Ann Clue can’t wait to ring in the new year during the MasqueRave at AREA15 in Las Vegas, and we linked up with her ahead of the show for a chat!
New Year’s Eve is right around the corner, and so many amazing events are happening worldwide, but a major hot spot will be the MasqueRave at AREA15! Purchasing a ticket will place you on the dancefloor in front of Boris Brejcha and his Fckng Serious fam, Moritz Hofbauer and Ann Clue. This party comes prepped with two stages, a wide variety of art installations, and six hours of beats to bid ado to the last 365 and hello to a fresh start.
As attendees put the finishing touches on their MasqueRave masks and festive rave fits, we caught up with the person who not only played a major role in Boris’ career but who paved a mighty path for herself in tandem, Ann Clue. Through it all, she became a master of multi-tasking, her expertise runs through artist management, event curation, DJing, and producing.
The latest treat to emerge from her studio was her eighth-anniversary remix of Boris Brejcha and Deniz Bul‘s “R U FCKNG SERIOUS.” It reflects her deep and dynamic approach to the techno genre, keeping fans fixated. “Joy” and “Create” are the two other gems she gifted to the industry this year. And although her release schedule was limited, her tour schedule has been on fire. Just this past month alone, she was able to fit in a whopping 11 performances, and when she steps onto the stage at AREA15, she’ll make it a solid dozen.
Ann Clue has techno surging through her veins, and she wants nothing more than to share her art with you. Read on for our chat about her upcoming performance, history with Fckng Serious, issues in the scene, plans for the new year, and more. Don’t forget to secure your spot at the MasqueRave, and have a safe and happy new year on the dancefloor!
Stream Boris Brejcha, Deniz Bul – “R U FCKNG SERIOUS” (Ann Clue Remix) on Spotify:
Hi Ann, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us today. First things first, you just got back from a surprise b5b with Boris Brejcha, Frieder & Jakob, Deniz Bul, and Moritz Hofbauer at Crobar Club in Buenos Aires. Can you walk us through that night and how it all played out?
Fun story. I didn’t even know much long before that there was going to be an afterparty with Frieder & Jakob. It was supposed to be something special for their official reception, not too serious. Usually, we all go to our set times separately, but this night was special for us as a team, so we decided to skip the sleep and stay together.
The b2b with all of us was a spontaneous idea of Boris, so we all hopped in. It was pretty chaotic and fun at the same time. I love random happenings like that a lot. It brings out the magic that comes from chaos.
The New Year is upon us, and you’re gearing up to play Boris Brejcha’s MasqueRave in Vegas. How are preparations coming along? Can you clue us into the special vibes you’ll be bringing?
As I’m writing this, I’m on my way home from Frankfurt Airport. I landed just an hour ago, and it’s December 19. I’ve been touring for the past five weeks straight. From India to Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil. It’s Christmas in five days, and I have had only a handful of full nights of sleep. So, preparation is not going to happen.
I just received the master of a new release of mine, “Golden Child,” and I’m excited to play it. Other than that, I’ll focus on getting lots of sleep and some family time before I leave for Vegas straight after Christmas. I’m excited to play there, especially as I am doing the changeover to 2024 at midnight. A pretty cool beginning to a new year.
It’s no secret that Boris Brejcha is not only your industry colleague but also your best friend. In what ways has fame affected your friendship?
We’ve been friends since 2008, so 15 years now. I met Boris when he just started, and no one knew him. We had time to grow into this whole fame thing together, and besides the fact that we both stay quite busy, it doesn’t affect our relationship. We’re still on the same terms but on a different level. We’re both still childish, and we’re just Boris and Cora.
When it comes to Fckng Serious, you’ve taken on an incredible amount of responsibility throughout the years, from managing Boris to setting up label nights, personal production, and so much more. Can you dish out some tips and tricks regarding time management and keeping your sanity?
To cover this question, I could probably write a whole book. But let’s try to keep it simple. Starting as a one-woman show, I learned quite a lot over the past years. First, set priorities. What’s important to do, and what’s worth your time?
Second, focus on what’s in front of you. Eat the frog — meaning, deal with stuff you don’t like first thing. That way, the rest is easy and takes you less time. Very important in our business — your body gives you direction. You have to learn how to handle stress and take care of your body pretty well because that’s your vehicle that transports you through life. Without health, you’re nothing.
One of the important decisions I made was to get good people on board. So, I’ve chosen — quite intuitively — all of our staff. From the agents to videographers to assistants, everyone who works with us is people I trust and love. And each person does tasks that they’re good at and like to do. In that way, everyone is most effective. In general, consistency is key. Keep going, fail, but proceed. Learn from mistakes, and don’t let them define you.
Most recently, we’ve begun to bring awareness and feel a shift in attitudes surrounding the treatment of women in a male-dominated industry. But there is so much more work to be done. Can you open up about this issue and offer advice to improve the industry further?
I think we’re on a pretty good road when it comes to women in male-dominated industries. It’s all about accepting the strengths and weaknesses of each and everyone. I guess we’ll never be at the point where everything is balanced out.
I see so many women striving in the music business and technology. But there’s a reason for something being called male-dominated; Women are just not as logical as men; we are more intuitive. Right now, most technology — for example, electronic instruments — is less intuitive. That way, women are still the minority in doing live acts, for example.
I believe with time, things will change naturally in the necessary directions. I’m more than confident. Personally, I don’t think about what you pointed out. I don’t have the feeling of being treated differently, so I guess we’re getting better at this gender difference thing.
Beyond women’s issues, what are some other changes you’d like to see happen in the industry?
I wish people would stop remixing every good song from the past and create new stuff. I wish the hard techno trend would be over soon because, to me, it’s so boring. And I wish social media would not play such a big role in music in general.
There were two tracks to emerge from your studio this year, “Joy” and “Create.” These tracks carry unique sounds from one another, so how do you keep your creative juices in a constant state of evolution?
I only do music when I’m inspired to do so. I just recently figured out that I’m not the kind of person who goes into the studio and creates every day. I sit down when I have the feeling of expressing myself. As myself and my feelings change all the time, I never run out of inspiration. Whether it’s a trip that just happened or a special person I just met, inspiration comes from life, and life happens all the time.
Speaking of, can you open up about the sonic evolution of the worldwide techno scene this past year? Where do you see it going in the new year and beyond?
The techno scene worldwide has been mixing things up a lot in the past year. Artists are playing around with different sounds, creating a more diverse techno vibe. Looking ahead, it seems like this trend will keep going, with techno getting even more experimental and mixing with other genres. As tech and production techniques get better, we can expect some cool innovations. Plus, there’s a vibe of inclusivity and collaboration that’s likely to keep techno-diverse and fresh in the coming years.
As we move into the New Year, what are some fresh goals you’d like to work towards both inside and outside of music?
My goals for 2024 are simple: Music-wise I want to go back to the studio and create more uplifting tracks for the future — Sounds that are fun to listen to. I would love to do my own visuals for my music and work on something special for the shows I am headlining.
In my personal and professional life, I want to do everything with love. I just found out that that’s the only way worth living. Love it, leave it, or change it.
Ann, again, thank you so much for your time. Happy New Year!
You’re welcome! It was a pleasure. Happy New Year to you too!
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