Hannah Wants interview: ‘Cure My Desire’, music that heals, and new label ‘counter-culture music’
After nearly 15 years behind the decks, Hannah Wants has her first chart plaque. Now, with her new label also on the way, we caught up with the house icon to chat all about them.
Last updated: 30th Dec 2025
Originally published: 29th Dec 2025
After over a decade at the forefront of UK house, Hannah Wants is still finding new ways to evolve. This year has seen her tear through global club and festival sets - from Dubai’s Penthouse to Arcadia’s Dragonfly stage at Glastonbury - while balancing a packed release schedule and preparing for the launch of her next chapter as a label boss.
Her iconic single ‘Cure My Desire’, featuring Clementine Douglas, recently went silver in the UK, marking a milestone moment for an artist who’s spent years refining her sound and rediscovering her purpose. Now, with a new EP and plans for her upcoming imprint Counter Culture Music, she’s entering a fresh creative era built on authenticity, connection, and club energy.
Our chat with Hannah covers 'Cure My Desire', the power of honest storytelling in dance music, and why she’s stripping things back to the core of what makes it all feel good.”
Hello, Hannah! How are you doing, and where abouts are you calling from?
“I’m doing all right, thank you!
“We hit the gym this morning, did the food shop afterwards, sorted out Ivor [Hannah's Staffordshire Bull Terrier], made sure he’s had his plays, and now we’re working for the afternoon.
“I’m calling from near Birmingham, where I live at the moment, but I’m actually moving to Nottingham next week, so that’s a huge thing going on right now.
“You know, getting ready to move while touring, while working, and while being a single mum to Ivor. So yeah, haha, you could say a lot is going on at the moment.”
You’re not kidding, that sounds super busy! You mentioned touring there; you were recently out in Dubai doing the Penthouse gig. Is that as fun and extravagant as it sounds?
“I’ve been DJing in Dubai now for over 10 years, and I’d say the Penthouse is my favourite venue that I’ve DJ’d at there.
“It just feels the most clubby in Dubai, where the majority are beach clubs or brunches, which is my favourite kind of vibe to play. So, it just stands out as a venue, as it actually feels and sounds like a club.
“People are there to rave, it’s less about the VIP experience Dubai’s known for, and more about people coming to see you, for the music, which I’ve found is kind of rare in Dubai.
“The hospitality is next-level too; they look after me so well.”
Sounds wicked. It stands out as a fun kind of globe-trotting adventure. Are there any other cool spots you’ve loved playing this year that stand out for you?
“When you say ‘stand out’, the first thing that pops into my head is playing the Arcadia Dragonfly at Glastonbury this year. It was one of, if not my favourite, gigs of this year.
“I think they said something like 20-30 thousand people were there, and you’re up there in a literal dragonfly! When am I ever going to play inside a dragonfly again?
“Not only that, but it’s rotating while you play, the head moves, I think, 180 degrees - and I kept taking off my glasses just to take it all in. I think I cried during my set; just really emotional, beautiful career moment.”
While we’re on these career moments, your 2022 single ‘Cure My Desire’ recently went silver in the UK, getting you your first plaque. That must’ve felt pretty special too, not only because of how long you’ve been DJing and producing, but of how personal that song was to you.
“Amazing. I’ve been DJing since I was 16, and a professional DJ for, I’m going to say, 12-14 years, so to get my first ever plaque now, it means everything. Especially as it’s the first meaningful record that I ever put out.
“Before then, if I’m being truthful, I wasn’t authentically me. I was making music, maybe not for the wrong reasons, but it wasn’t coming from me; I wasn’t telling a story, I was trying to make tracks for a dancefloor.
“‘Cure My Desire’ was the first one that actually meant something more than just making people dance. It was legitimately from a specific moment and thing that happened in my life. It was telling a story.
“I’m still waiting for the plaque to come through. Apparently, they can take a few months, but it’s going straight up on the studio wall.”
“Before then, if I’m being truthful, I wasn’t authentically me… I wasn’t telling a story, I was trying to make tracks for a dancefloor.”
I bet it is! What was it like releasing a track born from real experiences, healing, and heartache, and having it connect with people like that?
“Since that record, I made a promise to myself to only put out tracks that give me goosebumps the way that record does.
“Prior to that, I’d felt the pressure - from the industry, from myself - to release and stay active, and I released music I genuinely wish I hadn’t because of that.
“After that record and the way it made me feel, I knew I was doing the right thing. I promised to never release a record unless it ticks the boxes - gives me goosebumps, has a meaning or a purpose.
“That’s not to say I won’t release EPs, I will, but I’ve got to love it.”
I also love how, despite the track being released in 2022, it is now that you are getting the plaque, and it’s still growing. I think that longevity says a lot about its depth and how much those emotions resonate.
“People are always going through heartbreak, and that simple fact means it resonates with so many people and will continue to resonate for the rest of time. Clementine’s vocal is 10/10. And when I play it, it takes me back to that specific moment, that heartbreak.
“I’ve had thousands of messages over the years, not even a joke, and not always about heartbreak. People have related it to losing family members; it’s helped soothe them. It’s a very healing record. People are going through heartbreak now, will go through it this year, next year, in 2035.
“For me, it’s a timeless record - a future classic. In a saturated market where not many records stand out, it’s one I’ll be forever proud of.”
Are there any tracks you turn to in emotional times - songs that heal you?
“100%. But it might surprise you… It’s not house music. Outside of playing and making, I actually listen to lots of different genres. R&B is one of my favourites, I’m a proper R&B girl.
“But if we’re talking about tracks that have healed me, given me that catharsis, then ‘Three Little Birds’ by Bob Marley - you know, 'every little thing’s gonna be alright’ - got me through my most recent heartbreak, not the ‘Cure My Desire’ one.
“I actually ended my Glastonbury set with it. Massive curveball and a massive risk, I know. But to have thousands of people sing those lyrics back to me… I swear I was crying. It was emotional as f**k.
“I’m in the top 1% of Cleo Sol’s listeners; that’s how much of a fan I am. I listen to some of her songs, and I just start crying. The power of her music and how healing it is - incredible. One of my favourites is ‘Know That You Are Loved’. The lyrics are just two sentences repeated: “Know that you are loved, even if you don’t love yourself,” throughout the whole song. Who does that? But it’s also just the production. I could listen to the instrumentals of all her songs. She’s so special and so connected.
“Another one would be AJ McQueen: 'Sit Yourself Down’. Another R&B artist. If those lyrics don’t speak and resonate with you… He’s speaking to everybody, and what’s going on right now. Very empowering.
“That’s what I listen to outside of house, and believe it or not, that inspires me in house music. I try to bring that empowerment and those messages onto the dancefloor.”
You also mentioned that your new Love Is A Wicked Game EP, one that’s more dancefloor driven, tell us about it.
“Yeah! I get so many people saying, ‘Hannah Wants doesn’t make bassline anymore,’ and it is a frustrating thing as an artist because I hate f**king being pigeonholed. And it’s something that I’ve fought against my entire career.
“So it can be frustrating, but this EP came out on the Italian label Moan, one I’ve wanted to release on for years, and it’s two bassline-driven tracks made for the dancefloor.
“Again, the lyrics are legit, like ‘Love Is A Wicked Game’, it’s basically saying that love is a wicked game, yet we still take the chance and play it right.
“So it’s perfectly toned for me and where I’m at now after my recent heartbreak and stuff. But they aren’t your emotive vocal house, they are straight line-driven tracks that are specifically aimed at the dancefloor.”
Love that. You mentioned there about wanting to stay diverse and not be pigeonholed - that really connects with what you’ve said about your label, Counter Culture Music. Tell me about that.
“It’s been bubbling in my mind for a while, but I’m a big believer in timing, and I don’t want to rush anything either; that’s why I’ve said 2026.
“I’m blessed that I live my dream and get to do what I do and achieve what I’ve achieved. However, this industry is fickle as f**k, and there are so many things wrong with it, in my opinion, perception being one of the biggest things.
“This is my theory, and I’d love to try it.
“I would love to send a record to a label under the name of somebody that might be hot right now - say John Summit, Dom Dolla, Michael Bibi - because I reckon people would instantly just say it’s sick.
“Music is subjective, so I’m just speaking from my perspective, but there are some records that, in my opinion, wouldn’t be doing so well or getting so many streams if it didn’t have that hyped name attached to it.
“There’s something fundamentally wrong with that, and it’s also just the way that the world works now with your TikToks and your virality, you know, your viral moments.
“I want my label to be anti-all of that. I’ll listen to demos anonymously, not knowing who sent them. It’s about the music, not the name. It’ll be a house music label, but one with no strict subgenre, if one track’s minimal and the next is vocal and emotional, fine.
“If I love it and I resonate with it, I’ll release it.”
“This industry is fickle as f**k, and there are so many things wrong with it in my opinion.”
Will this just be a label, or are you looking to throw parties too?
“We’ll definitely be hosting events. But they’re going to be stripped all the way back. Small cap[acity], no phones, vibes over profit, all about the music.
“It’s about connection, not clout. I’ll earn less, sure, but I don’t care. I want it to be for the right reasons. Which will hopefully result in people who resonate with me and what I do finding it.
“I’m just going to be 100% authentic myself in terms of what I play, what I release, and who I release, and the music that I release. And we’re going to find a beautiful little community because, I think, there are a lot of people who feel the same.
“Don’t get me wrong, I still go to incredible events that are a beautiful exchange of energy, and I come away on a high. But then other times, it’s just been all about the phones; nobody’s even dancing anymore. There’s just a disconnect, and I want to get away from it.”
I can imagine that you want to stretch that authenticity and passion to the music side as well, so it gets to a point where those people in the community see a Counter Culture release and know that it’s going to be their thing, because of the actual music, not because a certain artist has released on it.
“Exactly. I’m excited for it. It’ll also be a space to release my own music, too, without needing other people’s approval. I’ve had tracks nearly signed to big labels, but I know if my name were different, they’d have been picked up. That’s just how it is.
“Whack a mask on me, and I could play any big event - Defected, Solid Grooves, Elrow - and deliver a set that bangs, because I’ve got the experience and the catalogue. But some people still don’t see it.
“But the goal is to get to the point you mentioned of recognition. I know it’ll take time, but it’s a passion project. I love what Annie Mac’s doing with her Before Midnight parties. £10 tickets, no phones, all vibes. She’s doing it for the vibes, not the money, and I really respect that and want to throw some day parties as well.”
With that focus on not knowing an artist’s name before listening to the tune feels like a democratising force for underrated artists. Is there anyone at the moment you think is particularly underrated, maybe one you’d like to get on the label?
“That’s a really good question. You know who I think are undervalued? Havoc & Lawn.
“Brilliant producers, beautiful humans as well. To be fair, I haven’t seen them DJ live because, again, two different skill sets there. But, in terms of productions, again, if you’d have put a different name on them, [the songs] would have blown [up]. I have no doubt.
“They always send me their music, and I love them, and I’m hoping to collaborate with them next year. We’ve tried a few things so far, but it hasn’t been 10-10. So we’re still working on that.
“But there are so many up-and-coming artists who just need the platform. That’s why I did a DJ competition way back when, when I had my What Hannah Wants tour, just to try to give back. Fleur Shore was one of the winners, and look at her now. People need that first door opening, and it’s just amazing to be able to give back in that way.
“I’m not saying I won’t have named established artists on the label, because I will, but it just doesn’t matter. It’s the music that will do the talking, not the naming.”
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