Australian bass superstar, Godlands, has been on the rise for her incredible talent in producing daring head-banging anthems ready for any festival or club stage.
She debuted on Monstercat Uncaged with her song GODSP33D which tapped into her trap roots, and has since released bangers on bangers that have secured her a spot on the global stage. This summer, she released her groundbreaking second Monstercat EP Bleach which comments on her battle with imposter syndrome.
We had the chance to sit down with Godlands shortly after that release at the Monstercat Compound Block Party this summer where she discussed her music and tour life. She was incredibly sweet and had great energy.
DMNW: How was your set at Monstercat Compound?
Godlands: There was heaps of energy! Such a fun show. The Shooey was definitely a highlight!
Credit: Monstercat
How was your Tomorrowland set? That must have been a crazy experience!
I performed there last year and it was really hot. The crowd was small and slowly gathered. But this year, it was crazy. There were people front to back, side to side. I felt honored. Every stage is properly designed and they have actors and shit. It’s like Disneyland on acid. Everyone is just happy to be there and people are partying hard. Another festival I am really excited to play at is Lost Lands. I’ve been saying to myself, “No pressure, but get your shit together.”
How has touring been?
My first US bus tour was with Steve Aoki. It was all the boys and then me. I was, like, mothering them. I thought it would be better to to able to sleep on the bus, but the rocking is a lot to get used to. Also, we mostly tour by ourselves. We can’t afford to bring a whole bunch of people along with us, so we tour mostly alone. It’s a very lonely thing.
You do some press, and then you’re back in your hotel room alone. I love my job but touring does get hard. It’s also stressful because it’s all up to me to get myself places on time.
Are there any tour highlights you’d like to share?
I’m just happy to be out here doing this stuff. It’s great to see events like this that Monstercat puts on for the community of Vancouver with top-tier acts. They also really take care of their artists and have done a lot for me while I’ve been in LA, so I’m grateful for that.
It also has been great to finally tour in the US. Post-pandemic, Australia hasn’t rebuilt well in terms of the base scene over there. It’s really dead. So, it was depressing, to be honest. It’s hard when you see your mates over in the US enjoying the full extent of the scene. Tickets are on the lower end, but people are still coming out.
But, in terms of getting chosen to play festivals in Australia, it’s hard to even get picked. It’s very much a tech house vibe right now, and a little bit of DNB. That’s the main thing Australia is pushing at the moment. The smaller scenes that were pushing the music died out during the pandemic.
Australia can be fickle as well. If you make it elsewhere, then the festivals pay attention. Even getting the big guys from the US to come to Australia is hard. Which is why I’m hoping to move out here at least for a couple of months at a time. Playing US festivals is the goal.
What has it been like being a woman in a male-dominated industry?
I chose the name Godlands because it’s androgynous. Until people actually search me up, they won’t know who I really am. Female DJs definitely get judged more. Some men, not all men, think [women DJs] don’t make [their] own music. I’ve been making music for eight years. It can be quite difficult, but sometimes you can also get a little bit of a leg up because festivals are looking now to book more women DJs, as they should!
On the other hand, if you get a booking, people will say it’s because you’re a woman. So you just can’t win. Plus, I’m gay, so that’s another added layer. With every industry, there’s a push and pull. I’m always trying to prove people wrong.
We can’t wait to see all that Godlands achieves in the upcoming years! Check out her music above.
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