Music always has been a huge part of life for Katy Rise. Learning to DJ in 2016, she quickly garnered considerable international attention with her unique music taste, which she featured in a run of exclusive live streams on her YouTube channel; a series which gathered thousands of views and instant global support. Katy has been a guest on various radio shows around the world, as well as doing her own residency at radio station and nightclubs in Ukraine and Turkey. By 2020, she became a co-founder of the organizational musical movement “NATURE BEAT”, where she participates in organizing musical events and festivals. Purely self-made and with an unstoppable work ethic, Katy Rise’s DJ performances and studio productions always carry a powerful euphoric atmosphere and leave unforgettable impressions. Following the release of her huge Light House EP on Natura Viva on Friday, we had the chance to sit down with Katy to discuss the new release, plans for 2023.

It’s a pleasure to have you here with us Katy. How have you been and where are you answering this interview from?

Hey guys! Nice to meet you! Currently, I am based in Turkey. Talking to you from my new home studio.

Please can you introduce yourself for our Only Techno readers?

I’m Katy Rise, a DJ & Producer from Ukraine. Music always has been a part of my life, since I can remember, throughout my childhood years, from piano classes that I took until my teenage years, when I found electronic music for myself. In 2016, when I had a chance to learn DJing, for that moment my friend (DJ) and now my husband & manager told me ‘If you want just to have a fun, please don’t start. But if you really want to learn and enjoy, then you can stay!’. So, as you can see, I stayed.

Congratulations on the release of your upcoming EP, ‘Light House’. What has the initial reception been like?

Thank you so much! I am very excited about this release, as I can say it was written in spontaneous way, under inspiration. After my successful “Arcane” EP release, Francesco, the founder of Natura Viva records, invited me to be a part of his record label and I immediately started writing ‘Light House’.

The EP comes with an amazing remix from Thodoris Triantafillou. How did this come about, and why did you choose Thodoris for the remix?

When I heard that Thodoris Triantafillou was gonna make a remix on it, I was super excited about it. He is really very talented and professional, and I already knew that it will be very special. He made combined of vintage synths and an old school drum that fills to conclude the “Light House” in a different music light.

Going back to your formative years, who or what were your biggest musical influences and inspirations growing up?

Ever since I was a teenager I was interested in electronic music while my friends did not share same views on it. As I remember, the first impression of electronic music made on me by Armin Van Buuren with a Trance genre. But also, I cannot but mention such influential people as Monika Kruse, Hernan Cattaneo, Oliver Koletzki, and many more. They are incredibly insiring!

What was the electronic music scene like in Ukraine when you first started going out? What were some of the best clubs / events that you attended?

Honestly, until the age of 17, I could only dream of visiting clubs or festivals. I was constantly studying, and all my time was always scheduled. In between lessons, I always had a player with me. At that time, in most of the clubs it was more commercial scene played, and Techno clubs were something from unreal places. It wasn’t so progressive like it is now. I can only say that, Ukrainian electronic music scene has been growing up much more and becoming better every day. We have a lot of talented people, and I am very proud to be Ukrainian.

If you could collaborate with any artist in the scene right now, who would it be and why?

There are so many great artists right now, with different styles, different souls and visions. The first names that comes to my mind are Jerome Isma-Ae, Weekend Heroes, Spada, and more! I’m totally open and ready for collaboration right now. In addition, I prepared collab with a talented Ukrainian artist and I can’t wait to share it with you!

What are the top 3 favourite records you love to play in your sets at the moment?

If you watch and listen to my DJ mixes on my Youtube channel or podcasts, you will understand that I am a real music lover. Everyday I’m getting new promo tracks from different artists and record labels and sometimes it’s really hard to choose which one to pick up first. And I always keep updating my playlists. Of course, everything depends from the place/location, time of the day, crowd and my mood. But, you can often hear the tracks from such artists as Paul Van Dyk, Paul Thomas, Cristoph, etc.

After the release of your Light House EP, what else have you got planned for 2023?

I’m continue to work in my studio, make new music, new releases are coming. Already in the beginning of April you can listen to my special DJ mix for Octopus Radio Show on Insomniac Radio! Right after release of ‘Light House’ on Natura Viva, in the middle of May ‘Time Machine’ coming out on Sunexplosion record label, and special remix coming soon.

What advice would you give to young artists looking to break into the music industry?

The same words that I was told before ‘If you want just to have a fun, please don’t start. But if you really want to learn and enjoy, then you can stay!’. Do not chase the trends around, follow your dreams and desires. Everything after, just about skills, practice and your patience for it.

Do you have any final words for our Only Techno readers?

‘Life is like a dance floor. No matter how the music is changing, you just need to keep dancing.’ I always try to follow these words.

Thank you Only Techno for your time! It was a pleasure to talk with you!

Thank you!

Katy Rise – Light House EP is out now via Natura Viva! Grab it here!