LIONA STONE

Let’s get to know Liona Stone! Where are you from and how long have you been DJing?

I am from Ukraine, the city of Lviv. I started my career working on television in my city, but in order to develop further I moved to the capital where I worked as a TV presenter on a music TV channel.
 

Tell us about your past experience as a TV host? Did hosting have any influence on your decision to become a DJ?

Thanks to my work on a music TV channel, I had the opportunity to attend all festivals, concerts, parties and clubs where world-famous DJs performed. At that time, I did not think about a career as a DJ. But the party organizers started inviting me to play DJ. So, I became interested in the DJ’s creative work and expression and began to learn everything that I could.
 

Has being on TV helped you with your twitch stream?

Of course, the experience of working on television has helped me in streaming, because I know how to work with lighting and with sound. Also, I’m not shy in front of the camera because being on TV gave me more confidence. I have a clear vision and understanding of the aesthetic that will work on the screen.
 

What are some of the most memorable events you’ve played?

The brightest evening, which I remember most of all, is New Year’s Eve in Bahrain. At that time, I was playing commercial house music, but I enjoyed it (now, my style and taste has evolved into more progressive, melodic, ominous music which will lead to more underground events). There were a lot of people, gorgeous decorations and fireworks. Everything was very large-scale and bright, one of the best New Year celebrations in my life.

What was it like producing your first track?

Producing my first track was a task in a DJ school when I was studying Ableton Live. It was difficult to produce the first track, because I did not have a clear understanding of what I wanted, but my teacher provided me with guidance and support to turn my ideas into a real sound. I found a female vocal sample that reminded me of my favorite Prodigy track. I always dreamed of using tribal vocals and I am planning similar options for future productions.
 

Tell us about your journey through music and how your taste has changed and developed?

Music has always inspired me. But, due to the fact that I used to work as a resident in clubs, I had to play commercial music. When I started attending festivals, I realized that I didn’t want to play commercial music any longer; my eyes and ears were opened to deeper sounds in music and very cool energies.. When I started streaming on Twitch, I had the opportunity to play specifically what I like. Gradually, with deep house, afro house and progressive, my sound developed into melodic techno and techno.
 

Do you think that streaming will always be a part of your career?

I am sure that streaming will always be relevant to this industry even after the pandemic. Streaming has become an integral part of my career where I have a lot of space for experimentation, and I’m sure this is true for other artists.
 

What is your dream festival to participate in and why?

I dream of participating in various world festivals, there is such an incredible atmosphere. But mainly, my goal is to perform at the Burning Man Festival because this is a unique place where donation and community are cultivated, talents and all opportunities are presented as part of a contribution to the general system. Burning Man encourages maximum self-expression, rethinking the value of life.
 

Who are some DJs/producers that have inspired your sound and technique?

When I was a resident in the Dubai club, I went to see Solomon for the first time and my world turned upside down. His choice of tracks, set structure and playing technique further helped change my attitude towards the club industry in the Middle East and from commercial and deep house, I began to switch to melodic techno.
 

Your cat, Rogelio, has really become a personality! Tell us about him and why you decided to incorporate him within your streams?

This is an interesting story, on one of the streams Just_Gyll asked me if I have pets and I decided to show my Rogelio. He was wild, he began to growl and claw at me, everyone really liked his performance, so every day, step by step, he began to spend more and more time on my streams