Imagine it's 2016 — a young, bright-eyed Olivia Little, soon to be known as Aqua Bass, gets invited (or maybe convinced) by her college mates to join them at Coachella. Olivia, who had recently parted ways with her indie rock band — the one she’d been a member of from age 13 to 18 — had gone off to college in California at Loyola Marymount to study classical music. She was in desperate need of inspiration and direction for her musical creativity. “I was looking for inspiration on what to do next with my craft and was just really open to anything at that point.”

She had the opportunity — she would even say privilege — to see Flume’s set. She credits that performance with changing her life and opening her eyes to the vast possibilities within EDM. She was incredibly inspired and fascinated by the fact that he incorporates live instrumentals, vocalists, and more. “It was such a magical set for me. I felt like he was more of a mad scientist than a DJ.” While in her era of indie rock, she had seen EDM as merely a computer, but has since said, “I was a hypocrite when it came to the knowledge of it. I was so naive to it.” The idea of being a producer had always fascinated her, but because of her long-standing background as a vocalist, she never truly saw it as an option — until that Flume set. “It felt like a whole different language, but it was so exciting because of how limitless it all was.”

Throughout her journey, Aqua Bass has explored many different sounds — from innocent, simpler tracks to her newfound sexier, unhinged, darker style. Her newest remix, “Cola,” is an ode to letting go and tapping into your wild and free self. By remixing Flume’s old track and adding the Lana Del Rey monologue, she speaks to the emotionality and unapologetic freedom that comes with being true to yourself. This new single marks an era of being wild and free in so many different aspects of life. She communicates this sonically and subliminally while maintaining a unique yet relatable sound.

While emphasizing empowerment in sexuality, confidence, and acceptance, she still isn’t spared from the negative stereotypes and bias that surround women DJs — especially those comfortable in their sexuality. “I like the latex, but then it’s overly sexualized and I’m like, okay, this is still about my art.” Often, women who embrace their sexuality

are misunderstood or overly objectified by society. “I feel like it resonates with the right people more so than the people who may be overly objectifying it.”

This remix marks a transitional era in Aqua Bass’s sound. If you haven’t yet, this is a must-listen. “I think the [Lana Del Rey] monologue mixed with Flume’s production that I recreated — I really want it to resonate with people who feel alone, so they know they’ll find their people and just keep being who you are, you know?”

aquabass · Lana Del Rey - COLA - aquabass remix

Photography by Emily (Mily) Ward

Leaving Safe Behind: Aqua Bass’s Journey to Artistic Liberation