Your artistic journey started on a horror film set and evolved into your signature techno style. How did horror and non-conformist art influence Kill The Void’s vision, and do you still draw inspiration from that genre?
(ELLA & ASH) Definitely! Horror movies are clearly our favorite thing for a good night haha! We really love small independent horror movies with a strong psychological dimension, not the shitty stuff you find in theaters. The Void, Starry Eyes and Under The Skin are so good for example, there is always a spiritual side when you dig, we love to find the light into the darkness where no one would venture… There is beauty everywhere for those who decide to really open their eyes, creating dark and heavy atmospheres and making positive vibes spring forth is what we like the most, we always move between darkness and light in our music. Anti-conformist art is for us a way to express our feelings and especially the rejection that we can feel because of our differences. We feel deeply connected to it because this form of art is often misunderstood by people, they always think we are just crazy. But madness is better than being empty, that’s why we must Kill the Void.
Your sound is constantly pushing boundaries, blending genres like Techno Punk, Hardstyle, and Frenchcore. How do you approach genre fusion in your creative process? Is there ever an element of spontaneity when you’re producing?
(ASH) Things happen very naturally, we never plan anything. Sometimes, we sit down in the studio and say to ourselves that we would like to make a track with a specific idea but systematically we deviate and go into something that has nothing to do with it. It’s totally uncontrollable. We mix things without overthinking and it gives really cool results haha. We are completely self-taught, we didn’t go to school to learn how to produce or mix so we are not formatted and I think that’s the problem with many artists today, they all learn the same thing and end up like idiots with similar stuff… Art can’t be learned, It’s a gift, very intime and spiritual.
(ELLA) Everything works on instinct with us. I often wake up in the middle of the night with lyrics ideas in my head, I hum into my phone and create bits of ideas like that, everything happens very naturally. The price to pay is that I don’t sleep much because my mind is always wandering, I have my little imaginary world, It’s a real mess in there and It’s not always easy to deal with it.
You mentioned that your upcoming EP, Call The Asylum, is a new turn in your career, embracing your “true nature.” Can you share more about what that means and what fans can expect in this new phase?
(ASH) Call The Asylum is the discovery of the real Kill The Void, we affirm more our personality through our vocals which carry strong messages, especially with OBEY which is a satire of society with a population that obeys everything without thinking, they are so fucking blind and you want to shake them and say ‘Hey wake up guys, if the society ask you to eat your shit, would you do it?’.
This EP is completely crazy and we can start from something quite cheesy and fun like BANG BANG to finish into something more dark and rebellious like OBEY. There are no rules, we have a real taste for disorder.
(ELLA) There is a borderline side in this EP and this name also hides a heavy past for me. I was raised by a schizophrenic mother who was interned several times in psychiatric hospitals. I’ve experienced hard things when I was a child, so it leaves deep marks in your mind, in your soul… Call The Asylum is a form of rebirth for me and a way to turn the page.
Pink has become almost a signature for you. Is there a story or symbolism behind your choice to make it such a focal color in your style?
(ELLA & ASH) Pink is a joyful and sexy color, very girly and contrasts with our sound style which can be trashy, saturated, not smooth, as always we like to mix opposites to be there where no one can expect us … We can judge something so easily by its appearance but when we dig we realize that It’s quite the opposite, that’s the case here. We like to surprise and mess up with your minds.
You recently attended New York Fashion Week—how was the experience, and how would you compare it to Paris Fashion Week? Are there differences in energy or style that stand out to you?
(ELLA) I’ve been attending NYFW for a while now, Paris has always been the place to be for fashion but today I don’t feel at all connected there either aesthetically or mentally. There is something missing, especially boldness and open-mindedness where NYC welcomes your difference with open arms. In terms of style, there is more risk-taking and diversity in terms of models, all women are represented and I love that, It’s much less codified than Paris and that’s what is beautiful, fashion is art and art is not supposed to be too serious, I like this mindset ‘I don’t care what you think’. The energy is definitely different but I think you know that NYC is located on a big energy center.
(ASH) There is a strong mutual help between artists and you clearly feel that the spirits are more liberated, there is a lot of positive energy but this city is not made for everyone because it gives a lot. NYC is the place where the most people have hugged us and helped us, we feel accepted and loved there, there is a strong open-mindedness and we build bonds very quickly, we have artist friends in Brooklyn on whom we can really count. When you come from France It’s shocking because here most people are so closed, envious and lazy, there is a stifling anxiety-provoking atmosphere and It’s sad to say but our heart is no longer here.
“Call The Asylum”, set to release on Nov. 15, is described as “an ode to freedom and difference in an increasingly conformist world.” How does this concept resonate with you, and how do you hope it impacts your audience?
(ASH) It’s a rebellion and a scream of rage against the music industry, we notice a strong standardization of artistic proposals in the Hard Techno scene and not only, the Techno Sphere is globally impacted, the public is starting to get fed up too, you can already see the effects with the crowd who reacts less and less to the music, they don’t come to festivals to see their favorite artist, they come to see a bunch of artists serving the same thing. When you have 10 artists at a festival who offer almost the same stuff, playing the same trendy sounds, we interpret that as a mockery for the public, they don’t respect them. Nobody takes any risk, they are so scared to lose their seat, choosing conformity over art is fucking annoying and show weakness. Art is evolution, creation of new things, despite what the gatekeepers want and say. We decided not to answer to the call of conformity to become “a product that sells” as some agents have asked us to be. First, we are not a product but artists and if we cannot create music as we want because we have to please the industry, there is no interest for us to do so because the essence of being an artist is defined by being a person who dares to go against the grain and who proposes different ideas that can sometimes change the world, we chose freedom over submission. So yes this EP is an ode to freedom and a message for all our fans that they should never change who they are for anyone and above all stay away from toxic people and those who don’t believe in you.
You’ve mentioned that specific frequencies and fast BPMs can have a healing effect, removing negative energies. Could you dive deeper into how it shapes your performances and tracks production?
(ELLA) You know, music is above all a way for us to transmute our energies, I feel a real satisfaction during the creation process. I lock myself in the studio for a whole day and I don’t go out, I need to be in my bubble without any interactions. The best part of this process is to perform on stage and that’s where everything explodes, I feel a sense of deep connection with the vibrations of the music and a burning desire to share all my energy with the audience. I love dancing and improvising situations. We love to speed up our BPM at the end of sets with Frenchcore or Hardstyle and dance like crazies, It’s quite orgasmic and we let go completely, like a state of trance, at the same level as an intense meditation where your body will start moving by itself to heal its knots, fast bpm give me a feeling to expel my bad energies, It’s extremely delicious and liberating. This process has existed since the dawn of time with shamanic dances. I strongly believe that dance is a way to heal your wounds. I deeply feel alive and real when I perform, I’m not a fan of self-control on stage and don’t like to wear masks, I don’t have filters. You know, we « abnormal people” have often experienced trauma in childhood and art is the only answer and what fascinates me and is incredibly wonderful is that even having lacked love, having been completely broken, we create wonderful things from this suffering and continue to give despite everything, and the public fills us in return by giving love. It’s all about sharing. It’s magic. Music is the best thing that happened to my life, it saved my soul.
After debuting in Italy this past September, and with upcoming dates in Bogotá and Wroclaw, how has touring shaped you as an artist—are there any standout moments or unexpected encounters that have inspired you?
(ASH) We chose to first create a real artistic identity before touring, for us it was really important to find our personality and to offer something different. Obviously, the stage helps us to shape ourselves because we also analyze the public and their reactions. We say to ourselves, hey, they really liked this track so we’re going to release it soon… We always feel out of place like aliens when we are in the backstages and often the other artists/DJs don’t even want to talk to us and avoid us, that’s fucking crazy but there is a very heavy spirit of unease, we find it extremely funny because we don’t have this competitive mindset at all, we are very sociable guys and when you have confidence in yourself and your art you shouldn’t act like an asshole with other artists. As artists, we are supposed to be energetically all connected and share our passion.
(ELLA) There are magical encounters during our shows and almost every time we feel connected immediately with the dancers and drag performers, there is this madness and freedom that we really find with them, we just have fun like children without overthinking, we understand each other so much and we have often experienced similar things… We are just kids doing stupid things so when we come across guys like us It’s just going crazy. Honestly they are the ones who inspire us the most because they have decided to be themselves against all odds, they are luminous people who don’t give a fuck if we don’t like them, they choose freedom over conformity, It’s really our motto too. We don’t have time to pull faces, life is too short babies so have fun!
How do you see Kill The Void influencing the techno scene, especially for Gen Z, who make up a significant portion of your fanbase? What do you think connects with them so strongly?
(ELLA & ASH) Maybe that’s the spirit of freedom and the strong energy that we deliver during our shows that attracts them, we have our own way of breaking the codes without giving a damn about what others think. We love interacting with our fans throughout our live, we are not afraid to go crazy with a state of mind that is quite « show must go on » and that’s inspiring for them, we are there to push them upwards and tell them that they have to do what they want without listening to others. We also love connecting with people, and kisses and hugs are clearly part of our favorite moments. We give off a feeling of closeness, sincerity and joy that we think is very well captured by Gen Z and we love them with all our hearts. The world is so rotten and fake and there are so many boring things that spontaneity makes people feel good. Our live performances are very colorful and chaotic, but we know exactly where we are taking them like a roller coaster and our fans like to be surprised. It can’t please everyone, and especially the grumpy old techno people but you have to live with your time… Everything is so monotonous and sanitized today that we need to be shaken up a little to feel again.
Tell us more about your label, Vvoid. How did it come about, and what vision do you have for it in the techno sphere?
(ASH) The label was a crucial step to take control of our artistic direction as we wanted, it means without limits imposed by people who think they know what is good or not for the audience. When we like a track, we release it on our label without overthinking. We signed our first EP with the very good UK label DanceTrax that we thank again for its trust then we decided to quickly emancipate ourselves to release everything only on our label, we have never tried to offer our tracks since because we know that we are too much different haha !! The advantage is that we have no concessions to make, what comes out on our label is 100% no filters.
What’s next for Kill The Void?
(ELLA & ASH) There are a lot of upcoming things for Kill The Void, we are entering a cycle of intense productions and we have several major collaborations coming up, which represents a new step for us because we have never collaborated with other artists before. Big tour is coming up for 2025, the machine is launched and Techno Punk is going to conquer the world. Today we feel ready to finally take off because our sound, visual and stage identity is there. We have learned a lot from our performances and evolved a lot and It’s now time to open up to the world.
Ella, you are going to launch your solo project on your own name? You will be known as the HARD TECHNO DOLL.
(ELLA) You are officially the first to whom I announce it but yes ELLA HOX will become a solo project and we celebrate this with my first single BANG BANG which will be released on NOV 8. The amazing cover was photographed by my friend Michael Creagh in NYC during the last NYFW :) This project represents a new step for me because I have grown a lot and today I entered my DOLL ERA, It’s time to show that It’s not because you have a doll’s face and a phone sex voice that you’re stupid, I’m fed up with misogynistic prejudices and I want to shut everyone up… It’s also a revenge on all the whore tongues and those who have always discouraged me from being an artist, including my family. It’s a form of emancipation and I see it as a transformation. My sound style will be focused on Hard Dance with my vocals. It’s quite girly badass, you can call it Trash Barbie, I love to sing and I intend to push the vice further… Right now, I’m producing a lot like a little hamster stocking up with lots of fucking insane collaborations, you are not ready babies :) It’s a new adventure and It’s ultra exciting.
Credits:
Artist: Kill the void – Ella Hox / @killthevoid @ellahox
Studio images: Michael Creagh / @michaelcreagh
Interview: Kenzie Barrena / @kenziebarrena
Editor: Marco Giuliano / @marcogiulianoph
Assistant: Elena Murratzu / @elena.murratzu
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