Tony y Not Asks "Have You Lost Your Mind?"
German DJ and producer Tony y Not is making her Kompakt debut with the two-track EP "Have You Lost Your Mind".
German DJ and producer Tony y Not has steadily built a name for herself with a mix of house, disco, and acid techno, performing at events like Amsterdam Dance Event, fabric, Fusion Festival, and Hï Ibiza. Her recent debut at Time Warp NY adds to her growing list of international appearances. This March, she follows up with the release of her new two-track EP, Have You Lost Your Mind, on Kompakt.
Tony y Not talks to 6AM about vulnerability, hustle, and healing through music as she celebrates her new Kompakt EP and rising global presence.
Hi Tony y Not! Thanks for joining us at 6AM. How’s life been treating you lately?
To be fully honest? March was not the greatest moment for me. I started the year strong, then kind of hit a wall - mentally, emotionally, physically. It was one of those months where the past catches up to you and you're forced to sit with stuff you thought you'd already moved through. But I really believe the strength is in picking yourself up when it gets dark. Playing shows, traveling, letting myself actually feel it all, leaning on friends, mindfulness - and having a new release out - all of that helped me start coming back to myself. Now I’m actually feeling excited for the summer.
Your new EP Have You Lost Your Mind? just dropped on Kompakt. Can you walk us through how this release came together? Why did you feel this EP was appropriate for Kompakt?
I loved making these tracks . They came from a place of excitement for the dance floor. They’re actually just two out of many I made that month. A friend heard them and immediately thought they’d be a good fit for Kompakt, so he made the connection. To be honest, I’m super critical of my own work, like most artists are. Out of fear to miss the shot with showing music that isn’t good enough to a major label, I usually convince myself not to send it to the labels I admire most because I think, „why would they want this“? Total imposter syndrome. But I’m really glad my friend pushed me on this one. When Kompakt said yes, I was over the moon. That kind of validation from a label I’ve looked up to for years? Still feels surreal.
For the EP, You’ve said you were bringing back your vocals to your music. Why did you decide not to include your vocals in the prior releases? What flipped the switch for you to say, “Now is the time”? And how did that decision shape the energy of these new tracks?
Maybe it came from a place of insecurity. Singing and using my voice has always felt really sacred, so naturally, I kept it close. It felt too vulnerable, like what if I share this and it gets torn apart? But over time, my confidence grew. I started trusting myself more, and that shift definitely unlocked a new energy in my music. There’s a lot more vocals coming your way in the next releases!
Singing has always been a part of your life. How did you make the transition into dance music? Was it just a natural progression or was there a big moment for you that you decided dance music was for you?
I’ve always been a little raver at heart. Electronic music was already embedded in my culture growing up, so the love was there early. But once I started going to clubs and festivals, it really clicked. I know it sounds cheesy, but that feeling of belonging on a dance floor just did something to me. It reshaped my whole approach to music, and my style naturally shifted toward dance. I wanted to be part of that world in a big way.
You’ve played multiple international events and venues like Amsterdam Dance Event, Brooklyn Mirage in New York, fabric, Fusion Festival, and the iconic Hï Ibiza. What do you attribute to the rise in your global recognition? How has this affected you as an artist?
Real talk? It’s hard hard work. Not just in honing my skills, but also in hustling relentlessly to take up space and ask for what I want, especially as a woman. Living in New York for so long really sharpened that hustle. I pushed hard to make myself known without losing myself in the process and stay true to the integrity of why I am doing this. It’s a lot of elbowing through toxic male energy sometimes but that only fueled me more to carve space, not just for me, but to help pave the way for other women coming up.
With all the touring to different parts of the world and the stress of being an artist, how do you stay centered and mentally healthy? Are there any important points that you’d like to express about mental health as an artist?
Its definitely not as easy as it used to be. Adding my health issues on top of that, I have no other choice than to make my physical health and mental health the highest priority. I had to learn this the hard way but now Im really connected to what my body and mind need and I listen to that. There is so so much to say about mental health as an artist but I dont want to write a novel here. I have my own podcast called Safe Spaces Series where I talk about that exact topic with my guests. But some important advice to this point that I can give right now is: you can ALWAYS say no, check your intentions, listen to your body.
Thank you so much for your time, is there anything else you would like to add?
Thanks for having me!!