Gorgeous DJ Havana Brown is one busy girl! The talented Aussie, who can usually be found behind the decks opening for superstars such as Britney Spears, Rihanna and Lady Gaga or mixing her highly successful ‘Crave’ compilations, recently stepped into the spotlight to launch her solo career.
We sat down with the singer – whose debut single ‘We Run The Night’ is currently riding high in the ARIA charts – to talk icons, nerves, and Enrique Iglesias’ sex appeal!
Fashion Styles Trend: Hi Havana! Your debut single ‘We Run The Night’ is your first as a solo artist. How have you prepared for the switch from DJing to singing?
Havana: I think I was ready for a long time. I worked on my original music for the last few years. Prior to be a DJ, I worked on original music and part of the group, which was signed in the UK, so I guess it was just great timing – perfect timing, in the sense that I think now we know exactly what I want as an artist and I I am much more confident and prepared.
Fashion Styles Trend: What would you like to achieve as an artist?
Havana: I want to be Janet Jackson! But the DJ-slash-Janet Jackson – I want to be able to put on big shows, I want dancers, I want fireworks, I want it all. But then I’ll do some DJing as well, so it’s kind of cool I can do both! (laughs)
Fashion Styles Trend: Were you nervous about how your new material would be received?
Havana: Absolutely! I did not realize how nervous I wanted to be, because I was excited and want to make the release so long … and then two weeks before the date of issue, I began to shine, “Wait, what if nobody likes me as an artist? What if no such song?” Then the nerves started to set in.
Fashion Styles Trend: How did you get yourself over that?
Havana: I think by releasing it! The response to the song was very positive, so I think that calmed me down a little bit and I just got more excited. But I like nerves, I like being scared. I don’t like it to be just calm all the time, you know? I want to be anxious and be nervous so that I can conquer it.
Fashion Styles Trend: Tell us about the new album – can you give us a sneaky preview of what to expect?
Havana: I want to be able to change it up frequently… My first single’s perfect – it was the nice little mix of pop and club, which is exactly what I wanted for my first single, but the second single definitely has a lot more depth to it. But still up tempo, still club. I probably won’t stray and be doing any ballads any time soon, that’s for sure. I’ve never been a ballads girl!
Fashion Styles Trend: You’ve DJ’d for some of the world’s biggest artists including Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Rihanna. What have you learned from them?
Havana: In fact, it is seen as normal people, it is quite strange. You can see them in documents, you can see on television, you hear all the gossip and what is said to like, but a lot of time, it is not true and it is just held in the country and pretty, funny and chilled. I like seeing that side of it.
But it’s also good to see how hard work of these artists. They travel every day, but then the country and doing promo and doing interviews, photography, and then to the concert, and they might go after the separation. I do not know how they do that! (Laughs), but it – it’s amazing to see their work.
Fashion Styles Trend: What artists do you take inspiration from?
Havana: Janet Jackson definitely, she’s my idol. Michael Jackson. I love big performers – Britney Spears, I love watching her dance and perform. I love J-Lo as well, I really love watching her perform, she really gives it everything. And Chris Brown is an amazing performer. Coming off tour with him – I knew the tour would be great because I’d toured with him previously two years ago – he blew me away! …I did not expect such great dancing and singing skills, you couldn’t take your eyes off him.
Fashion Styles Trend: You performed with Enrique Iglesias during X Factor. He’s touring here later this year with Pitbull – what do you think we can expect from his shows?
Havana: I think a lot of sexiness from him, that’s for sure! I don’t know, with Pitbull though it’s going to be a wild party I think… I don’t know if you’ve seen some of the footage of Enrique, but there was this one girl who got on stage and started feeling him up! …It’s pretty full on – I think girls get a little bit racy around him (laughs).
MTV: You’ve had a really successful past few years including landing a residency at a Las Vegas club. What would you say is your career highlight so far?
Havana: That’s really hard to say just one! But touring with these artists – Britney Spears who is the biggest popstar – I grew up with Britney Spears and I look up to her, she’s legendary. So it was very much a highlight to tour with her. Probably the first show in France, the very first show that I did with them, I will never forget the nerves and the excitement and the crowd. And also the Grammy’s after-party with all the big shots of the industry there, it was very intimidating, really cool I loved that. And F1 Rocks was one of my favorites as well, because I did it alongside Beyonce and Black Eyed Peas, and No Doubt did the festival as well as N.E.R.D, so it was pretty cool, it was the most fun I’ve had on stage.
Fashion Styles Trend: And finally, what have you got in store for the rest of 2011?
Havana: More releases, more performances, live performances of my songs, that’s what I’m concentrating on right now! I’m touring Australia right now doing a pretty intensive tour, and then I go to India, Europe, and then back to Vegas and tour around the States.
Havana Brown’s new single ‘We Run The Night’ is out NOW!
