Danger Foley swung by to chat about her debut single with Roland Clark, her Danger Den and Learn To Fly projects, mental health, and more.
If there’s one word that would define Danger Foley’s career so far, it would be diverse. This Denver-born artist spent years learning about Neuroscience and Media Studies before diving deep into DJing and producing, giving her a unique approach to her performances that stimulates minds and compels crowds to dance simultaneously.
Danger Foley has put her skills behind the decks on display this year at Meow Wolf, during Miami Music Week, at the Denver Derby, and even at the MAPS Conference. Yet DJing wasn’t the only thing that she had her eyes set on in 2025, as she also teamed up with legendary artist Roland Clark to release “Season of the Sun,” her debut single that’s oozing with positive vibes that will uplift your soul.
Yet music is just one side of Danger Foley’s blossoming impact on the scene, as she also founded the Danger Den and Learn to Fly Project. The former is a curated, invite-only sanctuary for artists and others to recalibrate and escape the hustle and bustle of the industry. The latter is her 501(c)3 platform that was launched in 2016, which is designed to allow musicians to share exclusive content and discuss mental health. Danger Foley notably raised over $100,000 for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention via the platform in 2022, and continues to press on with new initiatives.
Looking to gain some deeper insight into the mind of Danger Foley, we sat down with her for a chat. Listen to her exclusive guest mix and read on for the full conversation!
Stream EDMID Guest Mix 473 || Danger Foley on SoundCloud:
To kick this off, let’s dive into your artistic roots. Who were some of the earliest influences you had musically and what led you to developing a passion for electronic music?
I was raised to appreciate music from a very early age. My dad is self-taught on the guitar and piano, and he and my mom used to sing together at weddings. I was raised on the rock classics—Clapton, The Eagles, The Beatles—and then Michael Jackson was the first CD I actually owned, Black or White. I also grew up as a late ’80s, early ’90s kid, so boy bands were a huge part of my early influence. I used to dance growing up and always had a real love for getting people into a room to dance together, and that’s always been something that feels like a love language of mine.
When it comes to pursuing the electronic side of the spectrum, after a car accident years ago that really damaged my neck, I just kind of fell away from playing any instrument whatsoever. But a friend put me in front of his DJ setup, and I basically fell in love with it. I decided really quickly to take it seriously.
You also studied neuroscience and media studies in school. How have those two disciplines directly impacted your career as a DJ and producer?
That’s such an awesome question. The neuroscience piece is what’s so important to me. I feel like people have underestimated the powerful elements that occur when we’re in a communal setting and dancing together. It really is a neurological phenomenon that has the power to genuinely heal us.
The media studies side of it—I got to study journalism and got a real understanding, not just from school but from my actual experience in the music industry too. It showed me how diverse and complex this industry really is. And it allowed me to avoid a lot of the pitfalls that musicians can fall into just by understanding the forces at play.
This summer saw you reach a massive moment in your career by teaming up with Roland Clark to produce “Season of the Sun.” How did this track come to life, and what was it like to work with such an iconic artist?
The track came to life after I took a friend’s advice and signed up for what is essentially Jedi training for production and DJ mastery—Orbit DJ Retreats in Ibiza. Roland was one of the mentors, and he and I became fast friends and collaborators basically from the first day. Roland and I just saw each other on a deeper level, and we had some really deep conversations early on that made it super clear that collaborating would be easy and fun—which it was.
The great thing about Roland is that he is just himself. And it’s been wild to see how far his reach actually goes after getting to work with him. He truly is one of the legends of house music, and I feel so honored to have had my first single with someone of his caliber.
I love the chilled-out yet groovy vibe that you bring with your mixes. Can you talk us through your crate-digging process? What’s your approach to crafting these mixes, like the one you made for us today?
Well, thank you so much. My crate-digging process is—I would say—inspired. It really depends on the mood and what I’ve been listening to in the past few weeks. I’m such a neurodivergent person that I’ve had to build different frameworks at different times just to make crate digging feel more efficient and less overwhelming. It kind of ebbs and flows.
Right now, I’m loving Inflyte for discovering new music from emerging producers. I try to be intentional with the kind of music I play—solid dance tracks that hit a positive chord in the subconscious mind. For me, the nervous system and the mental state are honestly the whole reason I got into music in the first place. So I’m always trying to find tracks that not only go well together but actually tell a story. Especially for this mix—it’s a showcase of the different styles I’ve been getting into. A lot of them are originals or remixes I’ve been working on, and I’ve just been having such a blast learning more and more about the craft.
Beyond your work as a musician, you’ve also dedicated yourself to supporting others through the Learn to Fly Project, which is focused on mental health. What’s the backstory on the creation of this project?
The Learn to Fly Project and the Danger Den kind of go hand-in-hand. The Learn to Fly Project is a 501(c)(3) that’s meant to be a bridge between musicians and their fans to talk about mental health. And the Danger Den is this artist’s safehouse I host in Denver and at music festivals and events across the country. Mental health, specifically for musicians and creatives, has been the biggest passion of my life. I truly think it’s my life’s work.
So creating spaces where people can have harder conversations and talk about the complexity of the mind and the human experience—that’s what I’m here to do. I think music is my medium, but the deeper purpose is about protecting art by protecting the artist. The Learn to Fly Project is one of many ways we’re trying to do that.
If you could give three tips to artists who might be struggling with their mental health, what would they be?
First of all, I would say—I’ve been there. And the most important thing to remember is: this too shall pass. The good times, as well as the difficult chapters, are temporary. That can be comforting because storms will end, but it’s also motivation and a reminder to be present during the good times.
The second thing I’d say is—it’s not just about “focusing on gratitude.” That can sometimes feel incongruent with reality. But more and more evidence shows that our reality is based on what we choose to focus on. So if you’re feeling out of alignment, or unmotivated, or like you’re falling short of your potential, take an inventory. How are you spending your time? How close are you to living a life that really lights you up and makes you happy to be alive?
And third—your gut health is more important to your mental health than we’ve been taught to believe. If you’re feeling depressed or anxious or sluggish, sometimes it’s as simple as cutting out processed foods, drinking more water than you think you need, taking magnesium, and getting sunlight. We’re just complicated plants, honestly. And those basic things can make such a big difference.
I’ve got more tips and resources that’ll be coming out on the Danger Den website and the podcast soon, so stay tuned.
You also started the Danger Den, which not only offers a space for industry members to be creative but also serves as a podcast where you engage in deep conversations with other artists. What’s been your favorite aspect of creating this space?
Yeah, the Danger Den has just been a case study in what artists truly need in order to be resourced enough to create and perform from a place of authenticity and high, contagious energy. My favorite aspect has been hearing that feedback from artists—just how rare it is to find a space like this, where they can actually feel safe and grounded.
Whether it’s a home-cooked meal, or a cold plunge and sauna session, or a massage, or access to mental health counseling—anything we can do to resource artists, that’s what we do. And it feels really good to be living my purpose and seeing it come full circle.
Have there been any standout moments that you feel have marked a milestone for the podcast?
Gosh—honestly, seeing so many of the artists who have come through the Danger Den go on to play huge, major festivals… like, with these amazing set placements and crowds. It’s wild. It just hits me how talented and wonderful these people are. I’m so proud to have hosted them.
We’ve got 25 podcast episodes queued up for release over the next few months. Even if we didn’t film anything else, we’d have content through the end of the year. It’s exciting.
We’re heading into the second half of 2025. What goals do you hope to achieve before the end of the year—and where do you hope to take your projects next in the years to come?
I feel like this has been a year of grace for me. It’s been a particularly challenging year—not only losing a friend and collaborator, but just dealing with life, family, and the emotional rollercoaster of starting a business. It’s been a year of learning to flow and aim with more intention.
Since the release of Season of the Sun on June 20, I’ve been working on four other tracks at once—which is chaotic, but I’m still figuring out my creative process and how to do it efficiently. I have some really exciting collaborations in the works right now, and that’s been the most fulfilling part.
I’ve also got some really fun travel coming up. I was just booked to play the Roots Music Festival in Boulder this October, and it’s already shaping up to be such an epic lineup. I feel proud and really honored to be included in that.
So yeah—more music, more shows, and just seeing where all of this wants to go.
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