Get to know J. Worra, the tech-house purveyor with a big party attitude

Moving to Los Angeles in 2015, she continued to hone her production skills and released a series of belting singles and EPs on imprints like Perfect Driver, House of Hustle, Sleazy G and more. But despite her initial success, the genesis of her career was also filled with periods of self-doubt. After two of her favourite labels rejected her track submissions, it sent her into what she describes as a “miserable state.”

Despite this, she barrelled ahead with bigger and bigger performances, releasing music that was uniquely her own. Eventually she launched her own imprint, Arrow Recordings, the name a daily reminder to keep faith in her vision.

Taking cues from the likes of Chris Lake, Walker & Royce and Billy Kenny, her production style came into its own on her 2017 ‘Downtown Diva’ EP, its bounce and bass-heavy tracks picked up by AC Slater and Justin Martin.

In 2018 she played Coachella, Lightning In A Bottle and Holy Ship, where the premiere of her track ‘Modern Medicine’ was one of the most memorable moments of the cruise. “The stage was slammed!” she recalls. “People always say ‘You’re killing it’ but those are the moments that make you stop and give yourself a pat on the back.”

Finding self-respect in the booth and watching people “live their authentic lives” on the dancefloor has given J. Worra the strength to do the same. “It feels nice to hit a point where you stop censoring yourself and start being you.”

[Words: Cameron Holbrook | Photo: Kayte Demont]

J Worra is a member of Mixmag and WAV’s new Magnified team. Find out more by visiting wav.mixmag.net