Where in the world are you right now?
- Travelling back to Glasgow from London stuck on the avanti west coast train sitting on the floor by the toilet cause there’s no seats on the train (rail strikes are not the one). Glamoro
What is the best piece of new music you have heard this week?
- Sally C’s new EP – I played All Love this weekend in London and it went off!
What is your earliest memory of music as child?
- Probably singing and performing in school shows/ I was always taking part in singing and dancing growing up! I performed and was right into musical theatre until I was a teenager/ then I discovered boys and going out and fell away from it! Ultimately leading to sneaking into clubs like the Arches in Glasgow and it all changed from there!
Was a career in music always the only choice for you, was there anything else you could have ended up doing?
- I did plan for it to be when I left school, I got accepted for sound production and display design, I ended up going with the latter as it felt familiar and I was quite practical! I think at this point if I wasn’t doing music I’d probably be a hair dresser or a joiner 😂! Something creative and practical!
What did your family think of your choice of career?
- They love it, my whole family love music so they are very proud! I think shocked that I’ve actually managed to make it a career!
So, from working at Glasgow’s The Arches to playing at Creamfields. Tell us how the journey began and your first big break…
- My first big break was definitely when I got booked for Fly Open Air in 2021 – it was my first time playing the same stage as DJ’s I loved and looked up to/ Things just started to snowball from there!
Your track ‘Strange Faces’ with Big Miz showed the world your soulful voice – what is coming next from the studio from you?
- I have a new EP coming out next month/ releasing on my own imprint Sassy Traxx, Strange Faces is the first time I’ve been confident enough to record my own voice/ I’m definitely getting more confident now let’s say! Most of my new tracks I’ve been working on have my own vocals on them so I think that’s just going to be the way it is going forward now!
What has been the biggest DJ buzz for you to date?
- Biggest DJ buzz ever is playing after Ricardo Villalobos at Otherlands last year (Crazy) or my b2b with Kerri Chandler on New Year’s Day this year!! I will never forget it!! I can’t pick between the 2 they are both insane haha!
You are playing with Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard next week at the brilliant Back To Mine party at Pikes. You are no stranger to Ibiza shores of course, tell us about your Ibiza romance…
- My ibiza romance started 10 years ago when I came on holiday with my friends after leaving school! Been back every year since pretty much and eventually got the courage to do the season in 2019 – I thought it would be the first of many then covid happened and I’ve now been lucky enough to start my DJ career properly so it’s all worked out well/ Although I would have liked to have spent some more time living and being a “worker” on the island haha! We’ll just need to hope I end up with gigs there all the time 😅
You were just a wee bairn when the Back To Mine album series was just starting – has the booking made you look the series up?
- Yes I did look up the party, I really enjoy the concept of the night/ what would I play if I was having an afters back at mine? I think I’m really going to stick to this message and dig deep and play some of my favourite tracks that I normally wouldn’t play in a club setting!
3 big tunes you will be playing at Pikes next week?
- Hmmm – definitely got to give the new one a play, so expect some new Hayley Zalassi!
- I’ve started making a playlist for the show and there’s enough music in there to play all night long already so I think we’ll just have to wait and see what I’m feeling on the night/ I’m definitely going for happy uplifting vibes with some big vocals and some groovers in there too!
Why is Pikes so iconic for an artist or clubber?
- I’ve had my best nights in Ibiza ever at Pikes, it was my favourite place to go when I was living on the island and I’ve had some long nights and great parties there! I’ve had some magical moments on the Freddie’s dancefloor so super excited to get to make my own!!
And finally – a message to anyone coming to see you at Back To Mine next week…
- This is a real bucket list moment for me as a DJ! I’m bringing my complete A game and I really hope I can make others feel the way I’ve felt dancing here before!
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