Juliet Fox on Techno, Motherhood & Owning Her Frequency​

FROM GETTING HER FIRST TASTE OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC AS A TEENAGER CHASING CLUB NIGHTS, TO BECOMING ONE OF TECHNO’S MOST DISTINCTIVE VOICES, JULIET FOX HAS CARVED HER OWN SPACE. LAUNCHING HER LABEL TREGAMBE GAVE HER THE FREEDOM TO RELEASE MUSIC ENTIRELY ON HER OWN TERMS.

NOW, WITH HER SIX-PART SERIES TECHNOPATRA, SHE UNFOLDS A NARRATIVE THAT MERGES CLUB CULTURE WITH PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION, ONE THAT REFLECTS NOT ONLY HER ARTISTIC EVOLUTION, BUT ALSO HER JOURNEY INTO MOTHERHOOD.

IN THIS CONVERSATION, WE TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF VOCAL STORYTELLING, THE BALANCE BETWEEN TOURING AND PARENTHOOD, AND WHY SHE’S CREATING SPACES LIKE HER NEW PODCAST THE MOTHER FREQUENCY TO BRING LONG-OVERDUE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WOMEN AND CREATIVITY INTO THE OPEN.​

@djjulietfox

ANOMIE: Hi Juliet! To start from the beginning, do you remember the moment electronic music first really pulled you in? What did that early fascination look like for you?

JF: I was quite young when I first heard electronic music, 12 or 13, maybe. I had a certain draw to music from a young age. I liked the idea of going to clubs and dancing, and I would ask my sisters to take me with them as a teenager. A couple of years after that I was getting out a lot on my own, listening to all genres, and I started to explore mixing as well. I knew inside of me it was a journey I wanted to be on.

ANOMIE: Your sound has always had a slightly darker, hypnotic edge, often with your own vocals layered into it. When did you start thinking about your voice as part of your production identity?

JF: This was early on when I started to produce music. Back then there weren't a lot of vocal samples or vocalists available. I kept hearing the same vocals on tracks and thought, why not experiment with my own voice? This led me to create more hypnotic, darker-edged material, because I mostly do spoken words. That ended up becoming my signature sound, and it also led to doing vocal features for other artists.

ANOMIE: You've played all over the world now, from underground clubs to huge festival stages. What were some of the early milestones that made you realise this could become a global career?

JF: It was when I moved to London back in 2013,  I was signed with management for the first time and started to get really great gigs, touring into the US and Europe. At that point I thought I could leave my day job. Ticking off some major festivals and clubs gave me the confidence to quit and do it full time, so in 2015 that’s what I did and made the move to Berlin.

ANOMIE: Your productions often blend driving techno with trippy vocal elements and experimental textures. When you start a track, do you usually begin with rhythm, atmosphere, or an idea or emotion you want to express?

JF: A lot of the time I start with my own vocals as that's usually where the idea comes from first. I create the vocal hook using it like the melody which usually creates the emotion and I know then where the track will flow, then I build the kick and the atmosphere, and the rest follows.

ANOMIE: You've said that you launched your label TREGAMBE as a space for music that didn't need to fit anyone else's expectations. What did having that independence change for you creatively?

JF: It was amazing to have a platform and be creative with my music and the artworks too. I loved being able to release music that I had made at certain influential times, including during the pandemic, which was quite deep and emotional. It's fantastic releasing what you like! Later on I opened it up to other artists as well. I love having full control over my label and a space to be completely myself.

ANOMIE: Your cover art and visuals are very striking. Do you see the visual side of your releases as an extension of the music?

JF: Definitely. It's very important to have a visual aspect alongside the music. I'm a visual person, so this was always something I wanted to bring together.

ANOMIE: Running a label while touring internationally is no small task. What have you learned about the balance between creative freedom and the practical realities of the industry?

JF: When I'm on the road it gives me more time to reflect on the artistic side of things, to think about the label and listen to demos. There's a lot of hard work that goes into it as you want to make sure everything is looking great and delivered on time. On top of being creative, you have to have a business mindset as well.

ANOMIE: Your new six-part series Technopatra feels like more than just a collection of tracks, it reads more like a narrative project. Where did the concept first come from?

JF: It was one of those creative moments where I felt really inspired. I originally wanted to release an album, but I scaled that down into six tracks. A mini album where all the tracks are connected and there's a story to tell. Each track is unique and different, they all embody a different style of techno. It's something I also wanted to express through the visuals.

ANOMIE: The character of Technopatra represents both strength and vulnerability. Was that duality something you were consciously exploring when writing the music?

JF: Yes, I really wanted it to feel like a real story, with each track being powerful. All the tracks will feature my vocals and will show all the different sides of Juliet Fox as Technopatra.

ANOMIE: Across the six releases, how do you see the story evolving? Is there a transformation listeners will hear as the series unfolds?

JF: Technopatra represents a modern figure. This project allows me to explore a wider emotional range. Some of the tracks retain a strong club energy, while others are darker and more atmospheric. It connects artistic storytelling with dancefloor culture.

ANOMIE: You became a mother about a year ago, which is a huge life shift, personally and professionally. How did that experience reshape your relationship with music?

JF: It made my connection to music stronger, in the way I make music and prepare for my sets and performances. It changed my lifestyle for the better and made me want to keep pushing with what I was doing. I just want to make sure I balance these two lives, being a mum and working in the music industry.

ANOMIE: Motherhood is still rarely talked about openly in electronic music, especially within touring culture. Did your perspective on the industry change after becoming a parent?

JF: It did. It limits you in terms of how long you can be away. I look at things with a much more grounded perspective now, especially when it comes to touring. I limit how many days I can be on the road, it's about finding the right balance. As much as I love being out and enjoying the music, I also want to be at home with my family.

ANOMIE: Did having a child influence the emotional tone or themes of the Technopatra project?

JF: For sure, it influenced my emotional connection to music. With this project I want to express all the different parts of me, this strong figure transforming. It starts with being the ‘Underground Queen’, and the last track is called ‘Ascend’. It's a journey that represents my evolution as both an artist and a mother.

ANOMIE: You're also launching a new podcast called The Mother Frequency, which brings together conversations about motherhood and creative life. What inspired you to start that platform?

JF: There aren't many conversations like that in the music industry, and it's something I felt there was a real need for. A lot of women had been reaching out to me saying how nice it was to see me sharing about my journey and posting about my son. I thought it would be a great opportunity to talk about it with other mothers in the industry, and to help women who are expecting or wanting to start a family, to show them that it is possible.

ANOMIE: What kinds of conversations do you feel are missing from the electronic music world when it comes to motherhood and women in the industry?

JF: It should be spoken about much more freely. Women shouldn't be afraid to share parts of their personal lives if they want to. It can be really hard to do both, but I think we need to be more raw and honest about that.

ANOMIE: Do you hope the podcast will help create a stronger sense of community among women working in music?

JF: My aim is to have a platform where not only I share my story, but the women I have on the podcast too. It gives them space to open up if they haven't had the chance to before, to connect with each others, and hopefully find the support they need or just to laugh about common experiences.

ANOMIE: Your schedule this year is intense, from Brooklyn to Dortmund to Tomorrowland and Awakenings. How has touring changed for you since becoming a parent?

JF: It's been a busy year so far, but I'm making sure I'm really balancing the time I'm away and trying to have two or three weeks at home per month. I don't want to be away from my son any more than I need to be, but I still very much love what I'm doing.

ANOMIE: You'll be playing Awakenings Festival in the Netherlands this summer, which is such an iconic techno event. What kind of energy do you like to bring to a festival crowd like that?

JF: I'm super excited to play Awakenings again this time with Amber Broos, who I just performed with last night at Mayday Festival. We bring big vocals, big basslines, big kicks. I can't wait to come back!

ANOMIE: After so many years on global stages, what still makes a dancefloor feel special to you?

JF: It's amazing to have this connection with crowds around the world. Wherever I perform it has a different energy, but I love getting lost in it. Seeing the dancefloor move is super special and always has been. It always makes me emotional.

ANOMIE: By the time the final Technopatra release arrives, what do you hope listeners will have taken away from it?

JF: I really hope they've stayed on this journey with me, that they've seen the creative side, and hopefully enjoyed all the different styles of techno I'm presenting. 

ANOMIE: Looking forward, where do you see yourself evolving next, both musically and personally?

JF: Making myself stronger in every way. Creating more, pushing the boundaries further, and being the best mother to my son. I really look forward to the time when he understands what I do, and I can share my love for music with him. 

Check out episode 1 of Juliet's new podcast, The Mother Frequency, here