Dive into the mind of the talented drum and bass queen, Skellytn, ahead of her set at Apocalypse Zombieland!
As a leading lady in the North American drum and bass scene, Skellytn has undeniably earned her spot as a rising artist to watch in recent years. Since graduating from Icon Collective, she’s been turning heads and establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with in dance music. Inspired by artists like Skrillex and Noisia, she now presents her unique cyberpunk-inspired Neurofunk style that’s enthralled fans.
Stunning fellow producers and listeners, Skellytn stepped into the limelight with quite a catalog. In 2022, she was the first female producer to release a drum and bass album in North America via Reid Speed‘s Play Me Records and the first female artist to release on EATBRAIN. Skellytn has continued on that momentum, releasing with labels such as Space Yacht, Emengy, and Drama Club as well. Following the release of her Megacorporation EP on Bassrush Records, Skellytn gained even more widespread recognition across the dance music space.
More recently, Skellytn released her Cyberspace EP, a beautifully crafted cyber-inspired drum and bass body of work. Now Skellytn is gearing up to play at Insomniac‘s Apocalypse Zombieland, so we sat down to chat with her before the festival next weekend. Continue reading to find out what to expect, and be sure not to miss her set!
Stream Skellytn – Cyberspace EP on Spotify:
Hi Skellytn, thanks for taking the time to chat with us! We’re stoked to share more about you with readers. You’re slated to play Apocalypse Zombieland for its second year of existence next weekend. How does it feel to be a part of that lineup?
It’s an honor to play Apocalypse Zombieland! The festival is quickly becoming a staple for Drum & Bass in North America, with excellent bass-heavy lineups and great energy. I’m excited to bring my sound to such a standout festival and be a part of its growth.
What can fans expect from your set at this festival? How will it be different from sets in the past?
I’ve got a ton of new music I can’t wait to premiere, and I’m bringing along two vocalists as special guests to perform with me. It’s gonna be an hour of straight-up Drum & Bass bangers, so prepare your gun fingers!
You’re one of only 11 women featured on a lineup of 100 artists and artist groups. How does it feel to represent women in this space, and what steps do you think the industry can take to create more opportunities for female artists?
Representation matters in our space, and it’s awesome to see more women rising to the forefront of the scene. Being one of the few on the lineup is an honor, but it also shows there’s still work to do. Supporting female artists through advocacy, mentorship, and diverse lineups is key. I’m hopeful we’ll keep seeing progress as the industry pushes for more inclusivity.
You recently released your Cyberspace EP on Cyclops Recordings this month. What was the creative process like for that piece of work?
I have a very specific vision for my branding, artwork, videos, etc. that all goes into curating a body of work like Cyberspace EP. First, I collaborated with some amazing artists who shared and contributed to that vision through the music itself. From there, I worked closely with talented creators to flesh out that vision even further and bring it to life through the art and visuals. Through months of hard work, it all came together into a thematically cohesive project that I’m really proud of.
What do you hope resonates with listeners from that EP the most?
The Cyberspace EP is filled with several different DnB styles, from 4×4 to halftime to jungle, taking the listener on a dynamic journey through each. For me, it’s a testament to the versatility of DnB and I hope listeners are engaged with its diverse sonic landscape from start to finish.
We understand you have an upcoming collaboration with Boogie T next month. What was the creative process like for that collaboration?
Yes, I do! It’s been so hard keeping this one a secret. Brock (Boogie T) has been a great friend since he brought me on his Outbreak Tour in 2023. We’d talked about collaborating a few times, but it finally clicked when I made a 140 breaks track. It felt like the perfect blend of his 140 dub vibe and my style, so we jumped on the song together, and I couldn’t be happier with what we cooked up. Stay tuned!
What kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind with the Skellytn project?
I want to help inspire the growing wave of American Drum & Bass and expand the scene stateside. Neurofunk DnB is my passion and I want to be known as someone who waved the flag for it, as well as one of the top producers in the genre.
What are some words of advice you can give to other aspiring women artists in drum and bass or dance music in general?
Fight through the adversities and noise – let your passion and talent shine through. Stay consistent, work hard, and surround yourself with people who genuinely want to see you win. The effort you put in will pay off.
Finally, just for fun, what are some of your pre-show rituals to get you in the zone for a set?
One of my favorite things to do before a big festival set like Apocalypse is to put on some music in the trailer or green room and just dance. It lets go of some nerves and pre-show jitters!
