Alison Wonderland: "Collaborating Just For Self-Promotion Can Suck My Dick"

Experiencing Alison Wonderland behind the decks as she weaves old school dance tracks, hip-hop, and modern EDM into a web of euphoric sound, you wouldn’t know this rising DJ originally intended to become a cellist.

Even more surprising is how down to earth the lady that Diplo called “one of the best DJs in Australia” has remained as she sells out national warehouse tours, spins at the ARIA Awards, headlines festivals, and unveils her own acclaimed productions.

Music Feeds had a chat with A.W. as she geared up to embark on her latest Australian tour, The Rural Juror Touror, to promote her highly anticipated EP, Calm Down. The DJ/producer touched on her orchestral background, sexist interviewers, and why collaborating with other artists should only be about the music.

Watch: Alison Wonderland – I Want U

Music Feeds: Your musical background started with the Sydney Youth Orchestra. Are we getting trolled?

Alison Wonderland: No, you’re not being trolled at all, that’s real.

MF: Are you scratching your head as to what you’re doing currently?

AW: Everyday I’m like, “What the fuck? This is crazy.” Because I never planned for this to be my career, I thought I was going to be a cellist, like legit. I was in Germany studying.

MF: How does one transition from cello to what you are doing now?

AW: One has no idea how one did that to be honest. It was really weird, it was never my goal. This was something I did because I loved it, and I think it kind of translated with people, somehow. Sometimes I think back and I go, “What if I went back in time and said, ‘This is what you are going to be doing’?” I would have laughed at myself.

MF: Has your musical background helped with your producing?

AW: 100 per cent. I think with producing, you need to be a musician. You need to understand music if you’re going to produce music. I still think you need to be musical to be a DJ, you have to understand music, but to have a background in composition and the actual theory, that really helps with the production because you understand key and you understand a lot of things.

MF: I was reading a previous interview where the whole time some guy was hitting on you.

AW: Oh, God.

MF: You remember?

AW: Yes.

MF: I was curled in a ball when I finished reading that.

AW: Honestly, you have to be polite when people are interviewing you, and I was just quite taken aback. “I’ve never been out there flaunting my tits or my vagina anywhere, so I don’t know what gave you a reason to talk to me like that,” you know what I mean?

MF: Was he being rude or did you play along and laugh about it?

AW: He wasn’t being rude, and I was awkwardly laughing because I don’t think he realised how sexist he was being. He actually sent me an apology later, so all is forgiven. I don’t appreciate people talking to me like that, especially if they are doing it in an interview. I’m so glad that you brought that up because fuck that shit, there is way more to me than wondering how you can take me on a date.

MF: There’s a difference between your two singles Get Ready and I Want U. Is there a progression in maturity and your sound?

AW: One hundred per cent. Like honestly, if we are going to be real here, I felt like Get Ready was made more to DJ. I’ve always been producing, not necessarily under the name Alison Wonderland, and I write songs, so it just felt right for me. Most of the tracks on the EP are songs. I just feel like I’m being real with myself.

MF: You said your latest single is like people reading into your diary, are we going to get more of that with your EP Calm Down?

AW: Everything I say in there… there are a few tracks in there that are super personal, and if you knew me and the people I was writing about you would totally know how I feel about them.

Watch: Alison Wonderland feat Fishing – Get Ready

MF: So it’s not just all ass and tits and cliché stuff like that, hey?

AW: No pimps and hos. It’s more like, I’m depressed, I’m happy, I’m heartbroken.

MF: Are you happy with the electronic scene in Australia currently? Accessibility is a huge thing, no doubt you can sit in your room and produce. Is it a good time to be a musician?

AW: I was actually speaking to Wave Racer the other day, and I feel like this is a great time for electronic music in our country. A lot of other countries are looking at Australia for beat makers and musicians at the moment.

It gives me a lot of pride to know I’m releasing music alongside these people at this time. I love what is happening in Australia. You know what I’ve also noticed? That Australians are now going to watch Australian artists as much as they are watching the international artists, and that’s fucking cool.

MF: Collaborations with other artists, is that a good move for electronic producers to prop one another up?

AW: I’ve never really thought about it like that. Intentions like that can suck my dick. If you make good music then people will hear it. But if you get on with someone and you love what they do creatively then you should collaborate with them because it’s super positive and you’ll get something cool out of it.

Alison Wonderland is currently embarking on her 16-show ‘Rural Juror Touror‘. Her new EP ‘Calm Down’ is released Friday, 27th June.

Alison Wonderland’s Rural Juror Touror Tour Dates

~~Sunday, 8th June~~

Electric Circus, Adelaide SA

Friday, 20th June

Academy, Canberra ACT

Thursday, 26th June

Wollongong Uni Bar, NSW

Friday, 27th June

Discovery, Darwin NT

Saturday, 28th June

Argyle House, Newcastle NSW

Sunday, 29th June

Flinders Social, Townsville QLD

Thursday, 3rd July

Southern Cross Uni, Lismore NSW

Friday, 4th July

Fitzgeralds, Bunbury WA

Saturday, 5th July

Toucan, Mandurah WA

Friday, 1st August

Star Bar, Bendigo VIC