Alison Wonderland has been on a whirlwind journey ever since placing second in the EMI competition She Can DJ — and she insists that “falling” is much more fun than walking. “So far, it’s been a crazy, totally fun ride. I couldn’t imagine a better thing in the world to be doing,” she said, laughing between bites of a sandwich. “Sorry, I haven’t eaten a thing today — but whatever!” That offhand, playful remark sums up the spirit of the quirky artist who catapulted to fame before anyone could even say “white rabbit.”
Her recent tour generated what she describes as an “insane” level of positive reception at every venue. “My favourite gig so far was probably a festival — it felt like a real wonderland. Everyone was dressed up as fairies or witches or something equally cool.” She joined in by dressing up as a skeleton on stage. “It’s important not to take life too seriously, and my music fits right in with festival crowds who love letting go. Once things heated up, I danced nonstop for my entire set.”
After signing with EMI in 2011, Wonderland has embraced the new pressures that come with success, particularly when it comes to remixing tracks for other artists. “There’s more pressure now, but it’s worth it,” she explained. “The first time the whole crowd got up and danced to my music, I felt so humbled.”
A self-described musical shapeshifter, Wonderland avoids sticking to a single genre. “I try to play everything — I don’t discriminate. Jazz, dubstep, whatever fits the vibe. My DJ sets vary from show to show; I like to feel out the crowd. I don’t want people to expect the same set every time.”
She credits a broad range of influences for her sound, from The Beatles to The Eurythmics, shaped partly by the records she grew up hearing at home. “When I was little, I listened to my mum’s music and we’d dance together — so my influences really do come from all over.” Her transition into DJing, she says, felt completely natural. “I always loved banging on pots as a kid, then I started playing guitar. DJing just felt like the next step.”
Having just released her debut album, Wonderland is already looking ahead. “I’d love to get back into singing. Writing the album was a blast, and there’s more on the horizon.” Asked for any final advice for aspiring DJs, she kept it characteristically light: “Stick to being yourself. Oh — and always use your brain!”
