Behind STORIES: Sarah Story’s Vision for a Modern Label
When Sarah Story launched STORIES in early 2024, it wasn’t a vanity label or a quick bolt-on to her growing DJ brand. It was a calculated move—one that reflected where dance music is headed, and more importantly, where she believes it should be. As a BBC Radio 1 host and trusted voice in new electronic music, Story’s name already held weight. But with STORIES, she shifted from curator to architect—building a space for artists, parties, and records that speak for themselves.
What sets STORIES apart isn’t just its clean branding or who headlines the events (though pulling in acts like Gerd Janson, Matrefakt, and Demi Riquísimo certainly helps). It’s the full scope of what it offers: a record label, a touring club series, and an artist-first platform that gives space to DJs and producers to share music without bias or industry red tape. The brand debuted with a strong run of shows at LAB11 in Birmingham, fabric in London, and Brighton, capped off with a stage at Austria’s Snowbombing Festival—all within its first month.
Sarah didn’t just throw parties and hope for the best. Each booking made sense. Each lineup was curated with care for the room and the crowd. She paired known names with newer talent in ways that felt natural—not tokenistic. It’s a reflection of her years watching the UK club circuit from the inside out, and her current view from behind the BBC mic every Friday night on Future Dance.
And while the live events are gaining momentum globally (New York, Amsterdam, Paris, Ibiza), the label arm of STORIES is just as sharp. Early releases from Big Miz, Prunk (with a remix by Hot Since 82), and French producer Emma B all signaled that this isn’t about major streaming wins—it’s about records that work on the floor. Her own productions—like “The Line,” “4AM,” and “Miss Behave” with Hilit Kolet—show a DJ moving into a producer role with a clear sense of what she wants her music to do: move people.
But beyond the bookings and releases, STORIES feels like a response to a common frustration among working DJs: the lack of truly open platforms. Sarah is trying to fix that—creating something that’s practical, credible, and grounded. Through demo submissions, guest mixes, and community visibility, she’s using her platform to lift others up, without turning it into a hollow brand exercise.
For those who know her radio voice but haven’t seen her live, a STORIES event is a different side of Sarah Story. It’s her taste, her network, and her years in the booth distilled into one experience—built for people who actually go to clubs, buy records, and care about what’s next.
