Blog Interviews

Heads up with Anna Tur

  • Hi Anna, I hope all is well and thanks for catching up with us. First off, how were your new years? What did you get up? Are you a fan of partying on New Years or do you treat it as just another night?

First off, thanks for having me; it’s a pleasure. And before I start, may I wish you and your readers a happy new year!

But back to your questions; yes, New Year’s Eve is a special date for me because everyone is excited and happy. Which as a DJ, is obviously the mentality you want people to be in when they enter a club!

But on New Years you have to be ready for everything and approach it with an open mind. For me, this year was super special. I played at home in Ibiza for the first time in a while alongside Luciano and Tuccilo, which I loved.

I played 2 sets, the first one including the celebration from 11pm-1am and also another amazing set from 6 am until… actually, I don’t even know what time that one finished at! But yeah, we had a really great time with a lot of friends. So I’m definitely a fan of New Years, yes!

  • It looks like you’ve had a really massive 2017. Did you personally feel that it was a real breakout year for you?

It was certainly a year of many changes and opportunities. The truth is that I live a very sweet life, as if I’m dreaming while I’m awake but always alert and with many hours of preparation going into where I wanted to be. There’s a lot to do still and a lot of hard work yet and I’ll always be dedicated to music.

  • Was there ever a time when you continued giving up on the DJ dream or did you always feel you’d make it as a full-time DJ?

I have been working very intensely with Ibiza Global Radio and my career as a DJ for several years. Both of them are on the rise and I need a lot of concentration and to stay up a lot of the time. Mostly, I lead a very healthy life and try and meditate and do sports too. I’ve had moments of exhaustion where I’ve barely been able to walk, but I never thought about abandoning either profession. One is linked to the other, and really they help balance my body and my mind.

  • On that note, what do you consider your big break? Did you have a mentor in the industry who has really guide your career?

Yes, absolutely. There comes a time in your career when you need to be supported by someone who believes in you. I have had the good fortune to feel very supported and promoted by Ernesto Senatore, who has always taught me to be patient and invited me to become part of the ‘It’s All About the Music’ brand, which he manages with his partners, Roberto Postiglione and Luca Piccolo. Those three have given me an amazing opportunity. Thank you, guys!

  • Looking back on your time at Ibiza Global Radio, how important do you feel it was to your evolution as a DJ and as a person? I guess interviewing a lot of high-profile DJs must have given you great confidence etc?

As a DJ it gave me absolutely everything. It taught me to nourish myself musically, and it made me analyze different behaviours and situations. You see how even the great ones are just flesh and blood, and they too experience nerves and emotions on the radio.

I’ve been directing Ibiza Global Radio for 13 years and I’m 34. Can you imagine all the situations I have encountered? I’ve learned a lot, I’ve also learned a lot of disappointments; I’ve learned to know that in this world there are very few friends we can really count on. Also, it’s a profession where everyone wants to be number one. The truth is, the education I have enjoyed with my family, my colleagues and my environment make me the happiest.

  • How different is playing on the radio to playing in a club, do you think? Can you be a bit more eclectic when you’re playing on the radio?

Well, I have some wonderful chiefs of programming who guide the broadcast alongside me. The truth is that on the radio I’d never really play 5 am club sounds (especially before 9 pm on the radio!), and they sound different depending on the situation. On the radio I am water and on the dance floor, I am fire! Always with head and feet on the ground, emitting the sounds that my heart feels.

  • And as a DJ, what do you feel are the most challenging situations? How do you deal with these sort of crowds and do you have certain records you’ll always lean on when you’re looking to rescue the dancefloor?

I prepare for each session but not necessarily the selection. Every week I add around 20-30 new tracks to my lists and I am fortunate in that I regularly receive very good music. Sometimes it’s from little known and very special, mostly super young but highly prepared artists. I know my music perfectly well and I am very methodical and tidy, but also very creative. I always arrive in time at the location and I observe and think about what I would like to hear if it were those people in the club. From there, I tell my own story!

  • You’ve been playing a lot with Marco Carola’s ‘It’s All About the Music’ parties recently. Is Marco someone you’ve looked up to for a long time? Do you observe people like Marco when they’re playing and learn from them?

Of course. I love to analyze and observe the artists I admire and Marco is absolutely one of them, perhaps the one I admire the most right now. I have to confess that his presence makes me nervous hahaha! My closest friends know it and now also you, but it creates a lot of respect for me.

Then there are the hundreds of artists who have been on the radio, like Moby, who had the same impact on me. There are other artists I admire like Luciano, Carl Cox, Sasha, Richie Hawtin, Maceo Plex, Nicole Moudaber, who are frequently on the radio and whom I also admire, but they don’t turn me into a statue quite like Marco haha!

  • And who was the last DJ who really impressed you? And why?

Banjaara lives at the studio some months ago. A mix of electronic and analogue instruments during a 1-hour set. Amazing.

https://soundcloud.com/aboutmusicradio/anna-tur-apollonia-its-all-about-the-music-dj-mix-series-episode-110-04082017

  • We believe you have a US tour coming up in 2018. Have you played over there before and how much are you looking forward to the experience?

I am very excited about my U.S tour. I’ve played in Mexico before, but never in the United States. Two months ago I lost my best friend of 12 years, my dog. Getting used to the idea of separating myself from her for more than a week gave me goosebumps over the years, and my only exception was 10 days off in BPM in Mexico once a year.

Previously I’ve always refused tours in the USA and Asia. Some say I’m crazy for doing so, but I felt that way and I don’t regret anything.  Now it’s time to fly, for her and enjoy all the good things she sends me from the rainbow bridge. #KannaForever <3

  • Also, can you reveal any of your summer plans for 2018 yet? Will Ibiza be big on the agenda for you?

At the moment I can’t tell you anything because there’s nothing concrete. I owe it to the brand, ‘It’s all about the Music’, Ibiza Global Radio and of course, Ibiza. Any plan that comes to me I will always fulfil it with pleasure.

Despite working 14 or 15 hours a day from Monday to Monday between radio and my performances, I feel very calm, full, balanced and mature. I’m in a stage of a lot of concentration and new projects for radio and on a personal level as a DJ that I want to enjoy every moment.

  • Where are you at with your own productions and the label right now? Is that something that’s going to be keeping you busy over the next while?

The fourth EP from Illusion Music Records has just been released, by my beloved Toni Moreno. It’s  called “Voice of the Moon”, and we’re also preparing the fifth released, which will be a “various artists” package, with producers who support me musically and whom I love their music. It’s a way to thank them for their support and their enthusiasm in everything they do.

  • Finally, what are your hopes and dreams for the year ahead? What are you hoping to achieve by the end of the year?

To follow my present path, to live all my opportunities and situations in a profound way and with gratitude and dedication. First of all, my main wish is health for all and happiness.

  • Hopefully, we will see you in Sweden soon!

Yes, I hope so!!! Thanks again and best regards!