A fresh amount of irresistible grooves laid down by Amsterdam’s rising star BELLA.
We’re thrilled to kick off the new year with an emerging talent from our home turf Amsterdam. Big Saldo Chunker’s associate BELLA is making serious waves and we’re so ready to ride them. With a refined taste for percussion-driven house and high-energy heaters sprinkled with a dash of hip-house and early 90s breakbeat, BELLA knows how to get things moving.
Fresh off NY celebrations BELLA hopped on board with us, delivering an impeccable mix that flows seamlessly through her signature sound. We caught up with BELLA to reflect on standout moments from 2024 and sneak a peek into what the fresh new year holds. Dive in below!
Hey Bella, such a pleasure to have you with us today! We’re stoked to have you on board. How’s your NYE/day been and where do we find you today?
Hello, thank you so much for having me! My NYE was super fun. I spent it at my own event, PALET, at Lofi in Amsterdam, followed by an afterparty at Bret. Closing Lofi with Elias Mazian was such a perfect way to wrap up the old year and step into the new one. Today, you’ll find me in the studio, feeling recharged and excited for all the new projects I have lined up this year.
Speaking of highlights, we’d love to mention your debut EP on Queen Sally’s Big Saldo Chunkers. It must have been so exciting to release this incredible work on such a cherished label! How did it feel to bring out your debut EP and start making waves as a producer?
It was such an amazing feeling to have my debut EP released by Sally, who’s a good friend and someone I’ve always looked up to as a producer and DJ. I’ve actually been producing longer than I’ve been DJing, but I felt like the timing was right to finally get my music out into the world last year. Once I finished Note to Self, it just felt like the right moment, it felt me, and Big Saldo Chunkers was the perfect label to have it on. It’s been pretty sick playing my own tracks at events, and then also hearing other DJs I’ve looked up to drop them in their sets. Quite an addictive feeling and it motivates me to keep making more!
Whilst 2024 is being wrapped up, a fresh new year awaits us. What can we expect from BELLA in 2025 and what are you mostly looking forward to? Any upcoming projects in the works you can tease us with?
2025 is already shaping up to be an exciting year! I’ve got lots new music on the way, including my first-ever remix and an EP on a really cool label, all which I’m really excited about. There are also some really fun shows lined up, and I’m especially looking forward to my first-ever all-nighter at Doka on January 17th in Amsterdam, my hometown. I’ve always wanted to do an all-nighter, so big bucket list things.
That sounds amazing, it must be very exciting to play your first all-nighter at our beloved Doka. How will you prepare for a night like this – going on a 7-hour ride must take some serious preparation. Playing all-night marks the perfect opportunity to show different sides of your music collection, what’s your approach on that?
When I first found out I’d be doing an all-nighter, my hands were itching to get started, haha! I didn’t even know where to begin, but it’s been a lot of fun preparing the set. I’ve been digging all the way back to the start of my music collection, rediscovering tracks I totally forgot about. I’ve also been dusting off my vinyls, which is always a nostalgic experience. Just like the mix I put together for you guys, I’m blending breakbeats and percussion with house music as the red thread. With 7 hours, I have the freedom to really explore all of my favorites and take the crowd on a journey through different moods and energies.
Finally, tell us about the mix you’ve put together for us. What kind of energy can we expect?
Since I’m gearing up for the all-nighter, I wanted this mix to really represent everything that is BELLA. You can expect weird vocal chops, acid, breaks, and a build-up of percussion-driven house. It’s a mix of everything I love, with a flow that hopefully takes you on a fun ride 🙂 I hope it gives you a taste of what’s to come in 2025!