Known for her bass-heavy and hard-hitting techno sets, NAIAD’s style blends the flavors of artists such as Dubfire, Tale of Us, and Oxia. Having made the pilgrimage to Ibiza with the ENTER team, she fully immersed herself into the endless beats that fill our 4/4 hearts with dark euphoria. NAIAD is making her presence known with multiple appearances at UNION, Unity and Night on Broadway.
Her latest single is Herring, which lands on RVDIOVCTIVE as part of their new VA compilation. Aiming to build upon the events series’ philosophy of community and collaboration, RVDIOVCTIVE Records launched earlier this year with the release of RVDIOVCTIVE Vol.1. With an ethos of welcoming work by artists that break from their traditional sounds, RVDIOVCTIVE values vulnerability over hype, aiming to push creative boundaries and push both artists and fans to step outside of their comfort zone.
Connect with NAIAD on Soundcloud | Twitch
Following the release of the first volume, the label’s second collection is out now, boasting 15 brand new and exclusive tracks from a range of extraordinarily talented artists including NAIAD.
Thanks for talking to us today – how has the first half of 2022 been for you?
The first half of 2022 has been a whirlwind of activity and travel and studio time. All of the things that bring me the most joy. I’ve been focused on growing my Twitch community and finishing as much new music as I can whilst in this inspired state.
You had a transformative trip to Ibiza that kick-started your career – can you tell us about it?
Right after I graduated from college I took a risk and bought a one-way ticket to Ibiza, hoping to work with Richie Hawtin on his ENTER series. My gamble paid off and I had the absolute honor of working for him and then continuing on to work on the CNTRL tour. It was definitely the beginning of my absolute obsession with the underground scene.
What have been some of your most memorable experiences on the White Isle since then?
Three years ago I got to return and bring some of my closest friends with me. Revisiting Amnesia and watching the sunset from Es Vedra again was like going back in time.
You cite Dubfire, Tale of Us and Oxia as key influences. What is it about these artists in particular that speak to you?
These three artists are the ones that truly spoke to me with their track creation while I was learning to DJ and produce. The way that they uniquely use beautiful melodies with driving drumlines continues to inspire me today.
Tell us about your relationship with the RVDIOVCTIVE crew. How did you first hook up with them?
I first linked with them through these gatherings we refer to as Beat Cyphers, which were founded by James Ellington. It’s essentially a group of producers from all genres that gets together and sets rules (like only use this synth, make a key change mid-track, etc) and then we set a timer and make tracks from scratch and then play them for each other. That crew has been a MASSIVE source of inspiration, education, and confidence for me throughout my musical journey as NAIAD.
How important is finding the right label that supports your music, and has like-minded views?
I think that it is imperative. You can’t put true passion into your art without knowing that the passions that inspire it aren’t shared.
Was there any specific inspiration for your new single, Herring?
Yes! This track has been a breakthrough for me in terms of finding new inspiration for me. I have fallen in love with the West Coast bass scene and have been so inspired by it. More so, I am constantly trying to find a way to integrate that into my melodic techno sound. This is the first time that I feel that I have accomplished that marriage of sounds.
What else should we be looking out for this year?
I’m so thrilled to continue working on this fusion of sounds and bringing them to my live sets. (You can always hear sneak peaks of what I’m working on in the studio on my twitch channel, (twitch.tv/mynameisnaiad). I’m also very excited to be playing Northern Nights this year and collaborating in the studio with two artists that I’ve looked up to for years.
Finally, what’s been your favourite track of the year so far that we should all check out?
Oh! This is such a tough question to answer always. I feel like I’m constantly finding new inspiration and tunes that have me dancing like a maniac while I play them out. So I’ll just say that I have been recently obsessed with everything that Mollono.Bass touches. He puts out a lot of originals but also does a lot of remixes and every single one has the most incredibly warm bassline and just sweeps you away.
Thank you.
