Ajo - Act Up
The NYC artist breaks down the ballroom energy, house rhythms, and early 2000s nostalgia behind her new anthem “Act Up.”
In the heart of the New York City nightlife scene, artist Ajo is carving out a sonic space where the raw energy of the ballroom floor meets the sophisticated textures of modern R&B. Her latest track, “Act Up,” serves as a high-octane tribute to the DJs and dancers who transform the late-night club experience into a sanctuary of self-expression. By blending house sensibilities with a nostalgic nod to the 2000s, Ajo captures the “kinetic moments” of a dance floor in full bloom, establishing themselves as a vital voice for a generation that prioritizes freedom over perfection.
In this candid conversation, Ajo takes us behind the scenes of their creative evolution—from performing somber acoustic sets to commanding the room with the defiant swagger of a ballroom commentator. She opens up about the specific influences of the Soulection crew, the technical synergy shared with producer JVD and engineer Sendai Mike, and the personal mission to remain “defiantly gorgeous” in an often hostile world.
Can you take us back to the very beginning? At what point in your life did you realize that making music was what you needed to pursue seriously?
Ajo: This question really made me pause! I’m not sure I had a moment where I made that conscious decision, but I do remember setting specific goals like, I’m going to play a real show at a real venue; I want to open for a big artist that I respect; I want to drop an EP, etc. So I feel like it was really a series of goals that just over time challenged me to try to do bigger and better than my last. Right now, the thing I’m seriously pursuing is absolute candor & choosing “finished” over “perfect”
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote, and what genre was it? What was the primary motivation or emotion behind that very first track?
Ajo: LOL yes! It was a singer / songwriter vibe that I wrote on my guitar and performed live at a writing conference during school. Everybody sat around me cross-legged in a circle and I was in the middle, shaking. Citizen Cope was my inspo at the time. Somber, poetical, about love.
The press release calls “Act Up” a “love letter to the clubs & DJs” you grew up dreaming about. Can you elaborate on what specific clubs or DJ sets heavily influenced this track and your overall sound?
Ajo: Kaytranada & the Soulection crew always juice me up! They don’t miss when it comes to blending r&b, dance / house, and hip hop. The way they make me feel is how I want my music to make other people feel.
The song blends a “time machine” feel with a “vision of tomorrow.” What elements in the production or songwriting do you feel most strongly evoke the 2000s club aesthetic, and what makes the track feel futuristic?
Ajo: In my track, that comes through playing off the chillout lineage that certain pockets of early 2000’s music brought us. The bass carries, the beat is locked in, I think it feels like an atmosphere for the hazy, late-night. And you might notice, the beat doesn’t just end – it fades. I made that choice to give a sense of going on & on & on…as we nightowls do. At the same time, I love that the future is making fluidity the norm. It’s not jarring to hear artists slide between singing, talking, melodic rapping. It’s just dynamic. And also for some reason, katanas feel futuristic to me. I hope we start using them a lot more.
“Act Up” is described as a “euphoric nod to DJs, Ballroom, and R&B Nightlife.” How do you see the distinct energies of the NYC Ballroom scene and classic R&B converging in this particular house track?
Ajo: To me, ballroom energy is being defiantly gorgeous even when the world is so hostile. And modern r&b energy is reimagining song-craft so it puts you inside of a feeling. I think we achieved all of the above on this track 🙂
Outside of the specific inspirations for “Act Up,” what artists—musical or otherwise—do you feel have been most foundational to developing your unique voice and artistic perspective? The track is a “cool-toned, body-high house R&B track.” How did you and producer JVD intentionally approach blending those genres to create that specific physical and emotional feeling?
Ajo: I’m inspired by any artist that has a real natural cool about them that comes through in their music: TLC, Kehlani, Bree Runway, Pharrell. In that spirit, I think about how I want to feel when I recite my words and even how I want somebody ELSE to feel when they sing it. One litmus test I use when I’m writing is asking myself, “did saying this out loud make me feel like the illest person ever?” JVD is a prolific house producer. First listen to his production immediately inspired me to write. That was the only marker I needed to know that we could get to the house-r&b territory I wanted. I’m simple like that.
Your vocals are noted for having the “cadence of an NYC ballroom commentator.” Could you discuss how you developed that specific vocal delivery and what role the commentary style plays in the track’s “drama and rebellion”?
Ajo: This song was rewritten a couple times because I was challenging myself to try something different with my voice and even my attitude. I always think about how Kelis said, “I’m the first girl to scream on the track,” so I experimented with what it would be like to write something I could shout, that felt more like a chant. I’ve been going to balls a lot more this year and realizing how musical the commentating is. The way they command the room, story-tell, and ARE the hype all in the same breath, was both my inspo and what makes them some bad MFs in my eyes. That’s something I was holding in my mind when writing / performing this.
You’ve drawn comparison to the “shimmering swagger of Kaytranada.” Were there specific sonic textures or rhythmic patterns you were aiming for that align with that sound?
Ajo: Airy, effortless. Pretty synths and a fat low end!
What was it like working with Producer JVD and Mix/Master engineer Sendai Mike to achieve the final sound? Was there a particular moment in the studio when you realized the track was complete?
Ajo: Working with Sendai Mike was a total green flag experience. At this point, I’m never looking just for technical skill. I look for someone who can help me translate the abstract into the concrete, and who has their own perspective / taste to contribute. And not for nothing, it’s also challenging to find engineers who actually read all the notes in your email LOL but we were firing on all cylinders on this side!
The press release boldly claims, “DJs finally have an anthem.” What do you hope DJs and the nightlife community will feel when they drop this track at 2 a.m.?
Ajo: Every DJ is a star. And I hope they know it after hearing this track. I’m in awe of how their minds work, being able to dream up mixes you’d never conceive of. It’s a responsibility and it’s an art. That’s why I say, “Respect the drop, do not crowd up the booth. That’s my DJ, these the rules!”
The song evokes that feeling of a dance floor “blooming with light, blurred motion, and pure kinetic moments.” What is the power of the dance floor for you personally, and how does that influence your creative process?
Ajo: I think the dance floor is a place to finally stop editing yourself. And that’s been a theme of my personal growth this year too. You gain so much more by just doing, expressing, and being present – even if it’s not perfect. Don’t try to look cute; try to get free.
How has your creative process evolved since you started making music? Do you prefer starting with a lyrical idea, a melodic hook, or a beat/rhythm?
Ajo: My songs can start all types of ways and I don’t really apply any rules to it, but I’ve definitely evolved past trying to find the perfect words, and am more focused on capturing the perfect feeling. Personally, I’m most hungry to feel stirred and emotionally sparked up these days and I think that can’t help but translate into the things that I create. I love that for us.
What is the biggest challenge you currently face as an independent artist in the modern music industry?
Ajo: Cutting through the noise. But I do also believe that the people you’re looking for are looking for you too.
Looking ahead five years, where do you see Ajo’s sound and career trajectory? What major goals do you hope to achieve?
Ajo: Within the next five years, I expect to have penned some anthems, be on tour, to have lost all hesitation around collaborating, and to end each night with an entry in my journal that says I love my life.
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