IN CONVERSATION WITH BIIANCO

interview by TIMOTEJ LETONJA
photography by ALMA LEANDRA

With their new single Bury Me In Amsterdam coming out soon, Biianco channels heartbreak, catharsis and full-force techno energy into one of their most personal releases to date. Created alongside SPFDJ, the track marks the beginning of a new creative chapter for the Berlin-based artist as they prepare a forthcoming project with Ultra Records/Sony Europe and the relaunch of GAIA. Ahead of Awakenings’ Upclose, Biianco talks Amsterdam, artistic freedom and finding their voice through club culture.

Bury Me In Amsterdam feels emotionally intense while still hitting with full club energy. Where did the original idea for the track begin?

I got my heart broken while on tour in Amsterdam and the line “wreck my heart and wreck my plans – bury me in Amsterdam” came to me. Later, I sent a very early version of the track to my friend SPFDJ and turned out she was going through something similar – also while living in Amsterdam. So we really bonded over it and finished the track together.  

What was the creative chemistry like working with SPFDJ on this release?

It was like going to therapy but if therapy was like that scene from Midsommar with all the women screaming together and if the score was techno. In all seriousness, SPFDJ is as emotionally deep as she is talented and intelligent and this pounding techno song became a vehicle for healing.

Amsterdam carries so much mythology within electronic music culture. What does the city symbolise to you personally within the context of this record?

Amsterdam is always burying me – in the best and worst ways. I have had some of the most euphoric moments of my life in Club Raum or just playing in this city, and I feel like the Netherlands has been such an important character in my story of self discovery. At the same time, there have been moments (especially during ADE or heartbreak) when the city has taught me some painful lessons that have helped me ascend deeper into my artistry.

This release also seems to mark the beginning of a bigger new chapter for you creatively. Does it feel that way internally as well?

Yes – with my previous recent records, I focused on creating songs myself that my DJ peers could spin – which means you’re producing in a bit of a box. In this new chapter of music, I am tapping back into what I want to say as an artist without the constraints of the club tool formula. I’m finding a balance between the technical and the artist. 

You recently renewed your deal with Ultra Records/Sony Europe with a forthcoming 10 track project. What made this partnership feel right at this stage in your career?

In this new chapter, I wanted to create a really comprehensive and expansive world around my body of work, but for that I need a team of brains to come together to help execute that. It will allow me to focus on the songs as a body of work instead of a individual song moments.

How do you balance maintaining underground credibility while stepping onto a much larger global platform?

This question is hard for me to answer because I am naturally both. I live in Berlin and live my day to day in the authentic spaces of the underground. My friends are the underground; I gravitate to underground music, spaces and communities. At the same time, I love that social media allows me to connect and create a wider community. I love that I can travel the world, make new friends and meet fans. I guess what I’m saying is it doesn’t feel like maintenance — the balance comes naturally to me because I invest my life in both.

Sonically, what can audiences expect from the upcoming music tied to this new phase?

More vocals. More rage. More raw emotion. More acid.

You’re also relaunching GAIA alongside KTK as a new collaborative event series focused on transitions between DJs. What inspired that concept?

GAIA 2.0 is going to be a celebration of the most technically gifted DJs in the hard dance sound coming together for the closest thing to a jazz improv session that we could possibly do. We are prioritising connection, collaboration, and spontaneity in the new experience. That’s all I can say for now.

It feels like nightlife is craving more connection and fluidity right now. Do you think club culture is shifting away from more individualistic performance energy?

Club culture has always been about community and space, so I don’t consider this a new concept. That being said, I actually think it’s important for us — music producers and DJs — to stay close to our individualistic artistic voices, so we are not chasing every trend coming out of the underground.

Between the new release, the Ultra partnership, and the GAIA relaunch, this feels like a major turning point. What do you want this next era of Biianco to ultimately represent?

I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited about anything in my life to be honest. It represents me finding my voice, my people, and my place in art.

What are you most excited about next week's Upclose?

I am so excited to bring my new music to this set. This is the first festival where I’ll be playing a lot of the new songs and sounds I’ve been working on, and I get to test it out here.

What does playing at Awakenings mean to you?

I have always looked at performing at an Awakenings event as a life moment. They mean so much for their commitment to curating lineups with artistic integrity and depth so for me, this is perhaps the most meaningful festival set of my summer tour. It’s a massive check off my life bucket list.