Few figures in electronic music carry their history as Anja Schneider. Over two decades in, the Berlin-based DJ, producer, and SoUs label founder hasn’t slowed down; she’s deepened. Her latest single “Dirty Hands,” born from a candid podcast conversation with DJ Paulette and DJ Minx, arrives as both a dancefloor statement and a quiet act of solidarity between women who built careers when the room wasn’t exactly welcoming.
We caught up with Anja to talk about the record, her boundary-pushing collaboration with photographer Sven Marquardt for the Salzburg Easter Festival, what genuine label freedom actually feels like, and why, in a world obsessed with optics, she’s still betting everything on the music.
“Dirty Hands” grew out of a real conversation, one that clearly stayed with you long after it ended, to the point where you wanted to bring it onto the dancefloor. Could you share with our readers how this track came together?
I’ve been running my interview podcast Anja Schneider Backstage for over a year now, available on all podcast platforms. In one episode I invited DJ Paulette and DJ Minx – two pioneers I really admire – to talk about their experiences entering a very male-dominated scene and proving themselves with their skills.
It turned into a very inspiring conversation. What struck me most was the way DJ Minx speaks – her tone, the pauses she takes, and the way she emphasizes certain words. For me it almost felt like listening to a piece of music. That’s really how the idea came about.
The press release for the record reads “Dirty Hands” is more than a collaboration. It’s a bridge between generations and cities.” Could you elaborate on this?
Yes, I think we are both from the same generation, and have similar experiences in the electronic music world, even though our backgrounds are different, But within this electronic music circus we have experienced many similar things. And the fact that we are still here is proof that we belong, that we have found our place, and that in many ways we have become truly global.
You also released a unique interdisciplinary project from Salzburg Easter Festival, created in collaboration with renowned Berlin photographer Sven Marquardt as an EP called “Heartbroken”. Could you tell us more about it?
The EP Heartbroken came out of a request I received last year, asking whether I could imagine creating an electronic evening inspired by Wagner for the Salzburg Easter Festival. It was an incredibly exciting and rare opportunity—something you probably only get once in a lifetime.
So I started diving into Wagner and the whole context of the festival. Around that time, I had just come out of a collaboration with Sven Marquardt, and I was deeply inspired by his exhibition Disturbing Beauty. For me, his photography already carries something very „Wagnerian”. So I asked him if he’d like to develop this project together.
I then created a DJ set that was performed alongside his photographs, which were projected as visual art onto LED walls at the Felsenreitschule in Salzburg. In addition, I collaborated with the Berlin-based opera singer João Tinen, bringing a vocal element into the project.
Out of this whole process, we ended up creating two EPs under the title Heartbroken, which was also the name of the performance itself—our interpretation of Wagner in that setting. It’s something quite unique: a blend of melancholy, classical influence, and a subtle approach to opera through the vocal work.
Releasing on your own label means every decision, from mastering to timing to artwork lands on your desk. What is the part of label ownership that still genuinely excites you, and what part can be exhausting?
I chose it exactly this way, and that’s why I run my own label. I have to say it doesn’t feel exhausting at all — it’s something that fills me with joy and that I genuinely enjoy doing. Being able to express myself through my own label is probably the greatest freedom I can take as an artist. And I truly experience that as a privilege.
When you’re listening to a demo or watching an artist develop, what are you actually looking for? Is there something that makes you think yes, this belongs on Sous Music?
Nowadays it’s incredibly difficult to discover a young, successful artist purely because of their music and their artistic profile. But for me it has always been important to keep an eye out for young artists, especially women. Authenticity is the most important thing for me. It’s about deciding to walk a long path together — supporting each other, exchanging ideas, and growing over time.
But the times have changed. It’s simply not as easy anymore to build up young artists from scratch.
Your Club Room radio show has become a genuine institution – over 300 episodes is a remarkable commitment. What does that platform give you and do you think radio still plays a role in discovering new music?
I’ve actually been doing radio for over 20 years now, and for me it has always been an important medium to express myself, discover new music, and introduce new artists. It’s simply part of my weekly rhythm.
It also gives me the chance to offer people a curated overview of the huge number of releases that come out every week. For me it’s important because it keeps me engaged with music, constantly listening and discovering new sounds. But I also think it’s important for my audience, because they can rely on receiving a thoughtful selection of new music every week — and it can really go in any direction. 🎧
Berlin’s club scene has been through enormous upheaval with closures, gentrification, shifting crowds, post-pandemic reinvention. As someone who has watched it evolve over decades, what do you feel has genuinely been lost, and what surprises you about what’s emerged?
Berlin has always been an incredibly interesting place and a real pool for creative people. Of course, like in many major cities around the world, things have changed over time. But Berlin is still very special in that sense. There is still a strong creative energy here, with people constantly discovering new ideas and starting new things.
I’m not one of those people who says everything was better in the past. I still find it exciting and inspiring to see what’s happening in Berlin. And I’m convinced that, because of Berlin’s history, this kind of creative exploration can really only happen in this city. We will always find new creative niches. It remains exciting — even if I don’t follow every single development as closely as I once did. ✨
Touring and making music are two very different headspaces – one is about reading a room in real time, the other about being alone with your thoughts and a blank canvas. How do you experience each of them, and which one feeds your soul more or is it equal?
For me, both really belong together. They are both important and they create a lot of synergy. Touring is obviously essential, especially if you want to survive as a musician. But for me, touring and producing are closely connected.
I’ve always been very happy about the fact that I never make music completely alone — I always work with my co-producer. I really love the exchange, the interaction, the feedback, and the way ideas grow through collaboration. That’s incredibly important to me. I’m not the kind of nerd who sits alone in the studio all day. I’m someone who likes being around people and working as a team.
That’s why I’m always happy when I can bring my experiences from touring back home to the studio and share them with my studio partner. From there we can turn those experiences into new ideas. For me, that connection is very important.
After decades in electronic music, you’ve watched the conversation around women in the industry shift – more visibility, more recognition, more seats at the table on the surface. But how much has actually changed in the day-to-day reality of being a woman in this world, and where do you feel the work is still very much unfinished?
As I’ve said many times before, I believe that in terms of gender equality in the music world — and even more broadly in society — we have actually taken several steps backwards in recent years. There is still a long way to go before women can truly feel safe, express themselves freely, and be respected and perceived in the way we deserve. And of course, that also includes being paid equally in the end.
I think that as women we still have to prove ourselves much more, and we are often judged by standards that are contradictory and have nothing to do with our actual work. So yes, there is still a long road ahead of us.
For a female producer or DJ just starting out today, facing an oversaturated landscape, algorithmic gatekeepers, and a very different path to building an audience than the one you walked, what’s the most honest piece of advice you can give them?
I’m probably not the best person to answer that question. I personally struggle with algorithms and with social media in general. I come from a generation where it was simply about making good music. People didn’t go to a club to see what you looked like or what you were wearing.
I really hope that at some point things will shift back again and that the focus will return to the music we make and play, and to how we express ourselves artistically. My only advice would be: always stay honest with yourself and don’t bend just to fit expectations. Authenticity is the key, and it’s important not to just follow every trend.
You started 2026 with a super strong release. Do you have any other exciting plans or releases planned for this year that you’d like to share with us?
2026 is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting years for me so far. Not only because of the Dirty Hands release, but also because I’m working on a special project for the Salzburg Easter Festival, where I’m engaging with Wagner and interpreting it in my own way through electronic music and a DJ set. For this project I invited Sven Marquardt as a collaborator, presenting his photography alongside my music. I’m quite nervous and excited to see how it will be received.
There will also be two releases connected to this project that are not really dancefloor-oriented. The project is called Heartbroken, which is also the title of the show in Salzburg, where Sven presents his photographs while I perform my music, and we stage it together as one experience. The release coming out of this will therefore be something quite different for me, and I’m very curious to see how people react.
I’m also incredibly happy to receive the Pioneer Femimy Award for my work in electronic music, which means a lot to me. On top of that, my podcast BACKSTAGE will relaunch as a video podcast this year, which is another big challenge and something I’m really looking forward to.
And I should also mention my own party series called Pump, which runs from 4 pm to 10 pm. It has already been very successful in Berlin at OHM, right next to Tresor, and now I’m taking it on tour as well.
So overall, 2026 is full of exciting projects that really inspire and motivate me. I’m very much looking forward to everything that’s coming. Stay tuned! . Thx for having me✨