“Talent is everywhere. Access isn’t.” – Alex Kenning
This week, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life Foundation heads to Nepal for the next chapter of our Get Equipped programme, working alongside our partners at the Girls’ Learning & Empowerment Centre in Devchuli to create new opportunities through music, technology and creative expression.
Joining us for the first time is Alex Kenning, better known as Lex Luca, an award-winning podcast and radio producer, DJ, music producer and all-round music industry powerhouse.
And while this might be his first LNADJ adventure, he’s already been hard at work behind the scenes.
From Radio 1 to Nepal
With 20 years of experience across some of the UK’s most influential music platforms, Alex has built an impressive career doing what he loves.
He spent over a decade at BBC Radio 1 producing specialist shows for the likes of Pete Tong, Gilles Peterson, Judge Jules and B.Traits, alongside working with artists including Roger Sanchez.
As Lex Luca, he’s released music on labels including Nervous, Snatch!, VIVa and Cr2, and DJed everywhere from Ibiza to Tokyo and Colombia.
He also runs OpenDAW’s songwriting camps, hosts the OpenDAW Talks podcast and weekly In Tune radio show, and sits on the Executive Board of the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM), helping shape the future of the electronic music community.
Now he’s bringing that wealth of experience to Nepal, where he’ll be supporting the development of something pretty special.
More Than Just a Studio
Working alongside our Nepal-based partner DJ Deepak, Alex has been coordinating the technical design, equipment and layout of two new creative spaces at the Girls’ Learning & Empowerment Centre.
The plans include four music production workstations and a dedicated podcast and filming studio, complete with the tools needed to record, produce, edit and share original content.
Alex will be on the ground helping oversee the installation and setup, while delivering practical workshops in podcasting, recording and music production.
Alongside fellow volunteer Jane Reeves, there’ll also be opportunities to explore how vocals, songwriting and production can come together creatively.
But the most exciting part isn’t simply what’s being built. It’s what happens next.
The equipment and facilities will remain at the Centre, supporting ongoing learning with Nepalese producers and educators, and giving the girls the opportunity to develop their own ideas, skills and creative projects over time.
Ahead of his first LNADJ adventure, we caught up with Alex to find out what inspired him to get involved, why creative access matters and which record helped shape his musical journey.
This is your first trip with LNADJ. What made you say yes to joining us in Nepal?
“When Jonny came to me, told me about the project and invited me to be part of it, it was a no-brainer.
Music has been a fundamental part of my life for as long as I can remember. From playing the violin and drums as a kid, to discovering dance music and starting to DJ in my early teens, and then forging a career doing the things I love, producing dance music shows at Radio 1, releasing music on some of my favourite labels and DJing around the world.
Music, for me, is a way of expressing myself, and it’s given me pretty much everything in my adult life – an amazing career, lifelong friendships and incredible adventures.
So when I learned about the plans to build music production and podcast studios at the Girls’ Learning & Empowerment Centre, it immediately felt like somewhere I could be genuinely useful.”
You’ve already played a big part in designing the new music production and podcast studios. What are you most excited about seeing come to life when you get there?
“I think the thing I’m most looking forward to is seeing the studios actually being used.
We’ve spent the last few months thinking about the practical side, the equipment, the layout, the acoustics and how everything needs to work, but ultimately it’s all there for one reason: so the girls have a space where they can make things, experiment and express themselves.
I’m really looking forward to that first moment when someone sits down at one of the workstations, starts making music, picks up a microphone or records something for the first time. That’s when it stops being a plan on paper and becomes something real.
And I love that we don’t really know yet what will come out of it. It could be music, podcasts, interviews, stories, hopefully things none of us have even thought of yet.
I’m excited for it to grow over time, the girls becoming confident and self-sufficient with the equipment, then passing those skills on to others. That’s where the real ripple effect starts, because the impact of the studio can keep growing long after we’ve left.”
You work across music production, radio and podcasting. What do you hope the girls can take away from the workshops and new studio spaces?
“More than anything, confidence.
Technology is obviously part of it, and I want them to come away knowing how to use the equipment and make things for themselves, but the bigger thing is understanding that these are tools they can use to express an idea.
A microphone gives you the ability to tell a story. Music production gives you a way of taking something that only exists in your head and turning it into something other people can hear.
I’d love the girls to experiment, make mistakes, collaborate and discover what they enjoy doing. Some might want to make music, some might want to present, interview people, engineer sessions or create podcasts.
If somebody walks into the studio thinking, ‘I don’t know how to do this,’ and walks out thinking, ‘Actually, I could make something here myself,’ then I think we’ve achieved something really valuable.”
A big part of Get Equipped is creating something that continues long after our visits. Why is that so important to you?
“For me, the real success is creating something that people there can take ownership of.
That means making the studios simple, practical and sustainable, but also sharing enough knowledge that the girls and the local team feel confident using them without needing somebody from the UK there to make things happen.
Talent is everywhere. Access isn’t.
Music has given me so much in my own life, honestly, I don’t know where I’d be without it, so being able to share some of the skills, knowledge and experience I’ve picked up along the way feels really meaningful.
The important thing is that the girls are empowered to decide what they want to create with it. If they can use the space to make music, record podcasts, tell their own stories and then pass those skills on to the next group, they start creating something that belongs to them and can keep growing over time.
If, further down the line, we hear a track they’ve made or a podcast they’ve recorded in the studio, that would feel like a real success.”
And finally, we have to ask: what’s one record that changed or saved your life?
Laurent Garnier – The Man With The Red Face.
“I remember hearing a friend play the full-length vinyl version at a small club in Soho in 2000 and it just completely stopped me in my tracks.
I’ve always loved music, and was already DJing by then, but there was something about that record, the build, the emotion, the way it worked on a dancefloor, that really cemented my love for dance music.
I remember he played it, and came onto the dancefloor and danced with the crowd… It was an epic moment!
It’s one of those records I can still hear now and immediately remember that feeling. It definitely played a part in sending me further down the path I’ve ended up taking with music.”
Building Something That Lasts 💛
From the dancefloors of Soho to the creative spaces of Devchuli, Alex’s story is a brilliant reminder of just how much music can shape a life.
Through Get Equipped, we’re working with our local partners to help create the infrastructure, resources and opportunities for young people to explore their creativity on their own terms.
It’s about more than equipment. It’s about access, confidence, ownership and the freedom to discover what’s possible.
And we’re incredibly grateful to Alex for giving his time, expertise and energy to help make this next chapter happen.
Alongside Jane Reeves, DJ Deepak and the team at the Girls’ Learning & Empowerment Centre, we can’t wait to see what comes out of these new creative spaces.
Because every girl should have the opportunity to explore her potential.
EVERY GIRL SHOULD. EVERY GIRL CAN. EVERY GIRL WILL.
Donate to Alex’s journey with us here
Learn more about our Get Equipped programme
Thank you, and as always, Big Love.
Team LNADJ x
