ZOYA on In Search Of Sunrise: “To Be Able to Mix This Iconic Compilation is a Big Honour”

Bulgarian DJ and producer ZOYA is gearing up for the release of her In Search Of Sunrise 20 mix and swung by to share her love for the series and more.

In Search Of Sunrise is one of the most revered compilations in the scene, and this year is a monumental one for the series as it reaches its 20th volume in 25 years. To celebrate its legacy, Black Hole Recordings has selected six artists to spin six mixes filled with curated tunes that will sweep you off your feet. Solarstone, Airscape, Super8 & Tab, and York were the first four named, and now, fast-rising phenom ZOYA has been added as the fifth.

Hailing from Bulgaria, ZOYA has been in the sights of many trance lovers for years. Her roots in classical music and piano, paired with her singing and songwriting abilities, helped set the stage for her blossoming as a genre-defying DJ and producer. Releases on labels ranging from Armada and Future Sound of Egypt to Outburst and Black Hole Recordings have helped showcase her dynamic sound.

That sound is what she’s channeled for her debut In Search Of Sunrise mix, and before it arrives in full form, we caught up with her to dive into its creation and get her thoughts on the series as a whole.

Pre-save ZOYA’s In Search Of Sunrise 20 mix ahead of its release on September 18, pre-order your box set, and read on for the full conversation with this sensational artist.

Thanks for chatting with us today, ZOYA, and congratulations on being selected as one of the artists for a mix on In Search Of Sunrise 20!

Hi, first of all many thanks for the invitation, it is an honour to be interviewed by you.

Before we dive into the release, I wanted to touch on the In Search of Sunset set you played in Tilburg. How did that go?

Playing at the ‘In Search of Sunset’ party in Tilburg was a really special experience for me. I was so excited about it, not only because of all the new music I was about to play but also about meeting people who flew over to see me. This was also the first time that I met my label manager Arny (Bink) and the whole Black Hole team in person. We have been working together for a few years remotely but never actually met. So, this party was extra special for me. The vibe during my set was great, people were dancing all the time. We managed to film it all; people can watch it on my YouTube channel and feel the vibe.

Turning back the clock, which In Search Of Sunrise album did you hear first?

I have been following the series since the first edition, and I really enjoyed every single one of them. In fact to be able to mix this iconic compilation is a big honour for me. I don’t think I have realised at first the recognition I have been given being one of the six selected producers to mix the 20th edition. On top, I am the only female in the 25 years of history who ever mixed it, which makes me feel extra proud.

Not to mention the first Bulgarian and the first whose name starts with a ‘Z’! Was it hard to keep your involvement in ISOS20 under wraps?

Yes, I knew for a very long time that I would be mixing ISOS20. When Arny told me about it, I wanted to share the news everywhere, but I managed not to. It was very hard for me to keep a secret, especially when I was happy and excited about something. I want to share it with the whole world! But in this case, I knew this was part of the plan, and I had to hold my emotions and wait for the right moment with the right promotion. I am very happy right now that I can finally announce it!

How did you approach the flow of your disc’s mix, and what was the process like making it from start to finish?

I like to take my listeners on a journey and build up my sets. I hope I have accomplished this here as well.

I am usually very fast at making music, sets, and everything because my time is really limited, but in this case, I took my time to think and plan how I wanted the set to sound. It took me much longer than usual as I selected many tracks, I played them at home to see how they flow and then I made my final selection. I would say that it took a few months to come up to the final mix. After that I played all of it, keeping in mind the keys of the tracks, recorded it and mastered it myself. I am happy with the final result.

There looks to be lots of exclusives, premieres and purpose-built tracks in your mix. Can you share some insight on those tunes?

I wanted to play most of my new music, but I was told that I can play a maximum of five tracks of mine. I selected the tracks that I loved the most. The opening track, “Crystal Cove,” is one of these tracks. I think it matches the series perfectly because it has this Balearic, nostalgic sound, taking the listener to another dimension (at least it does with me!).

My track “Eternity” is definitely one of my best productions. It gives me goosebumps every time I play it. “Gravity” and “Riverside” perfectly describe me as they are balanced and energetic and dancey at the same time. There are so many good tracks in my set. I love the production of Nils Hoffmann, Paradoks, and the Anjuna artists too.

Yourself aside, was there one ISOS-oriented artist you were particularly keen to have on your disc?

I would say Paradoks. I love his music so much and I play it every time I have a gig.

Building off that, is there one artist, producer or singer that you think encapsulates ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ – the series, more than any other?

To me this artist is Chicane. When I think of ISOS, I always hear his music in my head. For this reason, I also included some of his tracks in my mix.

Releases in the series have often been associated with places on the planet. Which country, city, or place particularly comes to your mind when thinking In Search Of Sunrise?

I definitely associate it with the beach, the sunrise on the beach. For my mix, my team and I drove all night to be at the beach at 6am and film a DJ set there. I didn’t sleep all night but it was worth it because we managed to capture my ISOS set there. We filmed it at the Black Sea, in my home country Bulgaria, in a sea resort in Elenite. The set will be streamed on Thursday, September 24, on my YouTube channel.

Finally, just for fun, what’s the best sunrise you’ve ever found?

I am a very gentle and romantic person. I love sunrises and sunsets. Every time I have the opportunity to see one, I am there waiting for it and then I could stare at it and dream about things till it lasts. One of the best sunrises and sunsets I saw were in Greece. The Greek islands always bring joy to my soul.

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