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“I wanted to put out [a single] that reminded me of when I was jumping around Dalston Superstore screaming in my best friends’ faces,” proclaims Edinburgh-born sim0ne. In a cutting-edge move, the disc-spinner has partnered with the hottest nail artist of the moment, Nikki Panic, to release her new track ‘number one lover’ through a custom couture nail set – a world first in the realms of music and manicures.
sim0ne’s meteoric rise from self-taught bedroom DJ to BBC Radio 1’s Future Star of 2024 was propelled by her high energy remix of Lana Del Rey’s ‘Say Yes To Heaven’, an euphoric blend of thumping basslines and shimmering synths. Since then, the artist has sold out two UK tours and performed at some of the most legendary clubs and festivals including Fabric, DC10 Ibiza, The Cause, ADE, and Maiden Voyage, alongside launching her event series club zer0.
“My favourite thing when I’m playing is to see all the girls and the gays in the front couple of rows,” she tells me. With 90s eurodance-inspired ‘number one lover’, sim0ne is once again compelling the girlies to not take ourselves too seriously and hit the dancefloor, ecstatically losing ourselves to this delicious lovergirl anthem. “It makes me really happy to see those people taking up space there, so I just want to make music for them,” she continues.
Ahead of the release, sim0ne partnered with Nikki to organise a nail pop up and karaoke session at Shoreditch’s whimsical photo booth haven PickPic. The nail artist, renowned for crafting custom nail sets complete with 3D sculpting techniques and chrome finishes for the likes of FKA Twigs, Gabriette, and Ashnikko, offered her in-demand services to attendees in the intervals between passionate mic grabs and heartfelt karaoke renditions of ‘Like A Prayer’. Embedded in the nail art, a scannable NFC tag that opens the DJ’s latest track, courtesy of innovative tech collective Equa.ls, who are reinventing music streaming and downloads to support emerging musicians.
Five days prior, I sat down with sim0ne to discuss the inspirations behind ‘number one lover’, queer parties, surviving social media, and new relationships.
First off, congrats on the upcoming release. How are you feeling about it?
I’m really excited for this one to come out. I think it’s probably one of my favourite tracks I’ve written. I actually wrote it last August, so it’s been a while coming and I’m really excited to share it with everyone.
I know about the event on Tuesday, which I’m very excited for. I Can’t wait to see Nikki’s nail set.
She’s amazing. I just got mine done. I was with her today and we put an NFC chip in it so you can tap my nails and the song will come up. That’s really fun and techie, instead of having a vinyl or CDs, we’re doing the nails, which I thought was a fun way to tie in fashion and how I like to express myself with my music. It’s a pretty new way of putting out music.
Can you tell us a bit more about the inspiration behind your new single?
I made this one really cute and upbeat, and I took a lot of inspiration from 90s eurodance tracks. Since I started DJing, I feel like there’s been this really nice shift in the electronic music scene recently where everything is allowed to be fun and not too serious, with artists like Marlon Hoffstadt and horsegiirL. Before that, the techno scene especially was very serious – wearing all black, no smiling and no dancing. When I started, I wanted my sets to feel really feminine and just create that space, and I’d be dancing and I’d get all these hate comments being like, why is she dancing? I thought, this is ridiculous. Of course I’m dancing, because there’s music playing. I just wanted to make a song that was really full of life, really energetic, euphoric, and to have fun too, as a reaction to those comments.
I’ve noticed the shift as well. I feel like with Charli XCX and Brat, it’s the same kind of unseriousness, fun and girly energy, and I love that.
When I started going to electronic or techno clubs when I was at university, it was, and it still is, a very male dominated space, but I love that that’s slowly changing. It makes me really happy to see those people taking up space there, so I just wanted to make music for them, really.
That’s great. It’s pride month as well. Do you have any Pride plans?
I’m here, there and everywhere. They’ve got me. They’re shipping me all over Europe. I’m going to miss London Pride for the first year in ages because I’m going to be at Glastonbury.
That’s a good excuse.
I think gay people are so good at being online. Pride Month is always really good fun, I love to see the memes. I think it was really smart of Charli to drop in Pride Month. I’m just really enjoying the online culture that’s coming this year and the discourse, as unseriously as we all take it.
I remember you came on our Navigating The Creative Industry Podcast a few years ago, and spoke about online culture. It’s interesting to see how it’s developed around music since then as well.
A big part of my love of music has developed from stan culture, being in those spaces on Twitter as well and seeing people being ridiculous online. I just love it, I think music shouldn’t be that serious. I think we should all just be having a lot of fun with it.
You’ve been skillfully balancing high energy blends of house, techno, trance, and even acid in your productions. What was the creative process like for this single compared to your previous projects?
With my debut single ‘work it’, which came out a couple months ago, I wanted to bring a sort of fresh perspective on old hardcore records I’d been looking through, 90s raised sounds and a big techno 909 drum. This one is delving more into my love of pop music and tying that with eurdance elements. There’s an M1 organ sound, which you can find quite a lot in old Hard House Records, but it’s quite soft and feminine as well. I’m still trying to find my sound as a new artist, and I’m just working on it constantly, figuring out what I like and what my fans like. But I wanted to put out one that reminded me of when I was jumping around Dalston Superstore screaming in my best friends’ faces, or during the pre drinks where you’re getting ready, you’re doing your makeup and you’re feeling yourself. It’s just really fun. It’s about being in your lover girl era after losing hope in the dating scene, which I think all of us, especially in London, can relate to.
I used it to manifest a good relationship. I wrote this song last year when I was very much over dating, and I was having a celibacy phase just focusing on myself, and I think it’s manifested some good luck.
Oh my god, yes.
I used it to manifest a good relationship. I wrote this song last year when I was very much over dating, and I was having a celibacy phase just focusing on myself, and I think it’s manifested some good luck.
Did you find someone in the end?
I have – it’s a cute, new relationship that feels very healthy and nice, so it’s really nice timing for the songs to come out because I’m living the emotions that are in the song.
That’s lovely. It’s hard out there.
It’s the trenches. I see a lot of discourse online about modern day dating, and it is really hard. Whenever I speak to my mum about dating, she would be like, “I can’t imagine dating in your generation, it’s too overwhelming.”
It’s almost like there’s too much choice.
There’s all this stuff online about how you should [date], and we’re consuming information that’s trying to empower women, but it’s also restricting what they can and can’t do, and even feel, so I wanted to make a lover girl anthem.
That’s great. I’m also out of the trenches and not missing that stress.
I think it’s nice to be reminded that there are nice relationships out there, because we see a lot of negativity online. It’s nice because you get to express different parts of yourself in a relationship, which is a new experience for me too.
As we mentioned earlier, the release format is so unique and innovative. How did you come up with the idea of releasing the single this way?
I love the recent developments in technology, and I’ve been following them quite closely. I know a lot of people are really scared of AI, but in my opinion, it’s happening whether we like it or not, so you might as well get on board and be excited by the new developments. I also have this running joke with my fans about whether I’m real or not, they all started saying that I’m actually an AI, so it all ties together. I’ve started seeing these NFC chips being used by high fashion brands too. I have a Miu Miu shirt, and there’s one in the label, and I saw one in the Balenciaga store, where they have a sort of artist pass or a festival pass that’s attached to a T shirt, and you can scan it with your phone and get some music. I was trying to think of new ways to use that, and I always have the 3D nails by Nikki and I love her. I felt like it was such a nice icebreaker. People can ask about your nails, you can show them, so we decided to put the chip in the nail. Nikki is high in demand, so it’s also a nice excuse to get her in one place so everyone can get their nails done and get the single a little bit ahead of the release date on Friday. Imagine showing the nails off in the smoking area. Everyone would be quite impressed after a couple of cocktails.
I know a lot of people are really scared of AI, but in my opinion, it’s happening whether we like it or not, so you might as well get on board and be excited by the new developments.
I’ll definitely come and try to get a set.
It’s at this really fun Korean Photo Booth place that I’m obsessed with on Bethnal Green Road. I actually saw it on TikTok. They have all these different photo booths, and they film you while you’re doing it, from all these cool angles. It’s a really fun way to make memories with your friends and create content at the same time. I think this is a perfect spot to party in London. I love it when they have Karaoke rooms that are tiny booths, and you all pile in with mics and just scream along with your friends to Avril Lavigne.
Do you have a go-to Karaoke song?
Me and my best friend, we always do a ‘Careless Whisper’ by George Michael. I don’t know where it started. We don’t actually even know the words of the verses, but we just love singing the chorus at each other.
Nikki is a legend in the nail art world. How did you first connect with her and what was the first thing you bonded over?
She’s incredible. I first saw her work on another DJ and I thought her nails were insane. She showed me Nikki and I followed her on Instagram. Then I was at a bar, and when the serving staff had these incredible nails, I asked if they were Nikki’s work, and they said yes, so I messaged her. I’d had a couple of glasses of wine, and I just said I need a set. Since then, I’ve been going to her pretty much monthly, apart from when I’m away on tour. I feel like she has a really fun personality, and you get the full experience of going in and talking about your life, your boy problems or your dating troubles, or what you’ve been up to at the weekend, or what your plans are. She’s just so fun to be around. She’s so creative, and she’s self taught as well, which I think is really cool. She’s killing it right now, I think she just did Twigs’ as nails for the Vogue cover.
Oh yes, dream nail artist. Speaking of touring, your latest tour was quite a hit. Do you have an unforgettable moment from it that you can tell me about?
Definitely. I’m really lucky that my club zer0 Tour has been received so well in the UK. I love getting to play each different city, because they each have a different energy. A really big moment was selling out Phonox last December, it was really special. There was so much energy in the room, the crowd was so engaged, and it’s always really nice to get to meet everyone face to face. I’ve got a Discord, and I’m talking to people on TikTok or online, so it’s really nice to speak to them in person. But other than that, I’ve been really lucky to tour internationally. Australia was a really big moment. Playing to some very big crowds for the first time just really made me feel even more passionate about getting to do that, as long as they’ll let me.
I heard there are good partiers there.
They really are. They really go for it. It’s really nice to play for them, because they’re just so excited about music.
I just think in queer spaces, especially as a woman, you can really let yourself go and feel safe, and there’s a really strong sense of community.
You’ve become quite an influential figure now in the nightlife clubbing scene, how has your experience as a queer woman shaped your approach to your music and how you perform?
If anyone has been to a queer party or a queer rave, they will know that it’s a really special energy. People are really respectful. When I’m just going out with my friends, there’s a lot of parties in London that I really love, like Adonis, it’s really good fun. I’m also playing Riposte soon, which I love. I just think in queer spaces, especially as a woman, you can really let yourself go and feel safe, and there’s a really strong sense of community. I love looking at everyone’s outfits, and I think the music is great. There’s a lot of music that you wouldn’t hear at other events. Gay people just know how to reference. There’s always really cool, deep cuts and throwbacks. That really influenced me. I’ve been to all the super clubs in Ibiza and all over the world, but I think going out being in queer crowds and feeling the energy is just really special. I don’t want to make it too London centric, but that’s where I go and have the most fun with my friends when I’m choosing where I’m going out.
In previous years, you have also built an impressive online presence, and you’ve shared your political stances as well as really funny memes. I’ve been a follower for a while. How do you navigate your relationship with social media now that your career has progressed into the music scene?
It’s definitely different. I feel like in lockdown and when we all started going on TikTok was really pivotal for my career. That’s when I grew a lot of my audience. I’ve always really loved community building and getting to talk to people that I wouldn’t normally get to meet. I’ve made all my best friends online. But I do think that gets to a point where you can be giving quite a lot of yourself, and it’s quite tiring for me. There was a slight sense of relief when I started doing music, and what I was showing to people was a thing I was making, rather than me as the product. I felt really comfortable letting people into my life online in that way, but it can be quite draining and taxing. You see it with really big celebrities, the parasocial thing can be quite strange. It was really interesting when Doja Cat was saying to her fans, “I don’t know you in real life, please talk to me with respect.” Some people reacted saying she’s so rude, whereas, if someone you knew was saying that, you would treat it a lot more seriously. I think there are different levels to it. I love being able to share my music and also in videos in such a fun way, and being able to interact with other people, but I definitely have a different relationship with it now than I did when I was just making content. You have to protect your peace at the end of the day. I love the block button. This is my phone – you’re not going to upset me on my own phone.
I love the block button. This is my phone – you’re not going to upset me on my own phone.
Honestly, well said. Do you have any other goals for the rest of the year?
We’re in festival season in Europe as well. I sadly don’t have any pride gigs, but I’m going to try and get down to some gay vibes to really party with everyone, because I think it’d be rude not to. I’ll be playing Riposte which is a very cool Queer Night that’s just been covered in Vogue in July. I’m going to be playing Hideout festival in Croatia, then Glastonbury. To be honest, I never know where I am anymore. I’ve been so lucky with getting booked abroad, and I have a tour manager now who just tells me when to show up.
That’s great that you’ve got loads of shows coming up.
I’ve got a couple more singles planned, some really fun collabs I’d be working on, which I’m not allowed to tell you about. And then I’ll have just more music, more shows, more parties.
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