Ayah Marar Talks To The Irish Times

June 14, 2013

Ayah Marar Talks To The Irish Times

Ayah Marar took some time out to talk to The Irish Times in this new interview. If you ever were wondering how to pronounce her name (eye-ah), she reveals the mystery in the interview. In addition to such, she talks about her album The Real, upcoming studio plans, her label, working with Calvin Harris, and more. Read the interview below. You can check out the original post here.

First off, how do I actually pronounce your name?
Eye-ah. Everyone says Aye-yeah but it’s easier than that.

You’ve written with Toddla T, Jack Peñate and collaborated with Calvin Harris. You must have a very rounded view of the music industry.
I don’t know about rounded. I feel like I’ve built my own sector in the music industry just dipping in and out of different scenes. I mean, I’m underground and I always will be , and anything I do in the mainstream will highlight what the people on my side of the industry can do and as long as I can carry that banner, I will.

You’ve been accorded the title ‘Queen of Dubstep’. That’s not too bad.
It’s absolutely amazing! Queen of Bass also. It’s awesome.

Your wardrobe is savage. You should start wearing a crown onstage.
Savage? I like that. That’s awesome. Yeah, I got a crown tattoo the other day so I think I’ve got it locked. (She later tweeted: “Burger King cardboard crown maybe?”)

Your album The Real was released in October, you’ve had the big singles Mind Controller, Unstoppable, Alive and The Raver and we’re on the brink of festival season. Are you exhausted?
Not at all. Sometimes you think, “I’ve been doing this for so long” and your body is tired but your mind isn’t – so it’s like you wanna do stuff but sometimes it catches up with you. I never want to stop, so I’m finding ways to push myself further.

Are you working on your second album?
I had a moment at the start of this year where I said “let’s get onto album two” but now I think I’ll stick to singles for a while because I wanted to make an album and I did. But it’s not an album market now, especially with dance music, so I’m going to do a lot of writing and hopefully follow up with one of my own.

Tell me about your label, Hussle Girl.
Hussle is more of an umbrella. It started because I try to collect people along the way, especially strong women in the industry, but men too! I really want to start something like an agency for musicians and performers and people who make films, stylists and anyone to do with the music industry where they can come in and work together and help aspiring artists. So what I’m trying to do with the label is really gain a respect and a following.

You’re on Calvin Harris’s next single, Thinking About You. How do you feel about that track?
I love it! I’ve known Calvin for a very long time and now he’s smashing it and I am super proud of him. We wrote that and really enjoyed it. We didn’t think it would be a single but the response was so wonderful. It’s a coup again for
underground music. Hopefully, it will prove to people that we can do it.

Your career has been intertwining with Calvin’s for years now.
Yeah, we met in London about 10 years ago. He’s one of my closest friends and I love him to bits.

Have you been to Ireland before?
I toured with Calvin a few years ago and we were up in Giant’s Causeway and in Dublin. It was wonderful. I can’t wait to come back – it’s going to be awesome.

Sea Sessions is partly a surfing festival. Are you into that?
I am, funnily enough. I started last year and got on a surfboard for the first time. I’m well into it.

What should we expect from your Sea Sessions set?
It will be dirty, dark and bassy. Ha! It’s like a mini club experience for half an hour