The musical art medium needed what Stefania Aronin, A.K.A Nala, envisioned and ultimately created. A female-led music label dedicated to empowering and exposing music made by women.
In a recent interview for EDM WORLD MAGAZINE, Nala acknowledged that one of the toughest challenges in her career had been convincing people to trust her, her talent, and that she was capable of doing what was needed. “I was fighting against the current for years; for a long time, I had to push people to accept that I existed”.
Since everything fruitful comes through hard work, it eventually got to a point where the local communities of LA, NYC, and Miami were very welcoming to her, and today she stands out as a strong beacon alongside the growing number of women changing the face and sound of EDM.
In this Interview, Nala tells us a little bit about the process and other insights regarding her newest EP “Get familiar”, and she also reveals her reasons for creating “Mi Domina” and what to expect from this new label that is already generating hype and enthusiasm all over.
“Mi Domina” is a fascinating platform that comes after several years of success. How would you conceptualize this project? How was the idea of doing it born?
Mi Domina came from a place of necessity. I’d been reluctant to start a label for a long time because I really wanted to focus on building my reputation with established labels like Dirtybird and Pets. In that process, I noticed the majority of labels were male-run and dominated, and there weren’t many female-run labels that catered to the darker, punk electronic sound that I enjoy making and playing.
You are one of the best female DJs in Miami, so some people imagine that since you already have your space, you don’t have time to think about others. However, you launch a platform to empower women and support them in their music. Why? What things in the music industry made you decide to create this project?
We have so many statistics that show that only 2% of producers and 10% of songwriters are women, which means the majority of the music we hear is created through the male lens. This label was created in a way to help offset those statistics by prioritizing releases from women and nonbinary people. However, it’s important to note that I will sign records from men who’ve displayed allyship and have a good reputation within the community.
Who participates with you in this project?
On the label side, I actually head this project alone and have hired a couple of graphic designers to help execute assets and artwork.
Claude VonStroke is my manager, but his involvement is as a mentor, giving advice on what steps to take. Deron Delgado— the A&R from Dirtybird— handles the distribution side of things.
Why that name? Was it your idea?
It was! The name translates from Italian (my ethnicity) to “dominates me” and domina is a popular term in femdom culture, so I thought it’d be a great fit for the brand.
Let’s talk about “Get Familiar” and the collaboration with E.R.N.E.S.T.O. How would you describe it?
I’d describe Get Familiar as dark, yet bouncy. The EP isn’t designed to be an explosive euphoria as much as it is grooving and bobbing. The lyrical content is more thoughtful— I discuss topics like God complexes and our shame around dating culture. This EP is definitely for the heads.
How was working with E.R.N.E.S.T.O? Who called who? How did the relationship flow?
E.R.N.E.S.T.O is incredible. We initially met at Dirtybird Campout and hit it off quickly. When I got back to Miami, it was a given that we’d work on something together.
In my opinion, he deserves far more accolades for his talent and taste as a producer. He’s also one of the most respectful and gentlemanly people I’ve met in the music scene. It was easy and stress-free to work with him on this project.
There are only three tracks, could you describe each of them in a few words? how do you feel they fit together?
“God Complex” – tough, sexy, brooding
“Get Familiar” (OG mix) – cigarettes in Eastern Europe
“Get Familiar” (Acid mix) – fast, acid, bounce
You have a lot of confirmed dates for your next live shows. How do you feel about it?
I’ve been touring nonstop since March, actually! I only recently started incorporating live vocals with my shows this past month because I noticed the response gets people very hyped. At this point, I’ve gotten used to airplanes and how gross and mentally taxing traveling is. What keeps me going is getting people excited and giving them a show to remember.
What can people expect from these shows?
They can expect a fun time with a variety of underground music. I’m not a purist, so they should be prepared for a lot of different sounds!
A final message for women in the music industry who are waiting for someone to support them to showcase their music?
Keep working nonstop. Every solid career takes time to build. It took The Blessed Madonna 20 years! Focus on building a solid brand. Build as many connections as possible. People like to work with others who are self-sufficient. Don’t let your brain trick you into thinking you’re not capable. Don’t let other people trick you into conformity.
NALA TOUR DATES
7/29/22: Darkstar – Tempe, AZ
7/30/22: River Beats Dance – Denver, CO
7/30/22: Publicworks – San Francisco, CA
7/31/22: Academy (Day Trip) – Los Angeles, CA
8/5/22: ÎleSoniq 2022 – Montreal, CA
8/7/22: TBA Downtown Portland – East Portland, OR
8/26/22: Deep Tropics 2022 – Nashville, TN
8/27/22: Discopussy – Las Vegas, NV
9/2/22: Electric Zoo Festival 2022 – New York City, NY
10/7/22: Dirtybird Campout – Waterford, CA
10/21/22: III Points 2022 – Miami, FL
12/13/22: Holy Ship! Wrecked 2022 – Benito Juárez, MX
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