Aluna Dishes On Her Top Raves Around The Globe—From Everyday People to Ascendance
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Aluna performs at Electric Daisy Carnival in Mexico in February 2023 PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN AYALA
Aluna’s (@aluna) sophomore solo album, MYCELiUM, celebrates the foundation of dance, which is rooted in community. She's currently bringing the album to life on North American headline tour (which kicked off on Sept. 2 — see all the dates here). Here, she shares her top raves and change-makers around the globe.
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“They were a group I was introduced to through wanting to do my own experience in New Orleans. They ended up working with me on a collaboration with another community in New Orleans called SetDeFlo. They made a one-night special called Ascend.DeFlo. I got to see what Ascendance was. It was all about safety and that being the thing that elevates the fun factor. The dance music is always on point, but this element of having a list of guidelines that people have to fill out when they’re buying a ticket and then be reminded of when they’re in the room created this really unique atmosphere where everyone had their own space. Anyone who was dancing together had given consent. People were much freer, especially [those who are] women-identifying. I normally don’t do a DJ set and then walk around the room that I’ve just played in because I just feel like I’m exhausted and people are gonna want photos, which you just have to be in the right mood for. No one had leaned on my decks and splashed drinks on me or bumped into me when I was mixing. You deal with it because you’re like, ‘This is my line of work.’ But being asked first is so nice.”
Aluna backstage at Coachella in Indio, Calif., in April 2023 PHOTO BY: LUANA SOARE
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“I started throwing some of my first Noir Fever events, and I collaborated with this community. It’s a female-only rave event. Their idea is to be able to have a rave with zero chance of being sexually harassed by actually removing men. It was started by a 19-year-old named DJ Jody P. I’ve seen video footage of them in their female space. Absolute mayhem. It’s no sleepover with pink pajamas. If you got stuck in the middle of that and you are a guy, I don’t know what would happen to you. Honestly [you] wouldn’t come out in one piece.”
Everyday People Global (L.A., NYC, Atlanta, Dubai, Miami, Cape Town, Lagos, etc.)
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“We all know about Everyday People and DJ Moma. I went to my first one in L.A.; it was a day rave. I didn’t even know what that was. What I really enjoy is—it’s in the name—the nonexclusive bringing [together of people] and that when you get there, you do really feel part of everybody. You are one.”
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“He’s a DJ and party curator in L.A. He was born in Trinidad and Tobago and raised in Venezuela and Brooklyn. Then he went to Howard University. DJing is his therapy. He has to DJ or he doesn’t feel right. He really knows how to put on a Trinidadian carnival in the middle of L.A. and have it feel very authentic. But he’s also expanding his vision to create a home for Black dance music. He ran something called Greenhouse at Coachella [this year] for the first time and it was a real success. Creating a whole new space for Black people at Coachella is no simple feat. He’s my right-hand man because we have a really aligned vision. We just know that it’s gonna take a global village to overhaul a lot of this stuff.”
Aluna is entering her MY3CELiUM album era. PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN AYALA
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“It’s on my bucket list to go to. It’s just really accessible and very progressive for marginalized, discriminated-against partygoers around the world. I really want to see how they do it in Miami, because [the city] is a serious melting pot.”
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“I know Bambii very well. She’s the founder of Jerk [as well as] a global DJ and producer and artist. She’s just an all-around majestic human. But when she gets on the decks and curates the night, it’s a rager. It’s got a lot of Jamaican influence, and there’s a really safe space for LGBTQ and POC communities.”
Aluna performs at Electric Daisy Carnival in Mexico in February 2023 PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN AYALA
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“I haven’t been to all their parties, but they’re spearheading Afrobeats, amapiano and progressive dance music in Montreal. Pierre [Kwenders] and Hervé [‘Coltan’ Kalongo] are the founders of that community. I mean, we’re talking about a high level of sophistication here. Tasteful is the name of the game. When you see the way Pierre and Herve turn up, it’s always impeccable fits. They’re also working with me on some music, and every demo they do is incredible.”
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“You don’t have to go crazy on the fits. It’s meant to be so that you can be wearing your T-shirt and cycling shorts, or whatever you wear in your house. You can dress up, but no pressure. People are not going to be looking you up and down when you get there. It makes for a whole different experience when you can really be yourself... not someone who continuously aspires to the next fashion trend, but you still belong. It is LGBTQ-and femme-friendly, which is a consistent theme through a lot of these communities that I’m hoping will start to influence the definition of PLUR [Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, a set of principles in rave culture], which is in great need of an upgrade.”
