Terminal V Podcast 062 || Farnaz

Farnaz is in a great place right now – just about to release a new single on her ‘dream label’, settling into a new home in London, and making the music she always wanted to. It draws on her proud Persian heritage as well as a love of eclectic, harder sounds and high-energy parties. After establishing herself in Scotland, she is now breaking out to a wider audience, and this week’s potent podcast will only help her on that mission. It’s a perfect snapshot of her vision of dance music and comes with an interview that touches on her backstory, abandonment of rules, and her passion for what she does.
Hey Farnaz, what’s exciting you right now?
My upcoming track on my dream label will be released soon, and I’m incredibly excited about it! And of course to be your podcast guest makes me excited too!
You play locally in Scotland a lot. What makes crowds unique do you think? Can you play differently, harder when playing at home than you can elsewhere?
Scotland holds a special place in my heart. Even though I’ve moved to London, I still consider Scotland my second home. The unique aspect of playing locally in Scotland is the connection with the crowd. Scottish audiences are known for their energy, which can be inspiring for performers. It’s possible for artists to feel a stronger emotional connection and motivation to deliver an energetic performance when playing in front of a hometown crowd. I’ve always felt free to express myself as an artist, which makes Scotland unique for me!
How much does your Iranian heritage inform the music you make? Is that important to you?
I’m proud of my Persian heritage, but when it comes to the feelings I have, there is a pain and anger in my heart due to the political situation in Iran and all the restrictions. It affected my life, but I’m happy that I took the risk to move to the UK. Nowadays, I don’t like to bring that anger into my music. I believe that music has no borders and boundaries. This is what makes music for me and connects me to people all over the world.
You have proudly stated you play ‘whatever the fuck I love to dance to’, but are there some things that you can’t play, that wouldn’t work? Or is it all just about picking the right moment?
Yes, it’s true! It’s my state and the essence of my music performance. I always need to find fulfilment in everything I do. One of the reasons I love DJing is that I can deliver good energy and vibes to the dance floor. I love to dance, and I would never play a track that doesn’t make me dance because then I can’t make people dance either! I believe people who come to a party want to have fun, forget about their problems, and enjoy the moment. So, it’s my mission to do the best job!
What or who inspired you to become a DJ in the first place? Was there one moment that you can think back to which was the start of your journey?
Honestly, it was only ‘me’ who inspired myself! I was practising and enjoying DJing just for myself and never imagined I’d become a DJ one day. It all started at an illegal party in Northern Iran for the Persian New Year holiday. The DJ that night wasn’t doing well, so I took over. Something like magic happened that night. Everyone was over the moon with my music. I played the whole night, maybe more than an 8-hour set! People came to me, saying how much they enjoyed my music. That night, I received so much love that made me realise DJing is what I enjoy the most!
What are you working on or what are you looking forward to right now?
I’m currently a bit busy with my new life in London. I think it’s time to get back to the studio and create more music. I have some unfinished tracks that I plan to release soon!
Tell us about your mix, the aim you had with it, and what you wanted it to say.
As for the mix, nowadays, I feel a stronger connection with groovy techno. I used to play a bit harder techno in the past, but I always let my energy flow through whatever I enjoy. This podcast features raw, hypnotic, and groovy techno tracks that I love. I created it after a magical night at the 10-year anniversary of ‘Mannom Black Label’ at Fold London, which inspired me a lot!
What gear did you use, is that important to you in any way whether in the booth or studio?
For my podcasts, I usually use Ableton software to ensure the set has good sound quality. But for my live performances in the booth, I use CDJs.
Thanks for having me 🙂
Interview by Kristan Caryl
<
Farnaz is in a great place right now – just about to release a new single on her ‘dream label’, settling into a new home in London, and making the music she always wanted to. It draws on her proud Persian heritage as well as a love of eclectic, harder sounds and high-energy parties. After establishing herself in Scotland, she is now breaking out to a wider audience, and this week’s potent podcast will only help her on that mission. It’s a perfect snapshot of her vision of dance music and comes with an interview that touches on her backstory, abandonment of rules, and her passion for what she does.
Hey Farnaz, what’s exciting you right now?
My upcoming track on my dream label will be released soon, and I’m incredibly excited about it! And of course to be your podcast guest makes me excited too!
You play locally in Scotland a lot. What makes crowds unique do you think? Can you play differently, harder when playing at home than you can elsewhere?
Scotland holds a special place in my heart. Even though I’ve moved to London, I still consider Scotland my second home. The unique aspect of playing locally in Scotland is the connection with the crowd. Scottish audiences are known for their energy, which can be inspiring for performers. It’s possible for artists to feel a stronger emotional connection and motivation to deliver an energetic performance when playing in front of a hometown crowd. I’ve always felt free to express myself as an artist, which makes Scotland unique for me!
How much does your Iranian heritage inform the music you make? Is that important to you?
I’m proud of my Persian heritage, but when it comes to the feelings I have, there is a pain and anger in my heart due to the political situation in Iran and all the restrictions. It affected my life, but I’m happy that I took the risk to move to the UK. Nowadays, I don’t like to bring that anger into my music. I believe that music has no borders and boundaries. This is what makes music for me and connects me to people all over the world.
You have proudly stated you play ‘whatever the fuck I love to dance to’, but are there some things that you can’t play, that wouldn’t work? Or is it all just about picking the right moment?
Yes, it’s true! It’s my state and the essence of my music performance. I always need to find fulfilment in everything I do. One of the reasons I love DJing is that I can deliver good energy and vibes to the dance floor. I love to dance, and I would never play a track that doesn’t make me dance because then I can’t make people dance either! I believe people who come to a party want to have fun, forget about their problems, and enjoy the moment. So, it’s my mission to do the best job!
What or who inspired you to become a DJ in the first place? Was there one moment that you can think back to which was the start of your journey?
Honestly, it was only ‘me’ who inspired myself! I was practising and enjoying DJing just for myself and never imagined I’d become a DJ one day. It all started at an illegal party in Northern Iran for the Persian New Year holiday. The DJ that night wasn’t doing well, so I took over. Something like magic happened that night. Everyone was over the moon with my music. I played the whole night, maybe more than an 8-hour set! People came to me, saying how much they enjoyed my music. That night, I received so much love that made me realise DJing is what I enjoy the most!
What are you working on or what are you looking forward to right now?
I’m currently a bit busy with my new life in London. I think it’s time to get back to the studio and create more music. I have some unfinished tracks that I plan to release soon!
Tell us about your mix, the aim you had with it, and what you wanted it to say.
As for the mix, nowadays, I feel a stronger connection with groovy techno. I used to play a bit harder techno in the past, but I always let my energy flow through whatever I enjoy. This podcast features raw, hypnotic, and groovy techno tracks that I love. I created it after a magical night at the 10-year anniversary of ‘Mannom Black Label’ at Fold London, which inspired me a lot!
What gear did you use, is that important to you in any way whether in the booth or studio?
For my podcasts, I usually use Ableton software to ensure the set has good sound quality. But for my live performances in the booth, I use CDJs.
Thanks for having me 🙂
Interview by Kristan Caryl
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