Hannah Wants Talks Etiquette Label, Travel Gym Routines & More In Exclusive Interview

Born Hannah Alicia Smith, Birmingham-based DJ and producer Hannah Wants has developed quite a name for herself in the electronic music scene. Following an 18-month battle with breast cancer, the former professional soccer player-turned DJ/producer has ramped it up in full force, just wrapping up a month-long tour through the United States, as well as ripping it up as label boss of her own label imprint Etiquette, which has been churning out anthems for just under a year now.

We got the chance to talk to the house music legend for a bit about her trip to the US, her label, gym routine and more. Check it out below!

EDM Sauce: You just came out to the US and ripped it up for the month of June. How excited are you to be back in the States?

Hannah Wants: Out of 10? A solid 9.5! I’m always happy to be touring America! This tour feels extra special because not only am I playing in some of my favorite cities to play like Chicago and L.A I’m always going to be making my debut in Orlando, Atlanta, and Rothbury for Electric Forest. North America is so vast that even though I’ve been touring here for a good few years now I’ve still got so many more places to hit and so much more I wanna achieve!

EDM Sauce: You are known for your gym, fitness, and being pretty much a huge overall wellness advocate. How do you keep up with all your routines while touring, and what is your #1 go to exercise or routine while on tour?

Hannah Wants:: Y’know what, when I’m on tour I actually have more time to myself and find it easier to get into the gym most days because I don’t have general time-consuming home/life stuff to do. I try to stay on UK time when in America so in a typical day I’ll get top super early and hit the gym, go find some healthy breakfast, get some work done, then I split my sleep up both before and after my gig, travel, and repeat. Hotel gyms are my number one go to when on tour, I always choose to stay somewhere with a gym and spa preferably as a steam/sauna and massage is always good for a tired body, they’re all lifesavers. When I get to the gym it’s usually 30 mins of cardio followed by 30 mins of weights, good for both my mind and body!

EDM Sauce: Let's talk a bit about your label Etiquette. Your last 3 releases have been on the label, including you latest smash “Love Somebody” which is making its rounds through the clubs this summer. Do you have a defined sound you're trying to bring with Etiquette, or are you just releasing music you enjoy?

Hannah Wants: I always say the music policy for Etiquette can be placed under the umbrella term ‘House & Bass’. We release music across the broad and exciting house music spectrum and the releases are generally bass influenced but don’t let my description confuse you with the heavier bass music genre. We’re not that. It’s house/tech music where bass plays a beautiful role, you won’t find many happy house piano led tracks on Etiquette.

EDM Sauce: Being such an icon in the house scene, how exciting is it to work with up & coming talent that may have begun their career because of your music, especially female producers?

Hannah Wants: I was actually doing a talk in Kent the other week with Toolroom Records, it was a live Q&A with a group of up and coming females and one of the girls said how I had inspired her to start DJ’ing / producing and it really was hella humbling. Like I didn’t set out as an aspiring DJ wanting to inspire others but it’s amazing to know that by living my absolute dream I can influence others for the good. I think it’s important we have role models and I also think if you’re in a position to help and inspire others in a positive way then you should, it’s kind of an obligation when you get to a certain level, it’s good to do good and it’s nice to give back and help others trying to achieve their own personal dream if you can.

EDM Sauce: Finally, I know you are a huge RnB fan, so I have 3 rapid-fire questions I'd like you to answer.

1. Who is your favorite RnB singer?

Hannah Wants: Easy question… 6LACK – I AM OBSESSED.

2. All-time favorite RnB song?

Hannah Wants: Not so easy, I have so many. 90’s RnB on a whole is just untouchable.

3. If you could collab with any singer from the 80s or 90s to make a new house tune, who would it be?

Hannah Wants: The queen Missy Elliot!