Introducing: Leena Punks

2022 was a busy year for Leena Punks. After releasing on New State, a feature on LP Giobbi’s compilation on Insomniac records and a remix on Stress records, her AnjunaBeats track debut ‘On The Floor’ was picked by Charlie Hedges as BBC Radio One’s Hottest record and gained lots of support from Jaguar, Sarah Story, Jack Saunders and more 

Her next release on Stress, Mirage, had a heap of support from Kiss and Radio 1, also getting into New Music Friday, UK House Music, and Trance Mission and featured on Lane 8’s Winter 2022 Mixtape. After touring Greece, Ibiza, she finished off the summer with a spot on the A&B Group Therapy Weekender with even more gigs in Belfast and L.A. 

2023 started with a bang for rising DJ/ Producer Leena Punks with a second Hottest Record of the week pick on BBC radio 1 by Charlie Hedges for ‘Dawn of the Dead’. With more new music coming in 2023, we caught up with Leena ahead of the release of her latest single, OOO.

We love the new single (OOO), can you run us through it?

“It’s a fun record with nostalgic 90s elements that hopefully will get you dancing. I came up with the title on a long flight to LA. I just wanted to convey that feeling of finally leaving the office on a Friday afternoon and going to party. Even better if it’s in another country!”

Where did you start in music?

“I was trained in classical piano when I was still living in Greece. In 2012, I took an online Production course at PointBlank and that changed everything. I was fully immersed and so thrilled that I could take all my favourite tracks, chop them into samples, add some chords and make an entirely new tune. At the time I was really into remixing hip hop and believe me, one of the best exercises is trying to warp Biggie vocals as he always changes his rhythmic pattern. I then quit my job in Greece and enrolled in a full time Electronic Music Composition and Production course in London. One of the first tunes we analysed was Disclosure’s White Noise as Aluna George was a former student at PointBlank. It was one of the best experiences ever and I made so many good friendships at that course. (Of course I was the only girl in class, but so happy that’s changing now!)”

What excites you most about being a DJ?

“I think what excites me is the ability to take the crowd into a journey. The entire process of reading a crowd and making them trust you – because ultimately you’re there so they can have a good time, and then you can pretty much drop anything and they’ll embrace it. I also love travelling and meeting/ working with people that I admire creatively.”

Why Stress Records? 

“Stress is such an iconic label and when I think of most artists that I admire and listen to they’ve all released on Stress. From Prospa to Eynka, Because of Art, Tibasko, Tommy Farrow and of course Sasha in the 90s!”

Who is your dream collab?

“There are so many artists I want to work with. The Tibasko boys are insanely talented, also I love Junior Simba, Lane 8 and O’Flynn. You never know!”

What are your fundamental rules when you’re making music?

“For me I have to go in with a plan, lots of research and a clear view with what I’m going to produce. It can take me even up to a week to think about what I’m going to write but when I feel I have a good idea of how I’m going to make it, only then I sit down and start writing. Also a clean desk, an open window and I purposely put my phone in the other room, as I’m so easily distracted.”

What are your top 5 cities to perform in (Or would like to perform in)?

“From the cities I’ve already performed in I’d say Athens as it’s my hometown and where I started, London of course, Ibiza, and also the crowd at Belfast was insane. I have some really cool festivals that I’m playing this summer including the Gorge in the US and… Tomorrowland in Belgium which is crazy and I’m so looking forward to that!”

Leena Punks sounds cool – how’d you come up with it?

“Haha well my real name is spelled Lina. When I first moved to the UK ten years ago I heard funny pronunciations of my name like Laina so I made it Leena to make it easier but also I used to play Mortal Combat as a kid and loved the character Mileena lols. Then Punks came to me as I love the Punk attitude of the 80s (I was always obsessed with Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm Mclaren) but also at the time (2013) I was listening to Stanton Warriors and their label is called Punks Music so.. there you go!”

Leena’s latest single, OOO (Out Of Office) is out on 3rd February, 2023 and you can save it here