While you were still recovering from a NYE filled with booze and bad choices, Gina Turner kicked off her 2012 by spinning music at sunrise and teaching househeads asanas on the decks of Holy Ship!!.
Catchy moniker aside, Turner is one of the bigger female names in popular electronic music. Upcoming, she has a collaboration with John Roman that she says she's "really excited about," another with Yolanda Be Cool, and a Nouveau Yorican track release party in February. The New-York-to-Boston-to-L.A. DJ and former radio personality was wrapping up a four-week tour in Australia when we spoke with her about her recent wedding to Laidback Luke, this year's Holy Ship!!, and yoga with Diplo in Sydney.
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New Times: Any war stories from the road?
Gina Turner: [laughs] Nothing spectacular, but I was here with a lot of fellow Holy Shippers! And I did manage to schedule a yoga session with Diplo and the Major Lazer crew, as my tour coincided with Stereosonic, and HARD hosted a stage.
Was it an invite-only yoga session or with fans, like on Holy Ship!!?
No, it was just the three of us attending a yoga session taught in Sydney, but we did get recognized in the elevator. And we joked that the random people in the elevator won a contest: "Yoga with Gina Turner and Diplo Contest." The people in the elevator laughed.
They can look, but they can't yoga with ya. How was Stereosonic? Did you attend?
Yes, I attended one Stereosonic event in Brisbane; because of my hectic club tour schedule, that was the only one I was able to go to. But I did attend the afterparties with Brodinski and Gesaffelstein, and that made me excited for Holy Ship!!
Are you doing yoga again on Holy Ship!! this year?
Yes, in fact, I am teaching two sessions, one on the boat on the Saturday afternoon, and one on the private island.
Who came up with the idea originally? Did they ask you?
Well, last year, I saw that they offered fitness classes on the boat, so I asked the HARD team, since I am a yoga instructor, if I could teach one myself. They were happy that I wanted to. And I even had over 55 people attending last year, so we decided to add a second day of yoga this year.
Would you say you're a yoga instructor first or a musician first? And is it harder to teach yoga on a boat?
[laughs] I am definitely a musician first. Yoga just keeps me grounded and centered and in shape, of course, while on the road. I got certified last year, and it was amazing. And no, yoga keeps you balanced, so I would even say it helps with sea sickness. But holding a headstand could be trickier due to the slight swaying. But still it was fine!
You just got married recently [to DJ Laidback Luke], and you're working on the project Nouveau Yorican with your husband. Has anything changed since the actual wedding?
Aww, yes! Laidback Luke and I got married. It's very nice; it was a great day. We had house legend Derrick Carter DJ the wedding. We are working on our Nouveau Yorican project and plan to release the next single on my own label, Turn It Records. What has changed since the wedding? We both have had crazy busy schedules and no time to really relax other than the honeymoon.
So he didn't play any "We Are Family" at the reception?
No, he didn't! My mom loves that song, so that would have gone over well.
What are you most excited about going on Holy Ship!!?
I'm most excited to DJ my "sunrise set" from 4 to 6 a.m. on Saturday morning. It was my favorite night of last year, and of course I am excited for yoga!
What's your favorite yoga position? Do you have a yoga setlist or anything, for the boat or otherwise?
Yes, my favorite yoga poses would be "bird of paradise" or headstand... And yes, my yoga playlist is unconventional and really fun.
Would you ever release the yoga playlist? Maybe on your label? Would that just be too much?
Aw, well, these songs are other peoples' songs, so I would not be able to release them, but I could share them in the sessions.
What are you listening to these days? Any suggestions for us?
When I am not making music or DJ-ing, I tend to listen to Drake or the Sirius XM Chill station. I love both of those! But in terms of DJ'ing, I am playing a lot of my original productions and collabs.
What's your favorite Drake song?
My favorite Drake song? That's hard to choose, but, for YOLO purposes, I'll have to say, "The Motto."
Holy Ship!! is at sea from January 4 to 7, with Justice, Boys Noize, Diplo, Busy P, A-Trak, and others.
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