It’s time to get your rave on with the sensational international DJ, songwriter, and singer Anna de Ferran. Her electrifying beats and smooth vocals have hypnotised the party scene as she performs at a range of exclusive events around the world, spreading good vibes and good vibes only!
Under the pink haze of the strobe lights and the mystical smoke, you’ll find Anna de Ferran, up on the decks spinning you into a mood so joyful you’ll never want the night to end. She’ll sing with you, dance with you, laugh with you, all whilst serving seamless sets. Ferran has always had one foot placed firmly in music, and it was a combination of her extraordinary talent and never-say-no attitude that allowed her to jump feet first into a music career. Her journey has led to collaborations with some incredible artists, including Jopin and Hotway, and even to the creation of her company L’Amigas Collective, which she founded with her best friend to give more access and opportunities to female DJs. Whether it’s on the Formula One racetracks or a feel-good festival, Anna de Ferran will set the mood for any occasion, and has established herself globally as a multi-talented artist.
On your website it asks you to enter the ‘world of Anna de Ferran’. How would you describe that world?
It’s a world full of a lot of adventures, music, sass, and love!
You have explored so many different aspects of the musical world, from singing in a band to a career as a solo artist. How did you get into music?
It’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mum is always singing, and I guess I just did the same. When I was a little girl, everyone else would be a princess for Halloween, but I was always a diva or a popstar! I can’t pinpoint when exactly I got into it, so I’d have to say it was more a progression of interest and saying ‘YES!’ to a lot of random things that led me to where I am today.
DJing is the most recent part of my journey. If you’d asked me 10 years ago if I was going to be a DJ I would have laughed! I got into it when I wrote and recorded vocals for a track that was released by a trio of DJs, and it ended up doing quite well. This was right about the time I finished university, and was like ‘… now what…’, so I decided to ride that wave, even going to DJ school for a few weeks where I just picked it up!
Your musical journey hasn’t been easy, and the industry is known for its ruthless nature. How did you stay motivated and what advice would you give to those entering the industry?
I don’t think enough people talk about how hard it is to persevere despite lack of progression and instances of failure. I think when you have a passion, you don’t really know what keeps you motivated. You can’t just drop it, not matter how much you want to at times!
My biggest advice would be to stay flexible. Say yes to everything, work with everyone, experiment in different genres. Have a plan, but also take everything day by day. Opportunities pop up when you least expect it – when that big break comes you’ll only be ready if you’ve already experienced as much as you can.
What is your most memorable gig and why?
My most memorable gig was probably my first one. It was at a dive bar on the beach, about 10 minutes from my family home in Fort Lauderdale. I had no idea what I was doing but I got up there and did it… but I also got so drunk that they had to pull me off early – oops! I was so nervous, and people often send shots and drinks to the DJ, and I was just downing every single one!
You founded L’Amigas Collective with your best friend Giovanna Elia. What is it and why was it created?
L’Amigas Collective is an all-female DJ collective that aims to help female DJ’s navigate their careers and achieve their professional goals. Both Giovanna and I are half Brazilian, so L’Amigas is a play on words, meaning “the friends” in Portuguese. It was created because personally, I felt very alone trying to figure out my path. It’s mostly men who work in nightlife, where there is no standard pay or protocol, so it’s hard to reach potential clients and vice versa. Giovanna and I decided this shouldn’t be allowed to continue, so we created the collective to try and change that!
Do you feel as though the industry is becoming more open, or are there still stigmas and boundaries in place?
The industry is definitely becoming more open! There are still some boundaries in place, for example, there are less females in the industry and supporting industries, but you’ll almost always see at least one female on a festival line up now which is great! I think that’ll just increase with time, so I’m happy with the way things are going.
You are of Brazilian heritage, even using Portuguese to name your company.
Do your heritage and your music ever intersect?
For sure! I actually discovered house music by going to clubs in Brazil, and some of my favourite DJs are Brazilian, so a lot of my sets contain Brazilian music. I am dying to do a song in Portuguese! I have a big studio week coming up so that may be happening soon…
Although your music is geared towards the party scene, a lot of your lyrics hold emotional depth. What is your approach to songwriting and creating lyrics?
This really just depends on the mood I’m in! I don’t have a formula or a process, it just happens!
You can find out more at:
Personal Instagram: @annadeferran
L’Amigas Collective Instagram: @lamigascollective
Website: https://www.annadeferran.com/