News
March 30, 2012
FENUXE
There should be no doubt that DJ Havana Brown remains focused on her career. The Australian spinner has already gained worldwide attention in the past few years while working with many of America’s top musical talent. In 2010, she served as the exclusive support act for Britney Spear’s European Circus tour upon the request of the pop diva’s people. Havana’s other support acts include Lady Gaga, the Pussycat Dolls and Rihanna. She has also found success with the release of her debut single “We Run the Night” in April 2011. Fenuxe caught up with Australia’s No. 1 female DJ, and here’s what she had to say: Fenuxe: How was the Super Bowl? Fenuxe: What did you think of Madonna? Fenuxe: How did you get your start in the music industry? Fenuxe: Your song “We Run The Night” was just added to the z100 playlist. How does that feel? Fenuxe: With all of the success of “We Run The Night” how do you plan to out-do yourself? Fenuxe: What’s the state of your debut album? Fenuxe: Do you have a release date? Fenuxe: After working with Pitbull and RedOne, who are the other people in the industry that you would dream to work with? Fenuxe: Do other DJs inspire you? Fenuxe: Do you feel any pressure from all of the women that are dominating the charts these day? Fenuxe: What sets you apart? Fenuxe: If you could only choose to be a vocalist or a DJ, which one would you want to choose? Fenuxe: Who are your favorite artists of the moment?
Havana: It was pretty cool. It was my first time going to the Super Bowl. So, I got pretty cool tickets where we had a pre-party event sort of thing and afterwards you get to walk on the field, which is pretty amazing.
Havana: I thought she was great. I looked at it again on YouTube and thought it was good. Then I went back and looked at Janet Jackson’s performance, and I thought that was amazing.
Havana: I started DJing about five or six years ago, and I was doing a lot of club shows and touring around quite a bit. Then I started doing supports for people like the Pussycat Dolls around Australia for their international tour. From there the manager suggested me to the Britney Spears camp, and I scored the Britney Spears support around Europe, as well as Australia. I think that was really great because I was exposed to a wider audience than I had been previously. I think that was really when things started to take off, and now I have toured with Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Enrique and Pitbull. I’ve got radio shows and compilations, and now I’m putting out my music. It’s all about getting out there and working and trying to expose yourself to as many people as you can.
Havana: I’m pretty excited about that one because I’ve been told it’s the biggest radio network in the U.S.
Havana: Ha ha, I know! That’s always a challenge, isn’t it? I’m just continuing working on tracks and just trying to make music that makes me happy and that I like and that is a representation of me as an artist. I am pretty fortunate to be working with some pretty amazing people at the moment. I’ve got Pitbull on the track now, and with my other stuff I am going to be working with RedOne. We have done an insane amount of tracks together, and I’m pretty excited to put my other music out. I think it’s on par or could be bigger than “We Run the Night.” I just have to aim high and hopefully at least match the success. But I want it to be better.
Havana: I’ve got a whole heap of amazing songs. We are really just fine-tuning, and I am still working on other songs as well with different producers. But yes, it’s in the works right now.
Havana: Well you know, being a DJ, I feel like I have a little bit more freedom with that type of thing. I don’t feel like I need to be releasing an album straight away. We can kind of play with things a little more, and it can be a little more free and not so rigid. But as far as the album, it will definitely be this year. I’ve been thinking of ways to make it different, and I am hoping I can do that. It may not be just your normal stock standard album format.
Havana: I’d love to work with the Cataracs. I really love their production. I think they are insane and creative. My opinion of them is that they are the future of hip hop, and I think they are definitely right on track. I just really like their sounds and the way they produce. But as far as an artist, I think the one artist I have been inspired by my whole life would be Janet Jackson. It would be amazing to do something with her. But you know I may have missed the boat on that one; I don’t know if she is ever going to come out with another record, but, you know, that would be amazing.
Havana: Absolutely. When I first started I was inspired by DJAM. I used to watch him all the time, even YouTube him and watch footage of him. I just love the way he was able to play anything and everything, from hip hop, dustup, house, to old classic rock tunes, to old hip hop tunes. I like how he was able to play it all and keep the crowd shocked, and I love that. He was a big inspiration for me and definitely changed the way that I played. When I started being inspired by him was when I grew and became a better DJ. I owe a lot to him. His passing was really upsetting to me. I just thought we had lost such a great talent.
Havana: I don’t know if I feel pressure, because obviously I have the pressure I have on myself to put out good music and be the best that I can be and stay true to myself. That has absolutely nothing to do with any other acts. They are all doing their own things and have their own paths and missions, and I have my own as well. I think it would be all too much if I took that pressure on as well. But I can only concentrate on myself.
Havana: I think DJing definitely sets me apart from all of the other acts, and I am very involved with production and writing. I know a lot of acts do that, but I see it from a different point of view because I basically live in the clubs. I see what is out there; I see what’s going on. I’m always researching. I have to stay on top of my game. I think what sets me apart is my style, which is kind of a new concept because I am out there all night DJing and then I sing my songs while I am DJing. Not many DJs sing on their own tracks.
Havana: Ah, don’t put that on me. I honestly believe they go hand in hand. I think a lot of DJs are producing and writing and putting music out there. I think that it’s a natural progression once you get to a certain point you want to push yourself more and challenge yourself to produce something of your own and play it in the clubs and have people respond positively to that. To tell you the truth, I really could not choose because the artist that I am now is because of my DJing.
Havana: I am obsessed with Drake’s album. To tell you the truth I’ve gone back a little bit, and I have started listening to a lot of Aliyah. I think when I am not looking for music to play in the clubs those are the kind of things I like to listen to. They are a little more soul and chill and not so energetic and a bit more urban. I like when an album is comprehensive and you feel like listening to a certain type of music. The whole album is that type of music; it’s not like rock on one song and pop on the next and then hip hop. I like that type of album artist who sticks to what they do best.
Fenuxe: So what do you like to do that doesn’t involve music?
Havana: Well I am consumed by my music, even in my time off. There’s not a time when something doesn’t make me think of music or a new idea. I guess what I like to do with my time off is visit my friends and family and have a good movie night—a movie night where I just switch off and get involved in someone else’s story.
January 30, 2012
DJ HAVANA BROWN – “We Run the Night”
DJ Havana Brown can do it all.
Not only is she a superstar, international DJ, she's also quickly becoming a pop phenomenon with "We Run the Night" featuring Pitbull, her debut single for Universal Republic Records. However, that was always the plan for Brown.
Growing up in Melbourne, the singer discovered music by raiding her brother's collection of R&B records. Crooning along to the likes of Janet Jackson and Bobby Brown, Brown taught herself how to sing. Soon, she was performing at family gatherings and immersing herself deeper into music. After high school, the budding star started seriously writing her own songs.
Moving to the UK, she formed an R&B dance group called Fishbowl and landed a deal with Polydor. Even though Fishbowl recorded an entire album, a single was never even released as the group dissolved due to inner tensions. Brown was crushed, but she found solace under the bright lights and pulsating sounds of London's club scene.
"I was clubbing a lot in order to suppress my depression about things not working out," recalls Brown. "One night, I looked at the DJ, and I thought he had the best job on the world. As a DJ, you get to perform, entertain, play good music, and have fun. I knew I had to try it. When I started, it was so natural. At the time, it was what I was meant to do. It didn't work out for me Polydor, but it led me to the next phase."
Snagging some turntables and equipment in 2006, Brown picked up small gigs spinning around London. She slowly but surely started to carve out a following due to her diverse and energetic sets. Moving back to Australia, she landed an opening spot on tour with The Pussycat Dolls and Lady Gaga in 2008. From there, she supported Britney Spears all over Australia and Europe.
Brown established herself as a go-to DJ, manning the decks on tour before major pop presences such as Chris Brown, Rihanna, Enrique Iglesias, and many more. In the meantime, she became the first female DJ in Australia to sign a major label record deal with Universal Music and she began releasing her compilation series, Crave, via the label. Juggling everything flawlessly, she hosted various popular radio shows across Australia, remaining inescapable.
However, everything simply served as a prelude to "We Run the Night". Over infectious beats from mega-hot producer RedOne, Brown seduces with an irresistible refrain. Her voice shimmers soulfully, while Pitbull drops a kinetic verse. The song stands out as a bona fide anthem equally ready for the radio airwaves and the clubs.
About the "We Run the Night", Brown reveals, "I wanted to combine the club and commercial words in one song. I wanted to make something that I could play in my DJ sets and on my radio show. It was a challenge, as I had to work with people who understood what's happening in the club scene and in pop music at the same time. RedOne was perfect. We were trying to mix two types of music together."
The track bridges those gaps seamlessly with its hyper catchy, sexy hook and incendiary bump 'n' groove. "The lyrics are about music, but there's this sexual innuendo in there. I like boys, but I love music," laughs Brown. "It brings everything together, while showing how music makes me feel."
Listeners are going to feel "We Run the Night" as soon as they hear it. Most importantly for Brown, the song establishes her foundation as an artist, seeing her jump from behind the decks to center stage.
"It's a great introduction to the kind of artist I am and I'm going to be," she declares. "However, it also represents me as a DJ. I didn't want to neglect that side. My dream was always to make music that I could play in the clubs and on my radio shows."
That's exactly what she's doing. Still, Brown is at another new beginning. "I want people to forget everything and feel free when they hear my music," she concludes. "I want them to move, dance, feel sexy, and enjoy life. I want them to escape."
Havana Brown doesn't simply "run the night", she's about to run pop.