​Beloved New Zealand DJ Andyheartthrob has died aged 33

Beloved New Zealand-hailing DJ Andyheartthrob, real name Andrea Orani, has died following a battle with cancer.

Andrea’s manager, Jaimee-Lee Tredray, confirmed the news of her death to Resident Advisor this week. She was 33-years-old.

Known lovingly as Andy to friends and family, Andrea was diagnosed with stage four metastatic bowel cancer in September 2023 which had spread to her liver, lymph nodes and lungs.

A fundraiser was launched after her diagnosis, hoping to raise money towards her treatment, which was expected to cost anywhere up to $263,000 (NZD).

“Her oncologist recommended urgent chemotherapy due to the cancer’s aggressive nature – she might not survive more than two weeks,” her family wrote alongside the fundraiser, posted in late 2023.

Contributions toward the fundraiser went toward 12-months of immunotherapy, alternative cancer therapies, and care for her young daughter, Ruuru.

Through treatment, Andrea posted regular updates for friends and fans online. Her manager told RA that Andrea was “the ultimate hype queen” who made sure that “everyone around her believed in themselves and followed their dreams".

“Andy created spaces where connection and creativity thrived," she said. "She embodied the DIY ethos: start something, build a village of like-minded souls, and uplift everyone along the way."

Under the alias Andyheartthrob, Andrea performed regularly in New Zealand as part of the collectives Dynasty and DJs Anonymous, both of which she helped found.

While Andrea performed alongside and gave a platform to local artists, she also shared stages with international talent including UNiiQU3, Skin On Skin, and horsegiirL.

In May 2024, Andrea performed a Boiler Room set in Rarotonga, part of the Cook Islands, where she explored traditional and indigenous sounds from across the 15 islands.

Read some tributes below.

[Via Resident Advisor]

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter