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Rebekah on #GoHardOrGoHardcore & moving into the hard realms of dance music

Rebekah Teasdale, a British DJ and dance music producer known professionally as Rebekah on pushing boundaries, embracing hardcore techno and fostering a new wave of musical exploration under her mantra GoHardOrGoHardcore.

When did music first meaningfully enter your life?

For as long as I can remember there was always music around me. My mum has an inspiring 7inch collection and she would play her music and we would dance around the living room and enjoy it as I was growing up. Being exposed to everything from The Sex Pistols through to Patti Smith, Duran Duran and through to Dillinger in the 80’s with everything in-between. 

In my teens was when I discovered going out clubbing and really wanted to become a DJ, possibly more for egotistical reasons at this time but the music definitely was an escape during my teenage angst years.

What inspired you to start creating your own music?

Working with engineers to create music and just being unhappy with the results of what came out was never truly an expression or extension of what I wanted to say musically which led me to start doing it by myself. 

I wanted to be respected and went on the journey of learning as much as I could, spending two years at college on a creative music producer course back in 2007-2009 and then even giving up djing altogether to just make music conceptually and honoured the sound of what came out of me, which in this early period was more deeper and darker techno.

Being around dance music for so long I suppose I am always searching for more and more extremities.

What music did you grow up listening to? Any early influences on the artist you would become?

The first dance music I discovered by myself was jungle and then after was more deep house, Chicago House and then in 1997 listening to techno. The first DJ that blew my mind with their music selection and energy with their sets was Dave Clarke. This was at a venue in my home town of Birmingham called The Que club. I generally use this venue in mind to create techno and how it would sound in this huge amphitheatre, the reverb and almost sinister atmosphere can be used as an influence and how I like to approach music.

What was it about Hardcore that appealed to you?

Being around dance music for so long I suppose I am always searching for more and more extremities, with the recent explosion of hard techno and subsequently being influenced by hard dance, hardcore became more exciting for me sound design wise and as a more dynamic range to use within a set so it’s not just the same drop and same kick over and over. I have a range of music I like and am happy to showcase this within a set to keep things moving and interesting.

#GoHardOrGoHardcore showcases that I’m incorporating this more and not labelling everything hard techno.

Talk us through your career progression? What are some of the pivotal moments that moved the needle on your career?

Having a career playing funky house in the early 2000s, this was me in my early ‘20s playing; it was fun and I got to travel the world but I took it for granted a lot and in the end lost my passion for this kind of music. Going back to study in 2007 and learning how to make music, this gave me more freedom as an artist and to be able to forge a new direction for myself whilst being self-sufficient. 

In 2010 I got fully sober and clean from drugs and alcohol. In the first years of sobriety I managed to do a lot of personal development work and came back into the DJ world a more rounded adult and ready to take things more seriously.

Moving to Berlin and being signed to CLR records, this was one of my early breaks as an artist and placed me on the map of playing and producing techno. Berlin is also a city where I found complete freedom to create and be even more punk in my approach to making music. Fear Paralysis, my debut album, came out in 2017 and with this I delved into modular explorations to create a live set, which was a lot of work but very rewarding again finding more freedom as a way to share my energy fully with audiences around the world.

In 2018 I won producer of the year with DJ Mag Best of British. I’m not one for accolades and awards but it was super nice to be acknowledged for this as I am usually very far away from the UK scene, having built my career more in mainland Europe.

Fast forward to 2024 and I’m finding myself again musically, playing new b2b sets with Cancel and Make, who both have a history within hardcore and share a similar energy to mine. Creating new music and seeing where it lands and hopefully creating space for hardcore techno to continue to exist, which to me is still a continuation of industrial techno. Some will say I’m following trends but it still feels like what I was already doing in 2018, just a bit faster with more hardcore elements.

From this new direction I came up with a slogan of #GoHardOrGoHardcore as a way to showcase that I’m incorporating this more into my sets and not labelling everything hard techno. From this concept, merchandise came out, events have been happening in Berlin and Rome and we have also released music under this. I’m very excited to see where this goes next.

the real reason people aren’t taking risks promoting themselves is because they are worried about what negative DJs are thinking about them.

What are the biggest challenges facing DJs and techno artists today?

For those that are hyped and have success fast, I think for them to have the right team behind them that can keep them from burning out and have a longer plan than just rinse and repeat financially.

For the purist artists I think having more confidence on social media and to build rapport with their fan base in an authentic way. I hear so much moaning about it being all about the music yet social media has changed what’s important nowadays. Yes the ways in which you get your music noticed has changed but social media is still the easiest way you can connect to your followers who are supporting you. 

And usually the real reason people aren’t taking risks promoting themselves and their music, is because they are worried about what negative DJs are thinking about them and you may lose credibility. Last time I checked, it wasn’t other DJs paying for tickets to come and see you play! So be free, be authentic and do your thing.

Talk us through your creative process?

Creativity can come from many sources: a great weekend of gigs, an amazing piece of music outside of dance music, a film or TV show where the narration hits my psyche in some way. I will then take this idea into the studio and either sample to start something off or go in free with some high energy. I will then build some kicks, layering a number of kick drums together and then some percussion and then create a breakdown, making it more functional in the sense it will have impact.

Then I will build a track around it. Usually my signature is a 3-key pad or part to add a darker element and I create some sounds that are more industrial too. Recently I have been experimenting creating a hardcore track. I have a long way to go but it has been really fun and I spent most of the process on my feet dancing, well, jumping around so I know it works, at least for me anyway!

Moving away into the hard realms of dance music alienates some of my older followers, but some stick around.

What does the future hold for you?

I have no idea, but isn’t that the fun part? I spent the last 18 months dreaming and goal setting and reinventing myself so now I’m taking stock of where I’m at and watching how Rebekah 2.0 is responded to. 

Moving away into the hard realms of dance music alienates some of my older followers but some that stick around are also on their own journey of rediscovering some older music rehashed for a post techno world. Whatever the destination, I'm having more fun now than I’ve ever had behind the decks and in the studio which is really the main goal ... .the journey!

What advice would you offer up and coming DJs today?

To follow your passion despite fashion, trends or what people tell you you should play to get ahead in your “career” – play music that resonates with you energetically, learn as much about the history of dance music. Don’t get too caught up with the past as you are free to bring your own influences to your sets as this is what ignites passion in the next generation of clubbers, DJs and producers alike. 

Oh, and start digging; you don’t have to be safe and play all the big hits like everyone else to stand out. Find music that others aren’t playing; with the amount of music out there there’s no excuse for this.

Image credits: Gianluca Vitelli