DJ to some of Londonās most exclusive nights, a classically trained musician and long-time face of Sohoās legendary Black Market Records, Hilit Kolet is the need-to-know artist ready to take the world by storm. Tel Aviv born but a Londoner through-and-through, Hilit has now revealed her debut production āTechno Disco”Ā with house music institution Defected, a jacking, club-ready cut prepared to set dancefloors alight, from an artist who defies easy classification.
āI grew up in a classical music household, mum was a piano teacher and I learned piano & music theory at the local conservatory throughout my childhood. I discovered dance and electronic music when I was about 12, and I was just hooked. I started collecting records and went clubbing in Tel Aviv and also started working as a teenage radio DJ and music journalist.ā
Early musical training ignited Hilit Kolet’s love for electronic music
Hilit packed her bags and booked a one-way ticket to London to pursue what she calls āTHE DREAMā, the turning point in her journey as a selector. Kickstarting her career in the industry working for MTV and spending every moment possible soaking up the capitalās unique club culture, every experience added to her already encyclopedic knowledge of the culture. āI moved to London to continue exploring underground dance music and I started working for Black Market Records, the iconic record shop in Soho,” says Kolet. “Thatās when I also started DJing in clubs pretty organically. Having also managed a high-end recording studio at the same time, I picked up production and started messing about and making tunes for fun and āfor the drawer.”
Known for her hi-octane DJ sets, Hilitās musical wonderland seamlessly drifts between the extensive and diverse districts of house, techno, disco, and electronica. Securing shows at Londonās best venues Fabric, XOYO and Dalston Superstore, to name just a few, she also holds down high-profile residencies at memberās clubs Chiltern Firehouse and The Ned and is well versed in the UK and international festival circuits. While Hilit says London is where her heart will always remain, she has played regular shows in Berlin and toured cities across the globe.
She’s debuting her solo project that features a vocal performance from singer/songwriter Kay Elizabeth, who she met while performing together as samba dancers at Notting Hill Carnival. āTechno Discoā marks the next phase of Hilit Koletās illustrious, diverse career.
āLike many others, Covid-19 shook my world in a big way and pushed me into deciding itās time for me to take the next step. Iām so happy to finally start sharing what Iāve been working on, to continue exploring and developing my sound, and to collaborate with other musicians. There are so many things I want to do; I think DJing for so long gave me a good basis for producing my own music as well as remixing others; which is something Iām keen to do as well.
Iām also back playing real instruments, I finally bought a piano before lockdown and I’m also learning to drum. Progress excites me, so this is a very exciting time in my life.ā
Hilit Kolet keeps her eyes on the horizon.
