MODERN RENAISSANCE WOMAN: A SIT-DOWN WITH FIONA ZANETTI
Venezia-born and Paris based in a sensual collision of Italo disco and tech house, Fiona Zanetti is a well-regarded DJ on the rise. From having pursued journalism to delving into talent management, Zanetti was inspired to have found her love of music as something she could excel in. Over the last few years, she has been signed by Universal Music and played live on the ones and twos at the hottest fashion events around the globe for brands like The Attico, Paco Rabanne, Kilian Paris, YSL, and GCDS, just to name a few. Though she is known as a fashion it-girl, she seems to have quickly claimed her territory within the music industry and reaffirmed why she’s one-to-watch.
Photo by Axle Jozeph
Besides trailblazing fashion events both behind a DJ booth and sitting front-row in the Fashion Week circuit, a scroll through the 25-year-old’s Instagram will reveal that Zanetti has left her mark in all our homes with her weekly quarantine Live DJ sets and her brand of eclectic, textured Soundcloud mixtapes that keep us dancing in our silk pajamas.
She runs her own creative company, Dusk Dawn, too — a fact that is less surprising given that Zanetti has been adored over by brands to produce content through her contagious, seductive street-luxe style that favours vintage pieces with a touch of femme-fatale.
In this exclusive interview with 23 APT, Fiona Zanetti shares her thoughts on the creative process, her passion for music and fashion, influences, and plans for the future.
Photo by Next Management
How did your relationship with music start?
My oldest memories come from my parents who were really big music aficionados. I remember my dad digitalising all the CDs we had in the house for months to put them into those really old iPods, and we had over 10,000 songs on this one. It was the family’s precious little thing we took to every occasion: road trips, family gathering, parties... we all were very proud of this iPod and its diversity, and that’s basically how I discovered so many music genres. During my teenage years I was the one recording CDs to give to my friends and in charge of the playlists whatever we were doing. DJ-ing came later as what I felt like was the most genuine continuity of all this time spending to collect music. I bought my first DJ gear when I was living in Los Angeles at 22 years old and started learning by myself in the kitchen as I had no space.
Your favorite gig to date?
It was in October 2019 at an outdoor venue in Paris called La Clairière. It was a little bit life changing for me on a personal level. I got booked to open the night for a big french duo, Breakbot, who I adore. I was still suffering from the Impostor Syndrome a little and for the first time I felt my worth and what I could bring to the table as an artist and not just a fashion girl on Instagram trying to branch out, as many could see me. Nobody knew who I was when I took the deck — it wasn’t my crowd, they were here to see Breakbot. I started with 3 people on the dance floor and finished my set with a full house, people dancing like crazy and screaming for me on my last track. I still have goosebumps when I recall it.
Tell us a little bit about your time living in Paris and the influence its had on you as a person and your music.
I moved to Paris three years ago because I wanted to open my own business here and it’s the best decision I made in my life. I love this city and the energy. When I moved out here, I got contacted by Universal Music to represent me. I was a bit clueless about the industry and what I wanted to do with it — music was just a hobby at this point. But being here helped me to professionalize myself and build my own sound, learn about the industry and the history, meet a lot of people who guided me. I feel like it’s only the beginning as I now understand my niche and the direction I want to take, people and labels I want to work with for the next few years.
“FOR THE FIRST TIME I FELT MY WORTH AND WHAT I COULD BRING TO THE TABLE AS AN ARTIST”
Photo by Ten Days In Paris
Where do you find inspiration most?
In the past — the archives. Everyone says I’m an old soul and I definitely have a passion for digging.
Do you find that your creative process is mostly different and outside the box or do you follow a guide?
If you consider guts a guide then I’m kind of following it, haha. For an industry as electronic music, I wouldn’t say there are rules but it’s so full of history that you have to acknowledge it, learn it, embrace and respect it. There are silent rules or I would say a background that you MUST be aware of and celebrate if you make a living out of house and techno music.
Being a creative means often struggling with the notion that everything already exists. Does it ever bother you to think there is an end to newness?
I’ve always liked the idea of recycling and circular blueprint. It doesn’t bother me and I think we can still be taken away by many sounds and experiences, but I love sampling. I love doing it and I love hearing it, when it’s well done.
You’re also a fashion icon. How would you describe your style?
Very kind words. I definitely don’t consider myself an icon but I always liked to play with styling. I love oversized clothes, and as much as I love digging vinyls, I love to dig vintage pieces. I love a feminine twist; I love sensuality and attitude. I think my style is a blend of places I’ve been and people I’ve met. I’m influenced by the energy of a city or the way its people carry themselves.
While we’re on the topic of style, what is your absolute favorite, cannot-live-without piece in your wardrobe?
I think it’s a vintage Yohji Yamamoto black blazer, male size. Oversized to perfection, digged in Tokyo.
“I THINK MY STYLE IS A BLEND OF PLACES I’VE BEEN AND PEOPLE I’VE MET.”
Photo by Harper’s Bazaar
What came first for you: fashion or music?
My love for music came wayyyy before, but my first job as an adult was in fashion. I wanted to be a journalist and worked for a magazine, then ended up in talent management. Music was a hobby during this time. Now I’m lucky enough I could make my passion a real job.
As a multi-hyphenate, do you find yourself leaning towards one creative outlet over the other?
It’s quite hard to be honest. Not so for me but for the perception people have. Here’s how I see it: my day is half my “day job” which is my company Dusk Dawn and other entrepreneurial projects I’m working on. The rest of the day I work on music. That’s it.
How do you compare or contrast your work as a creative in the fashion industry with that of music as a means of expression?
It’s so different but at the same time, I’m happy the two get to meet from time to time. Music is another level of experience for me, it’s the universal language. It comes from the guts. The fashion industry is something more complex — extremely interesting and that has major importance as a medium, more than people might think. But music is some other shit, it’s pure.
So, what’s happening next for Fiona Zanetti?
I mean, I think this has been a quite peculiar year for all creatives. This year for me was more about staying a-flow and working on myself and my current projects. I took time to learn how to play on vinyls during my lockdown, worked on some new business projects. My goal is to start touring on festivals and clubs when life gets back to normal and releasing some of my own music in the upcoming years while keeping working on my companies and try to handle everything, gracefully.
MODERN RENAISSANCE WOMAN:
A SIT-DOWN WITH FIONA ZANETTI