The Take 40 Stars Of Summer party, presented by the new Toyota Yaris, returns this year to launch the summer party season in seriously glamorous style. Set against a stunning harbour backdrop, this uber- exclusive, decadent summer soiree will feature intimate live performances from dance music powerhouse Sneaky Sound System and ARIA Award nominee Havana Brown.
We caught up with Havana Brown to talk more about the event, and find out what the acclaimed ARIA nominated Australian DJ has been up to lately.
Take 40 is returning with their Stars of Summer party – what were your experiences like last year?
Last year’s party was fantastic! It had a fun summer vibe but was also quite relaxed at the same time. Jamiroquai’s performance was a amazing, it was a perfect day!
There can be interesting mixes of people in the crowds of these sorts of events – how do you decide what to mix on the night? Do you have to cater something special for these sorts of events, music wise?
I find that the best way to entertain and pump up a crowd at these events is to be open, read the crowd’s vibe and mix accordingly. I really couldn’t plan a set in advance because it wouldn’t get the same reaction. I like to mix various music ‘genres’ in my set, but the right genre and tempo needs to be mixed at just the right time.
They call this a money can’t buy experience – but if you had $20 million dollars you probably could. If you had that sort of money, where would you buy YOUR mansion?
If I had $20 million dollars to spend I’d buy an entire island! Somewhere warm, but not too far for my family and friends to travel to…we could all stay there and kick back for a month of afternoon summer sessions!
What do you think will be the “anthem” of Summer 2011/12?
It really depends on your style – ‘Young Wild & Free’ by Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa, ‘Pumped Up Kick’s’ by Foster the People, and Rihanna and Calvin Harris’s We Found Love could all be Summer anthems. Plus my new single ‘Get It’, of course!
You’ve got some new anthems of your own to perform at the event – how have you felt the tracks to have been received so far?
I feel so lucky with the response I’ve had from my first two single releases! I expected people might not know that I had been singing all my life so may be surprised, but everyone was really receptive. My first release, We Run The Night, stayed in the charts for an extraordinarily long time – I guess you could call it an anthem!
The end of the year looks like it’s shaping up nicely for you – you received two ARIA nominations, how did you hear the news?
Thank you! It’s very exciting for me – I was nominated for both ‘Breakthrough Artist’ and ‘Highest Selling Single’. I first heard the news via my fans first actually…they’re quite amazing!
When it comes to the big night, are you anxious at all about it, or looking forward to the festivities?
I’m really looking forward to it – it should be quite a party! I’m used to performing and being in front of a crowd, so I don’t get nervous in that sense. There are some amazing artists nominated this year, and although it would be fantastic to win, just being nominated is an honour in itself.
What else will 2011 hold for you and what can we look forward to from you in 2012?
I’m looking forward to some new live performances both in Australia and overseas in 2012. I’ll be writing, recording and releasing new music – I can’t wait!
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The summer party will take place at a luxurious $20 million Point Piper mansion, offering a truly money-can’t-buy opportunity for a handful of Take 40 fans to live it large, and filmed for TV and online for audiences around the nation. VIP tickets are up for grabs at take40.com NOW, and weeknights on the Today Network.
