Ophelia: “You have to still go through the emotions”

Ophelia is an existential exploration of Debra Gail White, an entrepreneur who’s startup was acquired by Bob Sillerman of SFX and Clear Channel notoriety. Having studied music and mathematics, with a focus on artificial intelligence, her headspace has taken her across the country from Boston, New York, San Francisco, and now to LA.

With a mix of live performances and DJ sets, the range of original productions and sounds can vary based on the space and vibe of the event. A jazz pianist by training at Berklee College of Music and a producer at heart, Ophelia takes to the stage the vocal and harmonic abilities of a performer and pairs custom beats and mixes. Her label and music company, 27 Club, located in Hollywood California, takes on new talent and business opportunities, placing music in film, and creating experiential shows across the country.

Now, 2023 is approaching, and what better way to welcome it than to remember the main highlights of the past year? Music, unique milestones, and new projects are some of the things Ophelia experienced in 2022. We invited her to talk more about what this past year meant, what she learned and what are her plans for the holidays.

EG: Hi Ophelia! Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today. 2022 is almost over, we want to know…what is your most important highlight of the year, both musically and personally?

Ophelia: Thanks for the invite. I guess going to ADE was my biggest highlight. It was really great to connect with people all over the world in one place and be passionate about electronic music. I met a lot of great people and artists and it was very inspiring. After going there, I decided to start an ongoing party in Los Angeles, since I had taken a break from promoting since Corona.

EG: What was your favorite release of 2022 (of your own)?

Ophelia: I think ‘TRACEN’ was pretty fun. I had a release of a remix I did of ‘Closer’ by NIN that was out on Cleopatra Records, but it was a collab. ‘TRACEN’ was a sound I wanted to create and work towards and I’m happy with it.

EG: And what was your favorite track of the year from someone else?

Ophelia: Diplo always has good pop songs. I like Mark Ronson’s Silk City stuff, but ‘Don’t Forget My Love’ is a very LA/Palm Springs daytime poolside hotel track.

EG: Did you have any special standout shows this year either that you played or attended?

Ophelia: I played a great performance with Pain Behavior that was full of a lineup of excellent artists. Always a pleasure.

“It was really great to connect with people all over the world in one place and be passionate about electronic music. I met a lot of great people and artists and it was very inspiring”

EG: What was the biggest lesson you learned in life this 2022?

Ophelia: Being tired is normal. It’s OK to sleep in.

EG: And following on, what was the biggest lesson you learned in music?

Ophelia: The time spent doing music is important. Sometimes it’s hard when you don’t get the audience or crowd you want, but you have to still go through the emotions.

EG: If you could send yourself a message to you 5 years ago, what would it be and why?

Ophelia: You’ll finally get to lie down and sleep. I had a storied history of overworking and traveling non-stop. It’s nice to be able to lie down in a nice comfy bed and sleep. It’s quite the luxury and I’d let myself know that rest and respite is forthcoming.

EG: How has your sound developed in 2022?

Ophelia: I’m trying to play new rave and really be about dance.

“I had a storied history of overworking and traveling non-stop. It’s nice to be able to lie down in a nice comfy bed and sleep. It’s quite the luxury and I’d let myself know that rest and respite is forthcoming”

EG: Who would you say was the most innovative artist in 2022?

Ophelia: The children. All the young hyped-pop-lo-fi-getter-done artists making these awesome Tik Tok clips.

EG: Which label or labels do you think were at the top of their game in 2022?

Ophelia: Aufnahme + weidwegabe is fire.

EG: If any, do you have any regrets for the year behind us?

Ophelia: I didn’t get enough done. I never do.

EG: What are your plans for the holidays?

Ophelia: Playing a winter solstice show in Nashville with awesome locals in the scene; Nightfrog, Jake Clarity, Fear, Naturedog, and Table Salt. It’s amazing to get such amazing support out of town.