July 25, 2023 |
At this point, Shanti Celeste needs no introduction. The Chilean-born, London-based DJ, producer and label boss is one of the most revered selectors operating out of our shores. A festival favourite for her eclectic stylings, her sets are known to tour through a myriad of genres, from house through to bubbly techno and euphoric rave favourites of yesteryear.
On Peach Discs, the label imprint she runs alongside Berlin-based producer Gramrcy, Celeste has released EPs and tracks by Parris, Jackson Ryland and Nachtbraker, alongside a slew of her own productions, including her debut album, 2019’s Tangerine. Alongside her monthly slot on NTS Radio, as well as parties she throws at London clubs Corsica Studios and The Cause, you can catch Celeste playing across the globe this summer, including a slot at August’s Houghton festival.
Taking place in Houghton Hall, Norfolk, the Craig Richards-curated party is back again this year with its biggest line-up yet. Celeste is joined alongside the likes of Josey Rebelle, Peach, Pearson Sound, Batu and Midland, in what’s shaped up to be a must-see stop on the UK festival circuit.
Before all that, though, we grab Celeste for a festival-themed chin-wag
1. What can we expect from your set at Houghton this year?
“I’m playing the Pavilion stage in the forest this year which I’m super excited about. Last year I was on the main stage, in the sunshine, this time I’m playing during the night so I can go a bit deeper and delve into some deeper and hypnotic moments.”
2. What sets Houghton apart from other festivals in the UK?
“The location itself obviously is sick, it’s just such a magical place. I think that Houghton really embodies this very particular pocket of the dance music scene. The majority of the crowd is just genuinely really into the music, which makes it so nice because you can play whatever you want and it makes it so much easier for you to just express yourself in a certain way.”
3. Do you have any pre-gig rituals?
“Nah, I’m pretty chill. For a festival like Houghton, I’m usually quite nervous. I do have things that I do when I’m playing to make myself feel more comfortable, I usually take my shoes off, if I can.”
4. What’s on your tour rider?
“My rider is not very extensive. I don’t think I have a very demanding rider. But mine does have a rug on it, then I can take my shoes off.”
5. What’s inside your festival bum bag?
“Lip gloss, probably like 5 lip balms. If I remember to buy it, there is also hand sanitiser (not usually a priority in my liquids bag because I need my skincare products!). Some tissues, some blusher and other miscellaneous items.”
6. What festival was formative in expanding your music tastes growing up?
“Maybe not growing up, from my early twenties I went to Freerotation every year. That festival absolutely will have completely informed a lot of how I DJ today. I had a really good time and always came away from it feeling super inspired. All of the sets were amazing. The programming was amazing. It was really small and intimate, so you always saw some of the same people there, it was just really nice.”
7. What are the three essential ingredients to make the recipe for the perfect
festival?
“Really great sound. The sound has to be on point. Good food and clean, working toilets and good organisation. As a DJ you’re always tired from so much travel, it’s super demanding, so all these things can just make such a difference.”
8. If you had to curate your dream festival line-up, who would be your headliners?
“That’s a difficult one. Probably just my mates.”
9. Who from the Peach Discs roster should we be listening to?
“Absolutely all of them. All of the artists that we release, I absolutely back them. They are all so amazing and think that people should be listening to all their music. If you want to get a nice round up of some of the artists that we like to work with, we do the Peach Discs Compilations – they have a really nice, overall take on what we like as a label.”
10. What does the rest of 2023 hold for you?
“There’s lots of music coming. I’m working on a collaborative EP with a friend that’s coming up. I want to do some more curated line-ups, like the party I threw at The Cause in May. Also, there’s a lot of things I want to do creatively outside of DJing, like making art. It’s just about finding the time to do it!”
Top image by Shot by Melissa. Buy Houghton Festival 2023 tickets here.
