After five years away from releasing music, Malua is officially back. With her recent release ‘Solution’, the Dutch producer kicks off a new chapter focused on energetic hardstyle, blending emotion with power. She opens up about her comeback, her upcoming collaboration with Carola, and why she’s proud to see more female artists making their mark on the hardstyle scene.
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For Malua, the past few years were an opportunity to reinvent herself. Taking a conscious step back from the scene helped her grow, both as an artist and as a person. “By consciously taking a step back and reinventing Malua, I now know better than ever what I stand for as an artist. That period helped me redefine my focus and vision.”
Motherhood also played an important role in that process. “It made me realise that I really can combine being a mother with making music and performing. The moment I decided to get back into the studio, my creativity naturally returned. Since then, things have been moving fast, because there’s a lot of new music on the way!”
“Emotion and power don’t have to cancel each other out”
With her comeback, Malua wants to build on the sound that many fans already know, while giving it a fresh and modern twist. “My sound is energetic hardstyle with power, emotion and a raw edge. To me, emotion and power don’t have to cancel each other out. That combination is ‘the best bit’.”
According to Malua, that balance is exactly what defines her music. “My mission is to preserve the soul of hardstyle while combining it with the energy and power of today.”
Fans shouldn’t worry about losing the signature Malua sound either. “People will definitely recognise the Malua sound. I’ve developed my sound further and added new elements, but my vision remains the same. The soul of hardstyle will always be the foundation of my music, no matter how my sound evolves.”
“The scene has become much more inclusive”
Besides her own comeback, Malua also sees positive changes within the hardstyle scene. According to her, female producers and DJs are supporting each other more than ever before. “I’m proud that more and more women are claiming their place in the hardstyle scene. Fortunately, the scene has also become much more inclusive over the past few years.”
And according to Malua, it goes beyond just words. “As female hardstyle artists, we have a great connection. We support each other’s tracks, collaborate and create new projects together.” That sense of unity became especially clear during the cancelled Defqon.1 weekend. “When Defqon was cancelled, we were all affected. That’s why we decided to organise a livestream together.”
Under the name Sacred Sunday, she hosted a livestream on Real Hardstyle Radio together with GLDY LX, Lalou, Miia Solar, Lynsy and Fantazia, bringing the community together after the unexpected cancellation of the festival.
New collaboration with Carola
Following the release of ‘Solution’, Malua’s next release is already scheduled for July 24. On that day, ‘Wide Awake’, her collaboration with Carola on Derailed Traxx, will be released. The track serves as the first release from a collaborative EP the two artists are currently working on. According to Malua, the collaboration came together in a unique way. “We decided to make an EP together without ever having met in person. I’ve been a fan of Carola’s vocals for a long time and knew our styles would fit perfectly.”
The creative chemistry was immediate. “We’re both very creative, and even though we only got to know each other recently, you wouldn’t think that if you looked at our chat history. We had so much inspiration, which led to a second track and ultimately to the decision to create an EP together.” The track also made an instant impression during her live performances. “The first time I played ‘Wide Awake’ during a Malua LIVE set, I got goosebumps.”
Alongside the collaborative EP with Carola, Malua is also working on new solo music. After ‘Wide Awake’, another solo release is planned, for which she wrote the lyrics herself. “It’s important to me that the emotion in a track is strengthened by the right lyrics.” With plenty of new music on the horizon, it seems Malua’s comeback is only the beginning of a busy new chapter.
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