Sizzling Sydney-based DJ, producer, vocalist, and radio host Anna Lunoe released her latest EP, Saturday Love, on July 27, 2022.
Lunoe may be based in Australia, but her electrifying EDM expression has swept far beyond the Sydney club scene. Through numerous self-curated tours and hundreds of underground club performances, she has broken the glass ceiling for women in electronic music with her unique sound and masterful production. In 2019, Lunoe's already-growing popularity spiked further. Her single "303" (off of her Right Party EP) was on high rotation by DJs on 1001 Tracklists, with the EP's title track "Right Party" reaching triple j. There was no slowing down from here; her set completely filled the Sahara Tent at Coachella for the third year and she secured a major Las Vegas residency. Lunoe hosted Red Bull's Remix Lab series and performed at festivals across Europe, Australia, Asia, and the US, regularly hosting her danceXL radio show on Apple Music each week. She finished the year off strong, playing for more than 10,000 people at the Audiotistic Festival while she was eight months pregnant.
Continuing to hustle, Lunoe came into the 2021 year with a series of epic remixes and bubbly original single "Back Seat", featuring Aria Album of the year Winner Genesis Owusu. With her reach extending globally, Lunoe continues to inspire a new generation of female DJs and producers in Australia and the US alike.
The recently released Saturday Love EP is a crafty club collection, with each track bringing new energy and a rush of euphoria. It's no surprise that the EP's singles amassed over two million streams and garnered radio support from Diplo's Revolution, FBi Radio, KIIS FM, Capital Dance, BBC6, and triple j. The songs also received high praise from outlets and tastemakers such as Billboard, Music Feeds, NME, and Purple Sneakers.
Title track "Saturday Love" is the perfect opener for the EP; Lunoe's soundscape and Lulu Be.'s vocal collaboration come together in a seamless blend. The tune serves as a good indicator of what's to come in the next four songs, the reverberating bass and scintillating synths practically begging to be blasted in a crowded club. "Double Dip" is a definite discography favorite–bass booms and rhythm resounds so deeply you can actually feel it in your bones. Destined for a legacy of rave stardom, "Alright" will have listeners on their feet and dancing from the initial beat drop. "Like Me"'s catchy melodic motif appears through various instrumentations, but packs a serious punch each time. The hook is familiar, yet new and enticing–a nod to Lunoe's deep-founded understanding of her sonic influence. Saturday Love closes with "Peach Fuzz", an out-of-this-world collaboration with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. The track recalls the sensation of a space-laser battle, a fitting and climactic finale to the EP's far-out dance journey.
Many fans caught a ride on Lunoe's sonic spaceship during her appearance at this year's Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco. The set captured the audience's attention from start to finish, with lively beats and even livelier dance moves making it a festival favorite.
We spoke with Anna Lunoe about her set at Outside Lands, Saturday Love, and next moves. Check out the full interview below and listen to the full Saturday Love EP. Let us know what you think!
Where are you based?
Sydney, Australia.
At what age did you start making music?
I wrote bits and pieces on guitar in my teens and started producing when I was in my early-20s.
Who or what first inspired you?
I have always loved music and had many favourite artists, but experiencing the come-up of M.I.A was a real fire-starter for me as an artist. She had a voice and a message that made me feel excited to try to dig into myself and contribute. She was (and is) so wonderful and different, both visually and sonically, and her message was clearly unfiltered, raw, and free.
What was it like when you first started performing at festivals and venues abroad?
It was extremely liberating and comforting to know that I was able to connect deeply with strangers on the other side of the world with my music. It was a calling and a life purpose for me.
"It was a calling and a life purpose for me."
Tell me about your experience radio hosting.
I started in radio pretty much straight out of school–community radio. It was an amazing place to connect with my people in life. There were kids like me, who cared as much as I did about music and culture, and I have never looked back. Now I get to do the best radio shows in the world and it's so insane to me that I got this lucky. It's something I value enormously and love doing.
What is your favorite part of playing at music festivals like Outside Lands?
The opportunity to get up on stage and meet people in nature at an event when they are ready to let go is my ultimate favorite. This is ultimate freedom! I want people to feel release, enlightenment and be refreshed after seeing me perform. Every opportunity I get to give people that feeling is one I relish in.
If you have one, which song(s) are you most looking forward to performing in your live set?
My new single "Saturday Love"! Vocalist Lulu Be. will be performing it with me and I am thrilled to share it in a live setting.
Reflect on your show from today a little bit.
Well... our plane was delayed, so I got dressed in the car on the way to the festival and went straight onstage! This is my element, though, it's what I love, and I felt nothing but utterly thrilled to be there. It was an absolutely dreamy day in San Francisco–Golden Gate Park took my breath away. The last time I was there, I was a 19-year-old backpacker, dreaming about what kinds of things I might do in life, so to return in this way was really special for me.
"This is my element, though, it's what I love, and I felt nothing but utterly thrilled to be there."
What was the crowd's energy like?
It was an incredible crowd... they absolutely packed the stage out, had heaps of energy, and were so responsive. Lots of people knew all the words to my songs–it was honestly a dream crowd. Share a little bit about your latest EP, Saturday Love.
It's a collection of songs that I have finished in the last six months. Some of them have older origins, but they are all put through a lense of what I find inspiring right now and I'm really thrilled with how they make me feel. It's warm, spirited, interesting, and bright–just what I wanted to put out into the world at this moment.
What was the most challenging part of the project? The most rewarding?
Embracing the challenge of each song and what it asked of me was the most rewarding part. Stepping up to the plate, learning new skills, and bringing each song to its final form was the gift of it. Let's hope other people like it too, but if not, it's been a win already!
What kinds of music videos and visualizers can fans look forward to?
We actually shot the video for "Saturday Love" right here at the festival today! It should come out in the next week or so.
What’s next for Anna Lunoe?
I really don't know yet! I have shows booked for the rest of the year, but once this run is done I'll start to think about what I might like to contribute to the world next.