For the 211th edition of Untitled 909’s podcast series, we head to NYC with the multi-disciplinary creative Arielle Lana who whips together a healthy serving of deliciously sweet club music, Chicago footwork and breakbeats. Stepping away from the vocal-driven cuts she is known for repping, this session is focused on the drums, filled with fiery rhythm from the get go.
Arielle Lana is a jack of all trades. No, really. A fellow blogger/Substacker, Arielle Lana runs and curates the brilliant HEADS KNOW site and party series. Their IRL events and The Lot Radio residency has hosted the likes of Todd Edwards, DJ Haram, Traxman, DJ SLIINK, Biana Oblivion b2b Sam Binga, Hood Joplin b2b Little Snake, DJ SWISHA, Hudson Mohawke b2b Nikki Nair, and Miley Serious – just to name a few! Arielle Lana is also a freelance journalist with bylines across Rolling Stone, NYLON Magazine, The Fader, Resident Advisor, Billboard and MTV News. There’s a clear drive and motivation through everything Arielle Lana does, a thirst for documenting underground music culture, its history and the local scenes with global influence whether that’s through the parties she hosts or articles she writes. These spaces are important, now more than ever, as platforms and venues disappear at an alarming rate; the work that Arielle does is here to make sure that the stories aren’t forgotten.
Hey Arielle! How are you doing? What have you been up to lately?
Hi Chanel. Thank you for having me! I’ve been pretty overwhelmed lately, but trying to stay positive. These days, I’m busy planning the 2025 HEADS KNOW party schedule and blogging on the site, working on a book manuscript, and working my day job marketing for New York Magazine.
Let’s start from the very beginning, what was your first introduction to music in general and then more specifically electronic music?
My introduction to music was probably singing in a children’s choir at a church. My grandma was very insistent about music being a big part of my life because that was the talent she passed down to us. She made me take piano lessons and learn the violin… I wasn’t very good at either of them. I could hold a tune, though, so I continued performing in plays and singing in groups at church.
As for electronic music, I remember finding Cragga’s “Mr. Postman” Dubstep Remix on MySpace in 2009 and making it my profile song. I’m a sucker for soul samples. It didn’t lead me to dig deeper into the genre, though, and I wasn’t into Skrillex when he blew up the following year either. My reintroduction to electronic music didn’t come until I moved back to New York in 2012. A coworker of mine was DJing at a gay bar and played RL Grime’s “Pour It Up” Remix which led me to start using SoundCloud. I’d listen to bootlegs by him and LSDXOXO occasionally, but I was still more into rap until two years later. I went to a Mad Decent Block Party to see Vince Staples and after seeing the similarities between hip-hop and electronic music, I was hooked. I kept looking for more hip-hop-adjacent dance music on SoundCloud and became a frequent event and festivalgoer. If it weren’t for producers like TNGHT, Keys N Krates, Kenny Beats (who was then a part of LOUDPVCK), Baauer, and others I’m sure I’m forgetting, who bridged the gap between the two genres, I might have never gotten into electronic music.
Who was the first artist or band that you were a fan of?
Britney Spears! I was real dedicated to learning that “Baby One More Time” choreography.
Was there a formative moment growing up, whether that’s seeing your favourite band live or an incredible DJ set, that led you to this path?
I always admired musicians and artists, but I never thought it was something in my future… especially since I was so bad at learning instruments and I choked every time I had a choir solo. I religiously dated producers in my early twenties and even seeing them work didn’t spark the fire in me.
If I had to guess, maybe managing producers in 2021 was when I started to believe DJing was something I could do. I was already involved in music blogging and freelance music PR, but I realized I had an ear for mixing while trying to develop my artists. I had the subtle urge to learn how to DJ after that, but I actually got behind the decks for the first time a little under two years ago — and it was only because my friend booked me to spin for his music journalist meet-up. Although it came pretty naturally to me, I didn’t want to take it seriously because I saw first-hand what life could be like when popularity was the main goal. A few months later, I saw Daphni at Primavera Madrid and it changed things for me. I just knew I had to be that good one day.
DJing isn’t my main focus, but it’s something I love and I’m so glad to have a way to express myself and my love for music, sonically. Interestingly enough, when I spoke to one of my producer exes last year, he said he thought I’d start DJing sooner, so maybe it was in the cards for me whether I knew it or not.
Where do you look for sources of inspiration outside of music?
I always credit horror movies as my inspiration for storytelling. To me, a good horror movie has impeccable timing, is intentionally and artfully unpredictable, and treats the audience as an equal. I use the same approach whether I’m writing a profile or crafting a set. There’s even something to learn from the bad ones: Nothing matters as long as it’s entertaining!
How has New York influenced or informed your sense of self and artistic output?
I was born in New York City so I definitely have a lot of pride in it (I went by ariellenyc for years, after all). It’s filled with so much musical history — from being the birthplace of hip-hop to hosting iconic venues like Studio 54 and Paradise Garage — it’s imperative to be informed. Plus, as a nightlife participant, understanding the city’s modern contributions (e.g. GHE20G0TH1K, Dweller) encourages me to be innovative. New York City is often described as a “melting pot,” which extends to being a versatile and well-rounded artist. Since the landscape is always changing, it forces me to be adaptable, resourceful, and resilient — which are all qualities an artist needs anyway. On the other hand, although I consider my ambition and drive two of my strengths, my self-worth feels inseparable from my productivity. It shouldn’t be so hard to survive as a creative.
What has been your most recent musical discovery that you’re obsessed with?
Rebelmatic. They’re a hardcore punk band based in NYC and I saw them open for E L U C I D last week.
In 2023 you launched your party series and platform HEADS KNOW – what was your motivation behind creating this?
Once I started to really get into music journalism, I was on a mission to rectify the lack of representation in electronic music — particularly EDM, which was what I was more involved with at the time. I also wanted to help bridge the gap between electronic music and hip-hop because, as I talked about before, it was the reason I discovered electronic music in the first place.
Although writing is (and will always be) my true passion, I wanted to implement that mentality to the live side of the music industry. Concerts and live events are such a vital entry point for music discovery. After I quit my marketing job during the pandemic, I was able to land a role as a touring coordinator at a music booking agency. I supported the agent for one of my favorite bands, BADBADNOTGOOD and it was probably the best job I ever had. The skills and industry knowledge I gained there played an essential part in the success I have with HEADS KNOW.
Similar to my DJing trajectory, I was convinced I’d never be a promoter. in December 2022, my friend Cece asked me to help produce a party with Half Moon and somehow, it was like second nature to me. I officially started HEADS KNOW 5 months later because I was finally confident enough to take control and do what I set out to do in the music industry in the first place. Whether that’s writing or live events, I do it all, on my own terms, with HEADS KNOW.
What is your approach to curation, whether that’s the stories you’re sharing or the artists you book? And what do you enjoy the most about curation?
I approach curating parties the same way I approach music journalism: as a public service. We’re recording history, which means acknowledging pioneers and encouraging the scene’s progress by staying in tune with what’s current. A lineup is a news piece. A newer act on the bill can symbolize how a scene, community, or genre, is making an impact and why it matters now, while an established act may represent all the work it took to get there.
I enjoy giving opportunities to those who are overlooked or forgotten, showcasing my creativity with unexpected groupings, and proving lineups don’t have to be all white.
What have you learned since founding HEADS KNOW?
Growth takes time. Don’t force anything.
You’ve also contributed a mix for the 909 series, what’s the concept behind this one?
I’m used to playing to an East Coast American audience, so this mix was an opportunity to rethink how I present my sound and still showcase my love of club music, Chicago footwork, and breakbeats. I exercised more subtlety than usual, trading my typical vocal-heavy tracks for drum-focused selections which I layered to establish some sort of consistency. You should listen to this while you’re getting ready for a night out (not yet in pregame mode) or two hours into a long car ride when everyone’s tired of talking and sitting in silence.
How does your approach to DJ sets differ from studio mixes and radio shows? Is there a narrative in mind that you’re always trying to tell through your sets?
Last April, DJ Noir gave me advice I keep in mind every time I’m putting together a crate, digging for new music, or even organizing my Rekordbox: If you don’t love it, you don’t like it. It’s a good reminder to always move with intention, so that’s always my first step. My approach to DJ sets, studio mixes, and radio shows is to empathize, educate, and experiment. No matter the channel, I want whoever’s listening to know I understand what they want before introducing something they didn’t know they needed. I’m also big on blends. There’s nothing better than blindsiding people by mixing something strangely fitting.
That said, I am cognizant that during DJ sets, I’m not just a curator, but also an entertainer. I’ll absolutely throw in crowd-pleasers purely to make sure everyone’s having a good time. If it ever gets to the point where a majority of the dancefloor came for an Arielle Lana set, I’ll probably stop playing the Venga Boys… but maybe not.
When was the last time you were on the dance floor?
Last Friday night/Saturday morning.
What are you most excited about right now?
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is coming to Bushwick.
What’s on your vision board at the moment?
Ooooh! I’m going to be real and use this as a chance to publicly hold myself accountable and manifest my 2025 goals:
A completed manuscript and successful book release
Full dancefloors at every HEADS KNOW party
My first festival booking
Performing internationally
Writing a cover story
Being published in the New York Times
Financial stability