oregon. She was trained in jazz piano at UC Berkeley before becoming a synth warrior goddess in Los Angeles. She uses her combined knowledge of music theory and sign wave creation to reach the enlightenment afforded by a cluster of inclusivity. Her weapons are charisma, spunk, fearlessness, DJ decks, blacks and whites, DAW systems, fields of sci-fi synthesizers, sequins, feathers and leopard print. And she is not afraid to use them.

Find her producing, engineering, playing jazz gigs wherever a piano lives, deejaying and booking shows at the W Hotel Los Angeles as Music Curator (where she recently opened up for the Billboard’s Next Big Sound showcase featuring Gallant), playing synth bass and deejaying for Madame Gandhi, and opening up for Sofi Tukker on their European and North American tour, where she throws down her self produced Afro-Cuban infused Piano House tracks with the added flair of the Korg M1 next to her CDJs.

MiLLENNiAL caught up with LP Giobbi to learn more about the release of her first two tracks on Animal Talk Records, the label brainchild of Sofi Tukker, taking the initiative to start her own genre called FEMMEHOUSE—worshipping the sacred feminine in all of us through her holy house beats.

Tell us about “These are your children.”

“These Are Your Children” pays homage to the ’90s club kids, going as far as sampling the voice of Michael Alig himself. One of my first loves is the piano house genre, so I used a Korg M1—the originator of the sound. The dark acid baseline—recorded on a modular system—contrasted with the carefree joy of the sample and piano loop makes for a great club track nostalgic of all the things we love from the ’90s.

Share your experience producing house beats with a piano loop.

After playing jazz for most of my life, the hardest part for me in learning house was learning to do more by doing less. I had to make my melodies, lines and chords “simpler” in a way—so you could feel them instead of intellectualizing them. The first house artist I went to see was Tornado Wallace at Public Works in San Francisco. I had absolutely no idea what the fuck was happening. Was he playing his own music? Other peoples’ music? Where was the music even coming from? Those little buttons and knobs? He was just one guy but there was so much sound.

I was studying jazz piano at UC Berkeley at the time and was blown away at how his music was speaking to my body instead of my mind. I was spending hours and hours every day studying theory—shit like why this scale works over this chord progression—which I realize now is so much like a science. Music was purely intellectual for me. So watching him lead people to this sort of euphoric revelry by skipping the science and speaking directly to their internal rhythms was the first wow moment for me. I was challenged in a way I hadn’t been by jazz. Producing house beats and piano loops forces me to just say what it is that I want to say, instead of “look how many notes at a time I can play quickly.” It takes me out of my head and forces me into my body. Ironically, that’s made me a better jazz player.

How would you describe your music vibe?

Rock n’ Roll with a Disco Soul. I like to combine those down and dirty bass lines with Afro-Cuban instruments/rhythms.

Explain what motivated you to make music.

I’ve been playing piano since 2nd grade. I was lucky enough to find a piano teacher who encouraged creativity over piano drills. Some days we would play bongos or just the inside of the grand piano. So the joy as a musician was there early. But what motivated me to produce was my feminism. I wanted to empower and amplify my own voice and art, and do the same for other women. Then the more I learned the history, the more I realized how little the scene reflected the original point of this thing.

House music was originally created by black, gay people and is now dominated by cis-, straight, white men. That doesn’t seem fair to me. So, I’m here to bring people joy via dance and to use any platform I end up with to help shine light on those that are marginalized, under-represented and forced into the dark corners of the industry. I’m working primarily with queer folks, women, people of color and anyone not getting a shot because of who or what they are not fitting with what’s been decided as the status quo.

Describe yourself as an artist.

If it makes me want to rip of my clothes, it’s a keeper. (Disclaimer: I have never literally ripped off my clothes, but if a track I’m working on makes me feel that same wild, ecstatic joy then I’m gonna keep pursuing it.)

Photos by Jordan Millington

What influences your unique and colorful fashion style?

I try and tap into my inner artist child by nurturing and exciting her with sequins, colors, disco balls and vibrancy. I often find that 8 year old girls and me are dressed similarly. If it makes me squeal then I’m gonna wear it.

Discuss Haus of Giobbi and your motivation behind it.

I found an amazing blouse in a vintage store years and years ago. It was my go-to when playing gigs and women always asked me where they could get it. It had a wild print with big shoulder pads and was oversized. I took those elements and started created them mostly because I was tired of only having one of them. It made me feel fucking fabulous and I realized that was a feeling that everyone deserved.

Share the message behind “Tits First”.

Forever ago, I called up my best friend (Hermixalot) and asked her if she would come with me to buy some CDJs I found on Craigslist. She was like, “What are CDJs?,” and I said “I think they’re the thing you use to DJ?” and then she was li “damn girl, you are so tits first. You just leap into everything you want to do without having a clue.” It’s how I live my life: leap and a net will appear.

Tell us about your ultimate goal with your music and blouses brand?

I had no natural ability to run DAW systems or work oscillators. But learning how to do it has given me control over my art and therefore my voice. I hope to be the visual representation that subconsciously or consciously makes a woman believe in her own abilities. And I want to make clothes that leave them feeling as fabulous as possible while doing whatever it is they are leaping tits first into.

What can we find you doing next?

I had the honor of setting up a partnership between Native Instruments and Santa Barbara Girls Rock camp so they can get the gear thy need to roll out their DJ program for the first time ever. And I’ll be going up to the camp for a few days to teach the first courses on sound design and DJing. After that I’m heading out on the road with Sofi Tukker for our Animal Talk club run, and then the European / US tour begins! I’ll also be sprinkling in some new releases.