Chloé Robinson: A No-Bullsh*t Q&A
Chloé Robinson is in full stride, building on a decade-long career that began under her Barely Legal alias and now stands firmly under her own name. Shaped by early grime and dubstep roots in Birmingham and London, Robinson has flipped her sound into a lean, high-impact blend of techno, electro, and UK club music—an evolution that’s made her one of the most exciting artists in the global scene today.
Her label and party series, Pretty Weird, has become a tight-knit hub for boundary-pushing producers like Nikki Nair, DJ ADHD, and Villager, while her own tracks have earned support from Four Tet, Skrillex, Caribou, Floating Points, and Ben UFO. She’s toured relentlessly, with standout sets at fabric, DC-10, The Warehouse Project, Panorama Bar, Brooklyn Mirage, Glastonbury, and Sonar, and she’s locked in acclaimed BBC Radio 1 Essential Mixes along the way.
Beyond her unstoppable schedule, Robinson is sharply self-aware—open about her love for cats, her fear of disco, and her quest to stay true to herself while shaking off imposter syndrome. Whether it’s dropping funked-up 909 jams packed with MC chatter or curating Pretty Weird showcases across three continents, Robinson operates with a simple ethos: keep it moving, and always make it fun.
In this interview, she opens up about her studio habits, her unexpected panic triggers, what makes her smile, and the records that ground her. No fluff—just real talk from one of dance music’s most fearless voices.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
Disco music can induce a panic attack in me.
If you weren’t a DJ/Producer, what would you be?
I’d own an animal sanctuary in the middle of nowhere.
What’s the most memorable moment of your career?
Being on the dance floor and out of nowhere hearing music you’ve produced being played in the middle of a dj set by an artist who is your biggest inspiration.
Who’s an artist that inspires you right now?
Maya Jane Coles.
What’s a track you play when you want to get the crowd hyped?
What’s your go-to snack or drink before a show?
Prepared fruit- berries if we’re being specific, alongside a natural energy drink.
What’s your favorite city to play in, and why?
I can’t give a definite answer.
How would you describe your sound in three words?
Techy UK bass.
What’s one non-music-related thing that makes you happy?
Cats.
What’s a track that always brings you back to your roots?
If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be?
What’s your favorite non-music-related hobby?
Board games.
If you could time travel to any era of music history, when would it be and why?
I’ve never really fully connected with music from when I didn’t exist.
What’s a record that never leaves your crate or USB?
If you weren’t touring or in the studio, where would we find you?
In bed.
What’s a fun fact or hidden talent that has nothing to do with music?
I can stick my whole fist in my mouth.
What is simple that makes you smile?
A colorful sunset.
What’s a memory you never want to let go of?
When I found my confidence as a child at Glastonbury.
When do you feel at most peace?
When I’m feeling very sure of myself.
What are some things you forget but feel better when you are reminded about?
Gratitude for where in the world I was born into.
What’s something meaningful to you, but not to others ?
My mind.
What personal prison have you built out of fear?
I have to try and shake off imposter syndrome often.
What’s something normal to you that other people find weird?
Playing Nina Kraviz in my airpods to sooth my mind if I’m suddenly feeling highly anxious.
If you could compliment yourself, what would you say?
Well done for staying true to yourself.
From a production perspective, what’s the most expensive mistake you’ve ever made in an effort to put on a kick ass show?
I’m not a production kind of girl.
As someone who deals with technology and computers to write music, has there been a gut wrenching story where you lost your music or the track/beats you were working on?
Fortunately not yet.
What makes you cringe when you listen to your early material?
Nothing to be honest lol.
What do you find yourself obsessing about most in the studio? From every perspective of creating a track.
I don’t obsess over small things- if there’s an element I don’t like, I ditch it.
What is your favorite set time and duration?
I think a tidy 1.5 hours, set time really does depend on context of the setting, a festival for example doing the 11pm slot easing people into the night is great, but then also doing the 5am slot when the sun is coming up can be special too.
If you had the power to erase & abolish one musical genre -which one would you abolish for all eternity?
Disco.
