Star of the year: Hannah Wants

"I was in bed when I got the call. I was being asked to headline Es Paradis. Like, right now. I hadn't had time to prepare my set. I'd never played in a superclub before. In fact, I don't think I'd even been to the venue. I guess being thrown in the deep end is good for you."

Birmingham-based Hannah Wants would know. Since that pivotal set in 2010, she's played in Ibiza, Australia and the US, and was a crowd favourite at this year's Hideout Festival. The latter was a particular high point for Hannah, who "was meant to go in 2012 with mates, but bailed at the last minute."

At 17, Hannah was given decks for her birthday, after which "I just locked myself in my room". Soon, she became a name on the Birmingham circuit. Heading to Ibiza in 2010 to establish herself, Wants came to international attention via a string of competition wins at Es Viva workers' bar that led to her first superclub gig.

It's been in 2014, though, that Wants has gone truly international, balancing a demanding string of UK dates with an eightgig Australian spring tour, Snowbombing, a
summer involving Ibiza Rocks! and Hideout Croatia, and an eight-gig tour of Americanthis autumn to top it off.

Her popularity stems from one simple thing: "I'm a DJ first and foremost. Production's great, I'm really enjoying it, but my first love is DJing," she says. And anyone lucky enough to have caught her live will have seen that in action. Wants is all about crossing genres: bassline, speed garage, bass music. It's far from easy, but she makes it look effortless – and from Ibiza to Australia, her crowds love it.

"I used to look at posters for events and think 'one day', she says. 'Now I pass billboards in Ibiza with my name on. It's crazy!" It may be, but 2015's already looking serious – opening in the first week of January with Miami's Holy Ship! before Wants starts a two-month UK tour. An exhausting schedule, but then, "I played football for England ladies until I was 23. Then music took over." Artist, athlete DJ... who Wants more?

Watch Hannah's pumping Lab LA set from earlier this year.