RB Interview: Nora En Pure, An Exotic Soul with An Organic Sound

Nora En Pure is a name on the rise. With a packed tour schedule and upcoming residency in Ibiza, she has established herself in the international electronic music scene and is winning over US crowds everywhere with her summery sets that capture the moment perfectly. At Splash House in Palms Springs last weekend, she closed out the Saguaro stage on Saturday with an incredible tropical and deep house set. I was lucky enough to catch her afterwards for a quick interview where we talked about her DJ origins, her production process and future aspirations.

That was a fantastic set you just played, how do you feel right now?

You know I’m very self-critical. Sometimes a set can be super beautiful and super perfect or it can be a little less on point.

I think everyone was enjoying it. So Nora En Pure is that your real name or a DJ name?

My real name is Daniella.

So how did you come up with Nora En Pure?

Back then there were so many electro names in the deep house scene so I wanted something that was a little more exotic and was not existing yet. It was a total fantasy name. The “Pure” stood for the more organic sounds in my tracks.

How did you get started DJing/producing and when did you realize it was something you wanted to pursue?

I was a producer way before I was a DJ so when I started, DJing was not always an option. I got into it because I loved creating music but I didn’t know if I would ever play out. I was studying something very different at the time. When the “Come with Me” track came out, it got good reactions and more booking requests came in. I finished my studies and said “Okay, let’s give it a shot” and that was maybe 3-4 years ago, so only then did I start touring.

Who are some of the artists that inspired you?

Right now I’m with the label Enormous Tunes in Zurich, and there’s Passenger 10 he does a lot of electronic music with organic sounds. I guess I took a lot from him, it’s more emotional and laid back. It’s not really dance music it’s more electronica meant for chilling out.

What single night out has been the most memorable for you?

That’s always so hard to tell because there are so many great nights and different things that make it a great show. Sometimes the show is super big and you’re just blown away like ‘Oh my god I’m playing for so many people,’ and sometimes it’s really small but people love it so much and the energy is really great. Last year at Mysteryland in New York, the people were really educated about the music, they totally followed and understood it. Other favorite places are Webster Hall in New York, San Francisco, and Berlin.

You recently made #1 on the Beatport charts. How does that make you feel?

It’s quite incredible. Beatport has always been a good market for me but it’s club music. If you compare it to iTunes or Spotify which is a different market, it’s just not the same. For me it would be more challenging to get to the same place on those outlets.

When you produce are you thinking about tailoring the sound to a specific audience or are you just doing your own thing and seeing what works?

Sometimes I start with a vocal or a beat. Normally I always have something in mind. I connect a lot with traveling so when I go somewhere I try to capture it. Then the way I build it up, I normally make strong breakdowns to make you feel something different.

I wouldn’t say I make music particularly for sets, I’d rather do it so you can listen to it at home. This way I notice many people, like older people, can enjoy my music because it’s not typical electronic music that’s only for the club. I use lots of instruments like strings and piano. It also catches audiences that aren’t as close to electronic music.

Who would you like to produce music with in the future?

I like things that are more challenging. I enjoy the sounds of AlunaGeorge or Disclosure, so it would be interesting to do something with them someday.

What can Nora En Pure fans expect in the near future?

For the summer, I was planning another track to follow up “Saltwater” from last year. Maybe someday soon I will release an album. It all depends if I get things done soon, at the moment during the summer, it’s a lot of touring in the US and Europe so it’s hard to get into the studio.

Thanks for meeting with me for this interview. Good luck with everything!

Of course. Thank you.

For a comprehensive review on Splash House, check out the full recap on Festival Squad!

Connect with Nora En Pure: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud