HoneyLuv moves between DJ booth and studio with clear intent. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, she grew within a lineage where house music stands as culture, community, and resistance. Her rise within the global electronic scene reflects a shift in visibility. Women, artists of color, and new voices claim space within a genre rooted in Black history.
Recognition arrived fast. Industry tastemakers placed her among the most promising names in dance music. BBC Radio 1 listed her among its Dance Future Stars. The New York Times placed her on its Up Next list. Beatport named her One To Watch. Behind the momentum sits a direct approach. HoneyLuv builds sets grounded in classic house rhythms while pushing toward new collaborations and audiences.
We met HoneyLuv in Milan, where she performed at the Inter Milan match at San Siro. The stadium setting created a different energy from a club night. Thousands of people gathered around football, yet the music still carried the same sense of community and movement that defines house culture. Shortly after her performance, we spoke with her about representation in electronic music, the sounds that shaped her growing up, and the discipline needed to build a career as a DJ and producer.
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You grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and you now shape the house music scene. What defining moments pushed you from being a music lover to stepping behind the decks and building a career as a producer and DJ?
Seeing the challenges for women who look like me in the industry showed a lack of representation. I took the situation as a challenge to enter the space and make our presence known. People of color and people of different backgrounds and sexualities are all here. House music does not focus on one particular group.
Your sets feel rooted in house history while looking forward. How did your background, community and early influences shape your sound?
All the music I grew up listening to when I was younger shaped my taste. A person does not appreciate the songs until they get older. The music my mother played for me and the music I heard at my grandmother's house shaped my current sound and how I play now.
With your new single "Don't Stop" created alongside Muni Long, you reach a new career stage. Without focusing on the track directly, what does this release represent in your personal journey and how does the song reflect the evolution of who you are today as an artist?
I am able to work with a Grammy-winning artist in the R&B genre. I am a huge fan of R&B and combining these two genres is a major step. I never thought the collaboration would happen this early in my career. The release shows the results of my hard work coming forward.
Based on your journey so far, what practical advice do you give to young DJs and producers who try to build a career with purpose and long-term vision?
Stay consistent and be authentic. Do not try to be anything else but yourself. People value authenticity.
