ANAYA (Esther Anaya): “Making the Violin the Main Character”

There’s a moment in an Anaya (Esther Anaya) set where things shift. The beat is locked in, the crowd is moving and then the violin comes in, not as a background layer, but right at the center of it all. It’s unexpected, raw, and suddenly the roomfeels different.

Anaya didn’t come up in club culture in the usual way. With a classical foundation behind her, the violin was always her voice. However, it wasn’t until she stepped into the electronic world that she found a space where that voice could stretch, evolve, and hit on a much larger scale. Now, her set sits somewhere between DJ performance and live show, built on instinct and structure.

Whether she’s playing in a packed club or a more intimate setting, her approach stays grounded in one idea: connection. Reading the room, responding in real time, and creating those moments where people stop thinking and just feel. It’s not about fitting into a scene—it’s about shaping her own space within it.

Q: You started out in the classical world—what pulled you into electronic music, and when did it click that the violin could actually work on a dancefloor?

A: I grew up in the classical world, so the violin was always my foundation; it was how I expressed everything. But I’ve always been drawn to energy, movement, and emotion on a bigger scale. When I discovered electronic music, it felt like a whole new world had opened up… something more expansive, more freeing.

The moment it really clicked for me was when I started experimenting live, playing over tracks and seeing how people reacted. I realized the violin didn’t have to stay in the background. It can lead. It could carry emotion in a way that hits just as hard as a drop. That’s when everything shifted for me.

Q: Your sets blend DJing with live violin—how do you build energy and keep a crowd locked in?

A: For me, it’s all about storytelling. I’m constantly reading the energy of the crowd and building a journey, pulling them in emotionally and then releasing that energy at the right moments.

The violin adds this human, emotional layer that people don’t expect. It creates a connection. So I use that to create tension, elevate moments, and then when the drop hits, itfeels bigger. It’s about balance, emotion and energy working together.

Q: When preparing a set, do you start with the tracks or the violin ideas? And how much is improvised?

A: It usually starts with the music, the tracks create the structure and the energy flows. But the violin is where I bring my personality into it.

I’d say there’s always a framework, but much of it is improvised in the moment. I like to stay present and respond to the crowd. Some of the most memorable moments happen when you’re not overthinking, but just feeling.

Q: You move across different styles—are there certain sounds where you feel the most freedom?

A: I feel the most freedom in melodic, emotional dance music, where there’s space to really feel something. Big, euphoric records with strong vocals or melodies… that’s where I can fully express myself.

But I also love moving into deeper or more high-energy moments. It keeps things dynamic. I don’t like staying in one place for too long.

Q: You’ve played everything from clubs to luxury events—how do you read the room and adapt your sound?

A: Every room has its own energy, and I think that’s one of the most important skills as a performer, being able to feel that quickly.

In a club, it’s more raw, high-energy. In a luxury setting, it might be more curated, more about the atmosphere. But no matter where I am, I’m always looking for that connection point, what’s going to move people in this moment.

Q: What’s the one moment in a set you always chase?

A: That moment where everything aligns, the music, the crowd, the energy, and you can feel everyone completely present.

It’s like a shared emotional release. You look out and people aren’t thinking anymore… they’re just feeling it. That’s the moment I’m always chasing.

Q: “By My Side” came from a personal place—what was running through your mind when you wrote it, and how did the collaboration with Aviella come together?

A: I wrote “By My Side” in my hotel room in Philadelphia during a time when things felt really uncertain. As an artist, you pass through phases where it feels like everything is going left… and I was in one of those moments.

But in that space, I realized that faith and light were always with me. That realization became the heart of the song.

Working with Aviella was really special; her voice carries so much emotion, and it perfectly captured the feeling I wanted to express. It felt very natural, like the song had found its right voice.

Q: The violin really takes the lead on this track, and it’s your first fully self-produced release. For you, how big is this step creatively?

A: It’s a huge step for me. This is the first time I’ve been able to fully bring everything together: production, songwriting, and the violin as a true lead voice.

I really wanted the violin to feel like a main character, not just something in the background. To have it stand alongside the vocals and carry emotion in its own way. That was really important to me creatively.

Q: Your project blends music, fashion, and performance. How important is that full identity to you?

A: It’s everything. For me, it’s not just about the music, it’s about the full experience.

The visuals, the fashion, the energy on stage… it all tells the story. I want people to feel like they’re stepping into a new world when they see me perform. That full identity helps create something deeper and more memorable.

Q: Where do you see your sound fitting into the current dance music landscape, and where do you want to take it next?

A: I think my sound lives in that space between emotional storytelling and high-energy dance music. It’s melodic, uplifting,but it still hits the big stage.

Moving forward, I want to keep pushing that even further. I want big records, deeper emotions, and continuing to evolve the violin as a leading voice in this space. Just creating moments that people can really feel and remember.

Get it on Beatport