For our first feature of the year we're thrilled to introduce you to Daiva, a press operator at Green Lakes Pressing, a vinyl pressing plant located in the capital of Lithuania. Identifying as non-binary and using she/they pronouns, Daiva says they view gender as an internal energy or feeling that can be expressed in ways that foster comfort and authenticity. Currently on a journey of self-discovery, Daiva is exploring personal likes, dislikes, passions, and values. Known for being artistic and highly sensitive, Daiva harbors big aspirations for the future.

Green Lakes Pressing is a renowned vinyl pressing facility in Lithuania, dedicated to producing high-quality records for music enthusiasts and artists. With a commitment to craftsmanship and innovation, the company plays a pivotal role in supporting the vinyl revival in the region.

When outside of work, Daiva keeps busy with various hobbies. "I Vogue, it’s a dance style that originated in ’70s NYC, particularly within Black and Latino queer communities. I love performing on stage and used to compete in dance events in formation." They also hand-draw portraits, illustrate, and have an interest in fashion styling. "Creating a look before I go out is one of my favorite things to do. I get excited to wear new clothes, try out different styles, or just go with whatever comes to mind. I love graphic eyeliner. I enjoy trying and learning new things." They have also recently started learning guitar and Italian. "And of course one of my favourite things is spending quality time with my loved ones."

How did you get into your industry / What motivated you?

I think the stars aligned in a certain way, and here I am, pressing vinyl records. But back then, I was just looking for a job closer to home. I applied to a coffee shop and a few other places, but then I saw on TV that a pressing plant was opening—right around the corner from where I live. At the time, I had just gotten my first record and a turntable, my new found dream was to work with music and perform so this was the perfect opportunity to get closer to it. When applying, I had a choice between packing or production, and I thought, I want to produce, I want to make things!

What is a day in the life like?

During the week, my days are very busy. I try to keep my head cool, and sometimes I need to find a peaceful spot in the pressing plant where I can relax and calm down—which isn’t always easy! I start work at 8 a.m., and I really enjoy spending the first 30 minutes with a cup of tea, talking with my team. That morning connection is so important to me—I can’t just walk in and dive straight into work.

Once I’m ready, I begin by tidying up around the presses from the evening shift. I count and analyze defects from the previous day, plan the production, and then press records for the first two hours. After that, my colleague takes over, and I switch to helping other operators, packing records, or taking care of other tasks until it’s my turn to press again later in the day. We’ve found that rotating roles and sharing responsibilities works best. It helps keep things flowing smoothly, fosters learning, and makes the day more dynamic.

After work, I like to disconnect—spend time outdoors with my dog, go to a concert, see a film in a cinema, or enjoy other little things that have nothing to do with work.

In your opinion what has been your favorite / the coolest thing you've worked on?

I always find it exciting to experiment and try new things in production, especially creating new color effects with vinyl. I enjoy this much more than working on never-ending projects. One of my favorite releases to work on with color-effects was Shalfata. As for music projects my absolute favorite release I pressed was Abii – Metanoia. That’s how I discovered this amazing Lithuanian band!

Outside of work, I feel the same excitement every time I get to dance on stage—it’s something I truly enjoy. I’m especially grateful for the chance to be in a music video for a Lithuanian band I love (The ROOP - Pavasaris) and to model dance at a few great events. I hope to do more of that in the future.

What has been / is the most difficult part of your job?

The most challenging part of my job is the constant problem-solving. Each project brings unique challenges, and there’s often not much information to rely on—no manual, no YouTube tutorial, and certainly no magic trick that fixes it all. As anyone who makes vinyl knows, the situations can be tough and require a lot of resilience and experimentation.

At the beginning, it was difficult and intimidating, but with time, I’ve gained confidence and feel much more relaxed handling the challenges that come my way. While I’m always learning, I also have to ensure we produce top-quality records, usually under very strict timeframes.

With the amazing help of my team, we press nearly every vinyl release in Lithuania, and a lot for labels across Europe and the U.K. It’s a huge responsibility, but one I’m proud to take on.

What advice do you have for someone wanting to get into pursuing what you’re doing?

...Most importantly, don’t underestimate yourself, even if you don’t feel confident just yet.

Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges and try new things. Most importantly, don’t underestimate yourself, even if you don’t feel confident just yet. There will be plenty of learning along the way, but you can do it! I am the only woman on my team.

Personally I never thought about it too much until I heard phrases like “You are the first woman to press vinyl records here.” or “You are the only woman pressing records in Lithuania.” At one point I was working with two wonderful women but they left after a while. I don’t think about gender too much, actually I try not to think about it at all but the people around me find it important so I started noticing that people do sometimes treat me differently.

My voice is not always heard, my opinion is not always as important. I also noticed that men greatly underestimate my physical strength which makes me sad sometimes. The biggest thing was the greeting. I noticed that men shake or smack hands with each other but didn’t want to do that with me. Whenever someone comes to our factory they offer a handshake to the men but seldom do the same to me. But putting all of that aside, I love working in this industry and I think no one should be deterred from it simply because it’s a male dominated field. If I can do it you can certainly do it too!

Are you a vinyl collector yourself? What drew you to it? If not, why the vinyl industry?

Sure! I believe everyone in the industry becomes a collector to some degree. But I’m not the kind of collector who buys as much as possible or hunts for different pressings and rare finds—or at least not yet! Right now, I only buy albums I truly love. The content is really important to me, and I cherish having physical releases from bands I adore.

The completeness of a release matters a lot too—I pay close attention to the cover artwork, the overall design, and even the smallest details. I especially love colorful records. For me, a well-made record is a piece of art, and I take great care of the ones I own.

What types of things are happening in your industry / with vinyl that you’re excited or worried about? i.e. innovation, or trends you’re seeing.

I want to see more progress in ecology and sustainability within the industry. It’s important to me to create less harm through my work, and I hope to see more releases made from recycled materials, including paper, packaging and even plastic.

Sometimes, I worry about the long-term consequences of working with toxic materials. I wish the industry would move away from plastics entirely and transition to alternatives that are biodegradable, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly.

But honestly, it feels like there’s a lot of talk and very little action. I hope that changes soon.

Who has been influential to you and your growth as a professional in this industry? 

Since this was my first real job, just being part of the process and learning the craft from the ground up had a huge impact on me. It taught me not only the art of making vinyl but also that everything can be learned—you just have to try and not be afraid of making mistakes. The biggest inspiration for me to keep going was my colleagues, Šarūnas and Antanas. From day one, they encouraged me with a “can-do attitude.”

When I started, it was just the three of us, learning everything together, and that experience helped me grow both as a person and as a professional. Even when it was hard for me they never looked down on me and helped me move forward. We were and still are a relatively small team, so the work we do, all the ups and downs feel really personal. I am glad to have gotten to know everyone so closely and I truly care about everyone on my team.

Now, I’m the one training new people and helping them throughout the day, and it feels incredible to give back in the same way.

Anything else you’d like to add; if not tell us what you're listening to: 

My utmost favorite band is Linkin Park. I find myself in their lyrics, they express all the emotions that I can’t put into words. While some people stick to a particular style or genre, I’m not too concerned about genres. There’s usually something in the music that speaks to me. I grew up listening to K-pop, so to me, music is all about feeling. It’s that sense of understanding everything without needing to know the meaning of the words. Emotion-evoking vocals are my favorite part. Here are some of my favorite bands that I’d love to share with you! Twenty One Pilots, Maneskin, Mahmood, BigBang, Jauti.