Lee Ann Roberts has spent her career turning pressure into precision. Born in Durban and shaped by a childhood where survival came before self-expression, she found in techno a language for things she didn’t yet have words for. What started as an obsession with records and a radio slot on Cape Town’s Mutha FM became a decade-long build through modelling campaigns, Los Angeles studio sessions, and a catalogue that’s carried her from Suara to her own imprint, NowNow Records.
Her new EP, TAKE CONTROL, marks the point where that build sharpens into a statement. “The title came from a period where I felt like I needed to reconnect with myself and take ownership of the direction my life was heading,” she says. Across six tracks, psytrance tension and hard techno pressure sit against emotional vocals, tracing a sound she describes as returning to her own instincts rather than chasing what the room wants. It’s the kind of momentum that has been a long time coming, built on years of peak-time sets and a refusal to let noise dictate the work.
Ahead of the EP’s release, Roberts sat down with 1883 for 18 questions on grief, resilience, and what it means to build a life on her own terms.
1. What’s the first thing you usually do when you wake up, whether you’re at home or somewhere on the road?
The first thing I do is my affirmations and meditation. It’s become a really important part of my routine since January, especially with how busy and unpredictable life and touring can be. It helps me start the day feeling grounded and intentional before I get pulled into everything that’s happening around me. I also don’t check my phone for at least 45 minutes after waking up, which has honestly been a game changer. No matter where I am in the world, it’s something I try to stay consistent with.
2. Where do you feel most at peace when life and touring become overwhelming?
Nature… without a doubt. Growing up in South Africa gave me a deep connection to the bush, and whenever life gets overwhelming, that’s where I feel most grounded. Whether it’s the ocean, a forest, or just somewhere quiet, it helps me reconnect with myself. Since moving to Lisbon, I’ve also put a lot of effort into creating a calm, peaceful home environment. When you’re constantly travelling, having a space that feels safe and grounding becomes really important, and Lisbon has been such a healing and calming place for me.
3. What’s something people often assume about you that couldn’t be further from the truth?
Assumptions are the mother of all fuck-ups. People think they know who you are from social media or from afar, but that’s only a tiny part of the picture. At the end of the day, you should never judge a book by its cover… people are always far more complex than they seem. So I don’t really spend too much time worrying about what people assume. But if I had to pick one thing, it’s probably that people assume I’m naturally outgoing all the time. The truth is I’m actually pretty shy. I can be very extroverted at times, but I think that’s often something I’ve learned to do to compensate. Once I’m comfortable, I’m great, but naturally I’m much more reserved than people expect.
4. If you weren’t making music today, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
That’s a difficult one because music has become such a huge part of who I am. But I think I’d probably still be doing something creative or entrepreneurial. I’ve always been driven to build things and create opportunities for myself. Having said that, if I wasn’t in music, I could definitely have seen myself becoming a lawyer or going into criminology. I’ve always been someone who likes to ask questions, challenge things and fight for what I believe is right.
5. What’s one quality you’ve developed over the years that you’re most grateful for?
Resilience. Life has thrown a lot at me over the years, and I’ve had to learn how to keep moving forward through difficult situations. It’s probably the quality that’s shaped me the most.
6. When was the last time you felt completely out of your comfort zone?
Moving to Lisbon recently. Starting over in a new country, setting everything up from scratch and building a new routine definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. But I’ve learned that growth usually happens when you’re uncomfortable. As challenging as it’s been at times, it’s also been incredibly rewarding. Lisbon has been such a healing and positive chapter for me, and I can honestly say it was worth every uncomfortable moment.
7. What’s one thing you’ve become better at saying no to?
Things that don’t align with who I am or where I want to go. Earlier in my career, I said yes to almost everything because I was afraid opportunities wouldn’t come again. Now I’ve learned that saying no is often just as important as saying yes.
8. What keeps you motivated after achieving goals that once felt impossible?
The fact that growth never really ends. Every time I achieve something I once dreamed about, I realise there’s still so much more to learn, experience and create. These days I’m motivated less by achievements and more by becoming the best version of myself.
9. You’ve spoken before about growing up in South Africa and feeling like creative expression wasn’t something that was encouraged. Looking back now, how much of your drive comes from proving to yourself that you could build a different life?
A huge amount of it. Looking back, I think a lot of my drive came from wanting to see what I was capable of and how far I could push myself. Growing up in South Africa, a career in music didn’t necessarily feel like the obvious path, so building a life around it has been incredibly rewarding. It was never really about proving anyone wrong; it was about proving to myself that with enough hard work and belief, I could create a life that felt true to who I am and achieve anything I set my mind on, no matter what the circumstances.
10. There was a point where modelling was opening doors for you internationally. Was there a specific moment when you realised music wasn’t just a passion anymore but the thing you wanted to dedicate your life to?
Yes, there was. When I moved to Los Angeles for modelling, I reconnected with a friend I’d met in South Africa who is a producer from Houston. I originally went there to spend some time on his turntables, but we ended up spending two weeks in the studio together and made two tracks, “Sensational Lies” and “The Subliminal.” That was the moment everything clicked for me. Up until then, music had always been a passion, working in radio and so forth, but after those two weeks I remember thinking, “Oh my God, this is what I want to do with my life.” From that point on, I never really looked back.
11. In several interviews you’ve described techno as something that helped you process difficult experiences. Do you think music saved you in some ways?
Yes, I do. Music gave me an outlet when I didn’t always have the words to explain or express what I was feeling. It gave me purpose, direction and a way to channel emotions that otherwise could have stayed buried. I don’t know where I’d be without it.
12. You’ve been very open about losing your mother to addiction. Has your relationship with that loss changed as you’ve gotten older, or is it something you still find yourself processing today?
Time changes your relationship with grief, but it doesn’t remove it. To be honest, I still haven’t fully processed losing her. Sometimes I’m not even sure I’ve started. Due to the circumstances and everything surrounding it, it’s been a lot for me to process and even hold. As time has gone by, though, I’ve started to develop more compassion for the situation and a deeper understanding of how complex addiction really is. I’m still trying to make sense of a lot of things, but there is also a lot that I’ll simply never know. I think there’s still a long road ahead, but I’m getting there.
13. Your new EP TAKE CONTROL feels like a statement rather than just a collection of tracks. What was happening personally and creatively that inspired that title?
The title came from a period where I felt like I needed to reconnect with myself and take ownership of the direction my life was heading. Personally, there were a lot of changes happening, and creatively I felt it was time to stop looking outward and start trusting my own instincts again. More than anything, it was about returning to my authentic self and being honest about who I am, both as an artist and as a person. TAKE CONTROL became much bigger than a track title… it became the theme of an entire chapter of my life.
14. The project introduces what feels like a more defined fusion of psytrance tension, hard techno energy and emotional vocals. Did you consciously set out to evolve your sound, or did it happen naturally?
A bit of both. It happened consciously and naturally at the same time. Consciously in the sense that I wanted to go back to the core of who I am, what I’ve always believed in and the music that has genuinely resonated with me throughout my life. I wanted to create something that felt authentic and representative of me as an artist rather than chasing trends or jumping on bandwagons. At the same time, it happened naturally because psytrance has always been part of my DNA, growing up in the South African psytrance scene, and techno became the language I learned to express myself through. This EP felt like allowing those worlds to coexist naturally and creating something that feels true to both my roots and where I am today.
15. Hard techno has exploded over the last few years and attracted both huge support and criticism. As someone often placed at the centre of that conversation, how do you view the current state of the scene?
I think every genre goes through cycles. Growth brings new energy, new audiences and new opportunities, but it also brings challenges. For me, the most important thing is authenticity. Trends will come and go, but artists who genuinely love the music, understand its history and continue evolving will always have longevity. One thing I think is important is respecting where the music came from. There are so many incredible artists who helped shape the scene long before it became as popular as it is today. Understanding that history gives you a deeper appreciation for the culture and the music itself. I try not to spend too much time focusing on the noise and instead focus on contributing something meaningful.
16. You’ve said before that you don’t like following trends. In a genre where sounds can become fashionable almost overnight, how do you know when you’re making music for yourself rather than for an audience?
It’s usually a feeling. If I’m sitting in the studio trying to second-guess what people want, the music almost always suffers. The tracks I’m most proud of are the ones where I stop thinking and trust my instincts. Ironically, those are often the records people connect with the most.
17. Through NowNow Records you’ve created your own platform and community. What have been the biggest lessons about leadership and responsibility that come with running a label?
Leadership isn’t about control, it’s about creating opportunities for other people to grow and giving artists a platform to express themselves. Running a label has taught me the importance of communication, trust and consistency. It’s also taught me that building a community is far more valuable than building a brand. The relationships you create are what last.
18. After everything you’ve overcome, from your childhood to building an international career on your own terms, what would success look like for Lee Ann Roberts five years from now — not professionally, but personally?
Personally, success would be feeling truly at peace with who I am. Having a healthy balance between my career and my personal life. Continuing to grow as a person, staying connected to the people I love and creating a life that feels aligned with my values. I’ve spent a lot of years chasing goals, and while I still have plenty of ambitions, I think real success is being able to enjoy the life you’ve worked so hard to build.
Ep TAKE CONTROL comes out 24 July, follow via @leeann_roberts
Photography Nik Mueller
