ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Hartley

We caught up with Hartley ahead of her summer in the White Isle about her journey so far, exciting productions, future plans and love for Ibiza. Catch her full Artist of the Week interview today at 4:30pm on Sunset Sessions with Clint Maximus on Pure 94.7 🎧

Tell us how it all started for you and how you became a DJ& producer?

It started a long time ago for me. From childhood, really, thanks to my dad. He’s a bass player and he is a massive influence for me. As a kid I was surrounded by 80s music in my house, because my Dad was in a band. We’d go and watch his gigs. So that was a huge influence on my music passion.

Off the back of my 2013 Ibiza season, I got my first set of decks at Christmas. And for like four or five years, I was just bedroom DJing (not really knowing what I was doing) From there, my PT at the time, who’s also a good friend and a really good DJ, gave me some lessons randomly because I just wanted to see where I can take this. Since then, it’s just got better and better… about a year and a half after learning to DJ, I got into production through my first production lessons. And I’ve been producing for three years producing now, it’s been a wicked journey so far.

Now, let’s talk about some of your performances, tell us about some of the places you’ve been and where you’re going?

I’m a resident DJ at BCH CLB here in Dubai, but I’m leaving for the summer for two months now to Ibiza. I’ve got some shows lined up in the UK over summer too.

I recently had an amazing gig at Gate 2 at Iris Meydan. Really cool vibe with no phones and a great team. I could just really do my thing, play my own productions, play my favorite tunes that I love to play out.  I played at Cafe Mambo in Ibiza in April. I went to Ibiza for IMS it was amazing, I highly recommend going to IMS. To play Cafe Mambo was just the cherry on top of that whole week.

What was that Cafe Mambo gig like for you?

When I got the call up for Cafe Mambo I just couldn’t believe it. I used to sit outside the rocks when I was 18, just being a teenager, listening to the artists that were on. To have that call up 11 years later was crazy. I was walking down the Sunset Strip, the street where all the bars are on and my name was on the Cafe Mambo banner and I just started crying. It was a press release day for IMS that day too, so like we had all the music magazines there, fashion magazines there. It was really busy and just such a good vibe.

Let’s talk about some of your productions. We have to talk about Proud She’s Mine, your latest EP, which is doing so well.

Yeah, Proud She’s Mine, I still absolutely love it to this day. As a producer, sometimes you make tracks and you’re like, ‘oh, what was I thinking when I made that?’ But to get to number 1 on Beatport was a proud moment for me and for the whole EP. I think it’s a really uplifting, positive EP.  It reflects how I am as a person, and to be able to get the feedback and the support on all of that was amazing.

When it comes to production, since getting back from Ibiza in April, I’ve just sat in my studio at home and got my head down, which I think is really important because production is such a journey and some days your creations just don’t hit… But other days you’re in, like you have a whole week and you made like three tracks and the vibe is just really rolling. And funnily enough, Proud She’s Mine was like, I would say the smoothest production process I’ve done. It just all formulated together. The samples were the right samples and it was the right time, it was the right vibe.

Since then, I’ve just been working so hard on my productions before I leave for the summer, since I won’t really have the comfort zone of my little home studio, I’m going to be producing off my laptop. I am going to check out some studios in Ibiza, it’ll be interesting to see how, how my creativity flows in those new places.

Is there anyone you’re collaborating with or looking up to at the moment?

I’m all for girl power in this industry. Alev Tav, who is a friend of the Pure 94.7, I actually met her on here, thanks to you Clint. She’s living in Ibiza now and we’re working on a couple of tracks together that we’re going to get finished. I’m working on another collaboration for one of my tracks called ‘Hear My Call.’ Evie, who is a UK based artist, is going to do a remix for me on that, so hopefully there is some exciting news on that release to come.

In terms of my influences, there are so many, but I really like what people like Fleur Shore, Kelly Allen, and Sylvie Loto are doing. And of course the local girls here, we have Jenn Getz and Alfie, Stasi Sanlin, these girls are rocking it from the Middle East and traveling worldwide to share their music with people. I’m really inspired by people across the globe and all of these ladies who are just smashing it.

What have been your hardest challenges to overcome as a DJ/ Producer so far?

I’m going to be honest here, I think it’s actually mental health because I’m so passionate about music and it means so much to me. That means any of the lows are low, but the highs are super, super high, but they’re short lived. Because I’m ambitious, I want the next high and chase that. But I think it’s really important to note that it isn’t easy because the scene, it’s crazy. It’s partying all the time it’s late nights, it’s sometimes sleepless nights. I have to make sure that I’m looking after my mind, body and soul because otherwise that mental health will start to spiral. I always tell myself that I must have bounce-back ability.

Tell us about your connection to Ibiza?

I love Ibiza so much. The fact that I’m 30 years old and still going, I think it says a lot. The island has an amazing spiritual energy to it. Obviously music is a big part of that, but the island is just gorgeous in itself.
And the way that music and the island connects people is the reason that I go back. Every single year, time and time again… and the gorgeous restaurants. My favorite venue has got to be Cova Santa. Upstairs with that sunset, I just love it in there it’s my happy place.

What are your future plans, what’s in the pipeline for you?

So I’m leaving the UAE and I’m going to Europe for the whole summer. I’m spending a month in Ibiza, a month in the UK, and I’ll be back here for the winter season.

In the last few months, I’ve just really, really knuckled down on my production. I’m really excited to share new tracks that I’ve been making. To get support recently from Marco Carola and Daniel Orpi, and to hear my tracks getting played, it’s super rewarding.

 

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