Featured Venue
February
Juva
Talking to
MichaelJ Rossini
Michael: Hi Hobbit Louisa and Mrs Khewel - thank you so much for taking time out to do this interview with Toggle For Music. First up - Could you tell me something about your background and how you got involved in the crazy world of Second Life in the first place?
HS - I had a broken leg and can´t move so much so I was sitting on PC and saw Second Life so I download and start but after all was good I leave but come back because I love the creativity I can do here so I come back I start as dancer to host to club manager dj and model/ blogger MR. V♛ GERMANY 2014 - . MR. VW 2014 3rd Runner Up, ♛ Miss Wigstock 2014 ♛. Juve and me we know us long and he was my mentor by Miss Wigstock and so a friendship begins.... after years he becomes a dream of these venue we get a great time amazing live act and djs and here we are
LC – A colleague introduced me after reading about online opportunities for learning institutions to get involved in teaching. The 1st place I was taken to was Space Park, it captured my imagination, so I bought a spaceship and flew around SL visiting and learning about this ‘new’ world
MK - A friend had read an article about second life in the press and offered us to discover this world together
This month I had the pleasure of interviewing Louisa Camino, Juve Wheelwright-Wobbit, Hobbit Zenfold & Mrs Khewel Martin , co-owners of the wonderful Juva Entertainment venue- thank you so much for taking time out to do this interview with Toggle For Music. You are all invited to give your answers to each question. Please put your initials next to your answers so we know who is saying what...
Juve was unavailable for this interview. He & Hobbit had the vision of bringing all art that you can bring to SL into one place. A place without drama and trouble, just for fun and relaxing to feel the music. They created with some wonderful designers’ space for live acts, theatre productions, DJ’s, 3D art etc
Michael: In your early SL days did you plan - or even envisage - owning a successful music venue?
HS - Vanity was Years ago but RL needed a lot of time and other stuff need my attention, so I close...and now we back with a special club
LC – Not at all! I was busy creating spaces for people to live. I really enjoyed learning new skills understanding what was on the market and wowing people who had trusted me to furnish their homes.
MK - I have always wished and made sure to have a place open to all, in order to share a universe that could give pleasure around me, with juva my passion the music and the beauty of a place are united there.
Michael: So how did it happen?
HS - Covid happened, a gimmick became an idea that became more and more a reality in Second Life.
LC – I responded to Juve’s facebook post for live singers to sing at JuVa. I was a member of a live singer’s management team at the time and I was looking for open opportunities. I was invited to manage live music at JuVa – Junity and later invited to be a co-owner. I love this growing team as we are all so very different and bring our unique selves and gifts to the table.
MK - A beautiful meeting: then another beautiful meeting, a path travelled, then evidence for me to enter a team of wonderful people. A team made up of such rich individuals with the aim of assembling their visions, passion and know-how to create such a unique place
Michael: So here you are now - so tell me all about Juva please.and all the terrific kinds of events you have on here
HS – JuVa – Vanity is our exclusive club in the sky. I had closed one club as I did not have the time. I saw David Guetta: United at Home - Dubai Edition Set @ Burj Al Arab, it inspired me so I chatted to Regi Yifu I wanted a club in a hand because you have it in your hand to change things. There is a diva hint in the hands with the long nails. I am still in love with this club that Flixx manages for us. It is a home for DJ’s and music lovers of live set mixes.
LC – JuVa – Junity has two stages beautifully set each time by Hobbit. We host some of the most amazing established singers in sl as well as giving space for outstanding newcomers. We are eclectic, inclusive and welcome every genre of music each week.
MK - Juva is first and foremost a place of exceptional elegance, a place dedicated to music; We know that music is a universal art, a language that communicates not only through
Michael: You know the Second Life live music industry inside out by now. Do you feel it is in a healthy state at this moment in time? If you could do one thing to improve it - what would it be?
HS - (No more bleeding ears) The jealousy of each other, it is one with each other and no one is better here. but here in second life, I find the battle for recognition very high. so why not together. everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, that's why we have a team. one can do that, the other that...
LC – I feel I am still new to the live music scene in sl. I am genuinely loving hearing the mix or genre and talent in sl. I sometimes worry for singer’s voices when they do multiple sets in a day. I would love to see clubs collaborate more (not sure if this is possible) so that large festivals can be produced and the cost and revenue is shared.
MK - What a great platform for sharing and creating is Second life!!!! the music industry has developed in an incredible way but it's so normal. Music brings so much to the human being! It is not always easy for the owners of coming to pay the artists, the lands, maybe have a reflexion about this would be great.
Michael: Conversely what would you say irks you the most ? (aside from annoying interviewers)
HS - Drama, injustice & jealousy
LC - Like Hobbit – drama, injustice and jealousy. I do not entertain it as my time is limited and there is so much more I could be doing.
MK - Laughs: Time is flying on SL, frustrating so many wonderful things to do !!
Michael: So - when you aren't running your amazing venue - what other activities in Second Life do you enjoy ?
HS – Exploring sims, standing on my sands making shapes or taking pictures.
LC – I still enjoy exploring and now I manage live singers also – Mrs Khewel and I are on that journey together
MK - I am building and at the moment a show but as you could guess my main activity on SL is to sing! I try to make my guests travel, through my music in this romantic France of the 30s, 40s, 60s, 70s, 80s. And give my own interpretation of the jazzy songs I like.
Michael: Finally, the future ... Are there any plans or new projects that you would like to share with our readers - or are you content with what you have created now and enjoying the ride ?
HS - The sky in SL is wide open ;)
LC – I am sure we will keep evolving for as long as we are here. We have a wedding venue that we will develop and our growing team including Igi, Nos & Darryl (taking pictures & videos) help to capture the amazing talent and times we have together to showcase on social media
MK - Grow by and with the team, and make this place an exceptional place of art, pleasure, surprise, joy and sharing. Thank you!
Thank You !!!
