Rising star, Ańii talks about her passion for music, releases and being part of the KOMPAKT family
With her roots lying in the heart of Eastern Europe, Ańii has made a long journey from Poland to London to showcase her musical passion with the world. In the pursuit of musical prowess, Ańii travelled to the UK and spent 6 years learning English, as well as mastering her skills in music production at the well renowned electronic music school, Point Blank.
Her journey continued with numerous releases under her own name of Ania Iwinska, sharing unique, uplifting yet mystical sounds from around the world in a dance setting. Now, having found her heart and soul in the ever-evolving music scene, Ańii demonstrates her passion for music through deep, dark, and ethereal techno and soulful deep house.
Her EP Fear & Desire will be out soon on Polymath. Grab your copy »
With so much going on, we thought it was time for a chat with this rising star in the electronic music scene. Enjoy the read below.
Connect with Ańii on Soundcloud | Instagram | Facebook
How is your summer going so far?
Summer going great, I played some really nice gigs and festivals and mainly focused on production in preparation for next year.
For the people reading this who haven’t heard your music before, how would you describe your style and the key elements that define it?
Melodic, experimental, a lot of rolling bass, driven by the drums. I love toms! Hahaha
Tell us about how you ended up with playing and producing electronic music to make people dance. Did you see this all coming?
I started out at home in Poland – I used to play D’n’B and electro on vinyl and collected a lot of cassettes before I came to London to go to music school. It took a while for me to decide to go to music school, and I went to a lot of crazy parties, but deep down I knew early on that I wanted to produce music. I wanted to make a sound that I could play, as I have a specific taste when it comes to tracks that actually make me dance. I can’t see myself doing anything else now.
I wanted to make a sound that I could play, as I have a specific taste when it comes to tracks that actually make me dance.
How has your music been influenced by other artists, musicians, or life in general?
I always listened to a lot of Rock n’ Roll when I was growing up too, as my dad was a big fan and now also my mentor. He would always make sure to drop me music from cool bands every month and try to educate me. Still, my all-time favourite is Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’. I have ADHD and that means that I sometimes get a bit lost. This album helps me through that.
You seem to be on a roll and haven't been sitting still at all! An upcoming EP on Polymath, a remix for Gui Boratto, you made it to the KOMPAKT Total 18 compilation, … . Tell us a bit about it. How did all of this come together?
I follow my Dad’s footsteps, in the sense that I am a workaholic. I pretty much always do some kind of work 7 days a week. I am on a mission as I know that you have to put in so much work these days with all the tough competition. It’s kind of an all or nothing approach. After Michael Mayer took me on board last year on Kompakt for the first EP, it was a huge confidence boost and I felt a lot more positive and stronger in what I have been doing. That doesn’t mean you can sit back and relax, it’s a constant battle.
You are part of the KOMPAKT family now. How is it to be part of such a great label?
Hahaha, pretty epic I have to say! When I sent the promo to Michael last year, I got a message back the next day that he would like to consider releasing it on KOMPAKT. It was a dream come true and I had to pinch myself in knowing that this was actually happening. I felt very alone for a long time, and it’s been so wonderful to feel a part of something with the label and the team they have working there, it’s very special to me.
When I sent the promo to Michael last year, I got a message back the next day that he would like to consider releasing it on KOMPAKT.
We are a long time fan of Michael Mayer, seen him play many times. How is it to work with a veteran in the industry like him?
Well, he’s the best person out there. It’s hard to describe. I feel very grateful and can say that he is always there for me and has become a friend. Every time I see him again it’s like we have been old friends for years, that’s a pretty special feeling.
We saw you play an amazing set at the KOMPAKT label night in Nitsa (Barcelona). That was awesome. How does it feel to play at nights like these, and how do you prepare?
Oh, I loved every second of that set! It feels amazing to play at these places, and Nitsa has such a cool vibe. I try to prep always a little with some new sounds and also include some of my new productions in every set, to make it interesting for the crowd. I usually spend most of the time in deciding what track to open with or what track might be the perfect closer, and the rest of it just falls into place when you start playing.
You seem to be quite a busy person and time is limited. Producing, touring as a DJ, selecting music, … how do you relax?
I don’t really and that's my main problem. Even my partner (that I only see twice a month if I am lucky) says I should learn to take some time out as I am constantly on the go. I am a really hyper active person, and I generally go to bed around 1am every night and get up still at 7am. My time to relax is when I do yoga in the mornings, and this has now become a very important part of my daily routine. Taking a nice hot bath is always good to help me get away from work for a while. Occasionally I like a bottle of Prosecco with some shit TV with my friends, or my partner and I go out for a nice dinner, but it doesn’t happen often enough. There are not enough hours in the day and days in the week for me to do everything I want to, especially if I have to sleep every night. Ha ha ha.
What are currently your main challenges? What is it about DJing, compared to, say, producing your own music that makes it interesting for you?
Well, DJ’ing is all about getting out there and connecting with the people. I have problems with self-confidence, so going to shows is the best way for me to start believing in myself a little more. I still get nervous every time I play, just like the time before, but I know I would not want to be anywhere else. Production is just amazing, to have all these ideas in my head and to be able to put them into a track which you play out to a crowd – its the best feeling ever.
I still get nervous every time I play, just like the time before, but I know I would not want to be anywhere else.
With some many things at hand, where do you draw your creative influences from?
It comes from many places – I use a lot of my past experiences and life events, as well as listen to new and old music. Sometimes I might hear something on the radio or the TV, and randomly I’ll sometimes go on YouTube and discover something weird and wonderful. There are endless videos and inspiration on there! I am entertained all day long.
What have you got planned for the year ahead? Any new music or collaborations we should know about?
I just finished my next EP for Kompakt which will be coming out at the beginning of 2019. I am also doing a release for Aeon and of course another on Polymath this year. Collaborations wise – Third Son and I have been working on something for you all, and we hope to have that out soon! But it’s a surprise for now.
Thank you so much, Ańii, for you time!
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