Adrianna chats new EP

Arianna is carving her own lane in the world of techno, blending intensity and emotion with a sound rooted in rave nostalgia and forward-thinking energy. Her recent release ‘Ascension’ on We Are The Brave is a standout moment — a track that channels late '80s and early '90s influences while capturing the feeling of breaking free from digital confines. With support from heavyweights like Alan Fitzpatrick, collaborations with artists like Reaktive and Sisko Electrofanatik, and a growing presence on global stages from Creamfields to the mountaintops of India, Arianna is proving she's not just one to watch — she’s one to remember. We caught up with her recently to learn more...

‘Ascension’ on We Are The Brave is making serious waves – can you walk us through the story and inspiration behind the track?

Ascension is a nostalgic nod to the late 80’s early 90’s rave scene. It’s a track I was working on for a while and it went through quite a bit of road testing, tweaking it and making changes. The audience response was good from the beginning but adding Lauren Nicole’s vocal gave it that last piece that made it feel finished. Basically, the mood is about living in a type of digital system, feeling trapped and ascending.

How did your relationship with Alan Fitzpatrick come about, and what does his support mean to you at this stage in your career?

I played the Bunker stage on the lineup with Alan Fitzpatrick a few years back at Forbidden Forest and then booked him for our “Wild Electric” Temple events in Sheffield and Edinburgh last year. Alan is such an incredible DJ, one of my favourites to see perform. He’s also a kind and standup guy, which is the best when you meet people you admire, and their personality matches the talent. It means a lot that he liked my music enough to sign to We Are The Brave, and we have more exciting announcements coming up this year. I’m looking forward to sharing them!!

Your upcoming ‘Sargam’ EP on Gain Records features some exciting collaborations. What was it like working with Reaktive and Sisko Electrofanatik on this release?

Working with Reaktive and Sisko was amazing. I’ve been a fan of both of their music for some time. I connected with Reaktive on social media after he reached out when I was tagging him in videos of me playing his tracks out. We were talking about doing something together and then started going back and forth. I’m really proud of what we created together with Sargam. Having Sisko on the remix has been awesome, I love the “Solid” remix and his spin on it. I couldn’t have had a better experience working with both of them.

Can you tell us more about your ongoing relationship with Gain Records and how that partnership has evolved over time?

I was playing some tracks from Gain in one of my radio shows and that’s how I connected with Sisko, we were talking about music, and he invited me to send some demos to Gain which, naturally I jumped on the opportunity and that’s how the EP came about. Gain Records is constantly putting out quality techno and has so many great artists, I’m thrilled to sign this EP to them.

When did you first fall in love with techno, and can you remember a defining moment that made you think, ‘This is what I want to do’?

I fell in love with music young, like air or water it feels like something that has always been part of my life in some capacity. My journey into Techno has evolved over the last few years. I grew up in Canada and at the time there wasn’t the same availability as there was in Europe or even as there is there now. I listened to electro, house, dance and was exposed to different styles of techno at raves (I was raving pretty young in my teens) but I didn’t have consistent access to those types of sounds. I moved around quite a lot but living in Europe for some time I noticed I was gravitating to harder sounds, especially watching people on the dance floor. I wanted to play music that people were either listening to very intricately or dancing in a way they didn’t care how they looked and I feel like techno helps me achieve that the best.

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Beatport named you ‘one to watch’ – how did that recognition impact your confidence or career path, if at all?

That was exciting, it was great to get that recognition and build the relationship with Beatport. Beatport has been a great support for me, livestreaming my set at Creamfields and supporting my live set in the mountains of southern India. It’s a great resource not just to buy music but to see who is doing what and know about what is trending.  

You’ve been gaining support from big names like Alan Fitzpatrick and Sisko – what does that kind of endorsement mean to you as an artist?

When I get support from artists like them, I really don’t take it for granted. These are artist that have been crafting away in the genre for decades and have build loyal fan bases and audiences. When they introduce my music and me to their audience there is a ton of value in that, and I don’t take it lightly. I’m appreciative of the people who open doors for me and do my best to show my respect.

What was your experience like playing in India? How did the crowd and culture influence your performance?

I had a great time performing there and creating the live set on the mountain top. This was my first time doing a live location shoot and I could not have asked for a better group of people, location or team to help make that idea into a reality. It was special to be playing outside in such a beautiful location with so many beautiful faces smiling back at me. And I think it was a bit of a unique experience in that sometimes I forget because I am working in music every day, that it’s not a normal thing for other people and to bring these sounds that are new (un-released tracks or different styles) somewhere to the other side of the world in a remote location, It was cool. There was a mix of people there, some artists, creatives, people from the film industry, some family and friends of friends. It was an incredible day I’ll never forget.

Of all the places you've toured, is there a set or city that stands out as your favourite? What made it so memorable?

I think it was in an afterparty I played in Uruguay at about 8am outside. It was the afterparty for an event Fatima Hajji was headlining, and the people were amazing. It wasn’t so busy, I could barely see the Pioneer 1000’s to choose the songs cause the sun was beating down on them and it was heating up, but people were still giving it so hard and some of the dancers just had the best energy. I’m all about the vibe and sometimes these intimate spaces leave the best impressions. I can’t wait to go back to that part of the world.

What’s your usual process when you're producing music – do you start with a beat, a melody, or a feeling?

I used to be clinical in how I made a track starting by the drums, then bass, synths, etc.. I went to a lot of schools and sort of followed that formula which is great, and I sometimes still use that. But, if I have a particular creative idea I want to feature, be it a vocal or some kind of melodic chord progression I might start with that and build around it.

When you're creating a new track, do you think more about how it’ll land on the dancefloor or how it reflects your personal sound?

If it’s a track I’m creating for DJ’ing, I’ll always think about the dancefloor. For me, music is expression and not every time I create something will it be meant to be a techno track. I’ve made tracks before that started with me singing something or playing something and they would not necessarily work in a club setting. I don’t think everything is meant to be released or even finished. I think it’s important to experiment, test, cerate, PLAY without focusing on if it will ‘work’. This is what is personal to me and where my sound evolves and establishes itself, in the development and practice hours.

Your tracks are known for their groove and intensity – what’s the key to striking that balance between energy and emotion?

Put like that I guess, energy without emotion can be a bit tiring, a bit empty. I want to go hard, go fast, get lost but I still want to feel something. And emotion without energy can be a bit soft for me, especially on the dancefloor. So maybe that’s the balance I’m looking for.

What does it mean to you to have your work remixed by someone like Monika Kruse, a techno pioneer in her own right?

I mean, I can’t put that into words... Monika is someone I respect so much, and it meant everything to me for her to Remix Wild Electric. She is a deeply caring person, and she opened a lot of doors for me with that. I have so much appreciation for her as an artist and as a woman. I’m grateful for the work we’ve done together so far and watch this space…!!

You previously played Creamfields – what was that experience like, and how did it compare to other festivals you’ve done?

Creamfields was incredible. I tend to treat all shows the same if they are big or small as it helps with nerves and makes me accountable in my preparation regardless of what is coming up, but I remember driving there and people kept calling me like “you’re playing Creamfields!!”. It was my first time livestreaming so that was a new dynamic for me that I wasn’t really used to, I’m glad the first time is over. The stage was incredible and sharing it with Charlotte De Witte, Eli Brown all these artist that are at the top of their game. I opened for Marie Vaunt who is such a powerhouse and that was a great connection as she’s just wonderful. I ended up releasing an EP on her label Kurai following that. You just never know what the outcome of playing shows like that will be.