Spotlight on... Hannah Laing

Hannah Laing isn’t afraid of hard work. It might appear that the Dundee-born-and-raised producer’s spectacular rise over the past few years has been easy, but as she details in this week’s Spotlight, her current position as one of the UK’s most in-demand DJs is the result of a good decade of graft. Her start behind the decks was at a tiny pub in Arbroath when she was 18, with most of the audience made up of friends and family she’d corralled. That was followed by years of taking gigs at as many birthday parties or wedding receptions as she could manage, and hustling as a resident in Ibiza before her big break as part of BBC Introducing at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in 2022. And she did all this while holding down a day job as a dental nurse. 

For anyone needing a much-needed shot of adrenaline this summer, you should seek out Laing’s latest EP, Into the Bounce, which is the first in a trilogy of EPs dedicated to the genres that have helped shape Laing's sound. The focus of the three-tracks on Into the Bounce is techno, with Laing’s Pedicure Princess the record’s synthetic, gurgling centre-piece. Bookending Pedicure Princess are Love Is A Drug, made with in-demand London DJ Charlie Sparks, and OMG, made in collaboration with French producer Shlømo. We're told the next two EPs in the series will explore hard house and trance. 

Laing has a busy couple of days coming up. Into the Bounce is released on Friday 4 July and Doof the Park, Laing’s dance festival in Camperdown Park near Dundee, takes place the following day, with Laing in the headline slot. Ahead of all that, she tells us more about her love for techno, her collaboration process and her previous career as a dental nurse.

Hannah Laing | image: Sullman

Your career has been pretty well documented thus far. I’m fascinated by the fact you used to be a dental nurse – how has the career change been suiting you? Is there anything you miss about life before you were working full-time in music? Or is there anything you’ve found particularly hard/amazing since making the transition?

The change has been mad, but amazing – I’ve worked so hard for this, and I’m really grateful to be doing what I love full time now. I have to say I do miss the structure of a "normal" job sometimes, though! When I was a dental nurse, I had a proper routine and a set finish time. Now it’s 24/7 - especially with touring, producing and running Doof stuff. It’s intense, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. The best part is meeting fans all over the world who connect with what I’m doing – that’s the bit that makes it all worth it.

For a lot of people, it seems like you were an overnight success story, but that’s simply not the case – you’ve grafted and grafted. What advice would you give to others trying to make the same transition into a full-time career in music?

Yeah, people might only see the last year or two, but this has been like a decade of graft. My advice would be: don’t wait for someone to give you permission. If you love it, go for it and be relentless. Find your sound, build your own community and stay consistent. Also – be a good person. So much of this industry runs on trust and relationships. Talent’s important, but how you treat people matters just as much.

You’re just about to release Into the Bounce, the first in a trilogy of EPs celebrating techno, hard house and trance. On Into the Bounce you celebrate the relentless world of techno. How did you get into techno? What is it about the genre that you love so much, and who are some of the techno artists that have inspired you over the years?

Techno was honestly one of the first genres I fell in love with. I remember hearing it for the first time and just being like – what is this?! It’s music you feel in your chest. Artists like Amelie Lens, Dax J, Nina Kraviz and I Hate Models were big influences early on. I also love the newer wave like Charlie Sparks and Shlømo, which made working with them on the EP even more exciting.

On the EP you work alongside artists like Charlie Sparks and Shlømo. How did these collaborations come about, and what was the process like for writing/recording/producing the tracks?

I’ve been a fan of both Charlie and Shlømo for ages. Their sound really aligns with the energy I wanted for this EP – raw, fast, fun but still super high quality. We connected over DMs, then started sending ideas back and forth. With Charlie, we went for that full-pelt warehouse sound. Love Is A Drug came together really naturally. Shlømo’s OMG is a bit more playful and chaotic, which I loved – bouncy, mad, but still with a clean finish. We didn’t overthink anything; it was all about capturing the vibe. I’m so proud of how it turned out.

What can you tell us about the hard house and trance EPs that will follow, presumably later in the year? Can you let us in on anything early?

You can definitely expect some surprises! Each EP is a love letter to the genres that shaped me. I grew up listening to trance and hard house, so those sounds are in my bones. I’ve got some amazing collabs lined up too, but I’ll have to keep those quiet for now… sorry!

You’re releasing Into the Bounce just in time for your inaugural Doof in the Park festival. How buzzing are you for the weekend? What are you most excited about, and do you think there will be more DITP’s in the future?

I honestly can’t believe it’s happening. I’ve dreamt of this for so long – bringing a proper rave to Dundee, for the people who’ve supported me since day one. It’s going to be emotional, I think!! I’m most excited to see the community all together in one place, dancing in a park in my hometown to the music we love. The fact it sold out in three hours was unreal. And yes, I definitely want to keep it going. Doof in the park is just the beginning.

As well as all the forthcoming EPs, and DITP, what does the rest of the year have in store for you?

It’s full steam ahead! I’ve got my residency at Hï Ibiza all summer, lots of touring and the next two EPs coming later in the year.  There’s a lot happening, but I’m just taking it one show at a time!