Rising Dance Star of the Month: Tatyana Jane Played the Olympics, Learned from Skrillex, and Is Now Forging a New Genre

Rising Dance Star of the Month: Tatyana Jane Played the Olympics, Learned from Skrillex, and Is Now Forging a New Genre

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Tatyana Jane
Tatyana Jane Olivia Schenker

While most modern producers master their craft through internet tutorials and endless bedroom experimentation, Tatyana Jane received a masterclass directly from Skrillex.

“I was at his house every single morning at 7:00 sharp and stayed until 10:00 p.m.,” she recounts. “When you are given the privilege of working alongside someone as immensely talented as Sonny, you refuse to squander a single moment.”

Splitting her time between Los Angeles and her home base in Paris, Jane already possessed a wealth of production background. However, these intensive sessions deconstructed her entire approach to crafting heavy-hitting club anthems. “He told me, ‘I know you are a brilliant producer, but sometimes we have to strip it back to ground zero. We are going to learn how to construct a track sequentially, because every single component matters.’”

Those hands-on workshops covered advanced sequencing, sound design utilizing Serum, meticulous arrangement, and insider techniques for driving percussion and low-end bass. Following these late-2024 sessions, Jane returned to the French capital infused with renewed inspiration. “It completely revitalized my creativity and unlocked something entirely new in my music,” she notes. Upon arrival, she immediately churned out 50 brand-new tracks.

Several of those creations shine on Jane’s latest EP, Discordia, released last month via the legendary Paris imprint Ed Banger Records. The project crowns an incredible run that includes opening slots for Justice in Paris, a landmark performance during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, a high-profile back-to-back DJ set with Skrillex at Berlin’s Berghain, and major festival appearances spanning Paris’ We Love Green and Italy’s premier Kappa Futurfestival.

As a lifelong devotee of the French Touch movement raised in Cameroon, releasing music on Ed Banger was a childhood aspiration. That dream materialized unexpectedly when Jane crossed paths with label founder Pedro Winter while DJing a Parisian venue. Seizing the moment, she mentioned that she also produced music and asked for his contact information with the hope of eventually sharing her demos.

Though he generously handed over his personal number and email, Jane waited two full years before reaching out. “I thought to myself, ‘Pedro is an absolute icon in Paris, in France, and across the globe; I need to elevate my production skills significantly before I send him anything.’” Juggling motherhood with a toddler—who frequently pops up on camera to wave hello during her Zoom interviews&mdashshe cultivated a rigorous daily studio routine, striving to forge a sound potent enough to catch his attention.

In many ways, Jane has been building toward this moment since she began experimenting with music at age 17 after relocating from Cameroon to Montpellier in the south of France. Her earliest sonic memories are rooted in the vibrant polyrhythms and intricate percussion of West Africa. As a teenager transitioning into production, she initially crafted trap and rap beats, laying down her own vocals alongside friends. Gradually, her artistic compass shifted toward electronic music, a genre that had captivated her since she first discovered French Touch at just eight years old.

“I remember wondering, ‘Who are these groups like Justice and Daft Punk, producers like Bob Sinclar and Martin Solveig, and later on, David Guetta, Benny Benassi, and The Bloody Beetroots?’” she reflects. “French culture has a deep footprint in West Africa because of the shared language, so French music held massive cultural significance back home in Cameroon.”

Despite her unwavering passion for music, Jane initially pursued a corporate path as a data analyst in Paris. The demanding career ultimately steered her toward a severe professional wall. “I hit a major burnout and realized I wasn’t in a healthy space, so I needed a radical transformation,” she admits. “At that exact crossroads, I decided to fully commit to music. It is the only pursuit I can dedicate myself to every single day with absolute joy.”

Why Tatyana Jane Is an Up-and-Coming Dance Artist

Jane officially stepped into the spotlight with her 2021 debut single, “Good Bye Summer,” followed by a trio of singles in 2022 and her inaugural EP, Clavaria Formosa, in 2023. It was around this period that she connected with Pedro Winter, who personally introduced her to Skrillex backstage at the 2023 We Love Green festival. Once her performance concluded, Skrillex invited her back on stage to join an impromptu b2b2b2b set alongside several other selectors.

“I was thinking, ‘Oh my god, is this actually happening?’” she recalls. “Looking around, I was the only woman on stage surrounded by a bunch of guys, which was intensely nerve-wracking. But it was a dream come true because I deeply admire Skrillex and his entire artistic catalog.” Prompted by Winter, she plugged in her USB and took control of the decks. Today, her Instagram feed features a memorable video from that very night, capturing Skrillex dancing and pressing his heart in silent approval as she mixes.

Arriving on June 4, the six-track Discordia stands as Jane’s most ambitious statement yet. Driven by heavy percussion, razor-sharp rhythms, eerie glitch textures, and undulating sub-bass, the EP balances boundary-pushing experimentation with irresistible club appeal, marking it as essential listening for fans of futuristic bass music.

This milestone represents just the latest chapter in a meteoric ascent that includes performing on the world stage during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Held on August 11, the spectacular showcased French electronic royalty including Jean-Michel Jarre, Pedro Winter (performing as Busy P), Martin Solveig, Air, Phoenix, and other icons. Musical director Victor Le Masne tapped Jane to represent the vanguard of the new generation during the ceremony’s central showcase.

“I asked him, ‘Are you entirely sure? My tracks are heavy trap and bass cuts,’” she recalls of hearing her music would feature on global television. “He replied, ‘We are completely certain. Just make sure the vocal samples are cleared.’ It felt entirely surreal, yet it materialized in an instant.” Her performance filled the Stade de France with ominous, stuttering basslines in what she later described as “one of the greatest nights of my life.” She further solidified her place within the Parisian electronic elite later that year by supporting Justice during their triumphant hometown residency at the Accor Arena for the Hyperdrama tour, a creative alliance that recently culminated in Jane remixing “What You Want,” Justice’s collaborative track with Angèle.

Best Songs to Start With

https://youtube.com/watch?v=abTbi7Fnxz8%22+title%3D%22Tatyana+Jane+-+Good+Bye+Summer

Jane’s breakthrough debut track, released in 2021.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=bsec377NXBM%22+title%3D%22Tatyana+Jane+-+Clavaria+Formosa

The hypnotic lead single from Jane’s 2023 debut EP, Clavaria Formosa.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=lvb73nRqEFg%22+title%3D%22Tatyana+Jane+-+Discordia+Track

A standout club weapon from her June EP, Discordia.

What’s Next for Jane

Now represented by a management roster that also steers the careers of Cobrah and Shygirl, Jane is laser-focused on writing new material, refining her studio workflow, and preparing her next slate of releases. With an arsenal of unreleased tracks ready for deployment, she has her sights set on a larger conceptual milestone, such as a 10-track mixtape. Her grand vision involves redefining the sonic blueprint of French electronic music by fusing her diverse cultural influences into a self-styled genre she calls “Afroclash.” Simultaneously, she is navigating the visa process to launch her live touring career across the United States.

Bolstered by heavyweight endorsements most emerging artists only dream of, Jane is determined to leverage her momentum to carve out a distinctive space within the very ecosystem that nurtured her artistry.

“My ultimate goal is to create music so distinct that one day, people will listen and immediately say, ‘That is the undeniable sound of Tatyana Jane.’”

Past Billboard Up-and-Coming Dance Artists of the Month

  • Swimming Paul
  • Jackie Hollander
  • Kaleena Zanders
  • Kito
  • INJI
  • Jigitz
  • Ninajirachi
  • Bambii


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