Lebanese/British record label founder, radio personality, and DJ/producer Nicole Moudaber was a promoter before attempting to hit the decks.
"When I decide to go into the studio, I never had envisaged of becoming a DJ," she said. "I just wanted to make music and feel good. But when Carl Cox started playing my music, and consequently I won awards and many nominations for my productions mainly, I decided to take this path and fully invest myself in it. And here we are."
Moudaber says that her music isn't about fitting into one genre. "It’s about rhythm, energy, and emotion," she says. "I’m known for techno, but it has to have soul. It needs groove. I feed off the crowd—so I might plan for a deep, driving techno set, but if the energy shifts, I’ll pivot. Maybe I’ll bring in more tech house, something warmer. I’m not rigid with labels. As a producer, I channel that same mindset through MOOD Records, which is home to my techno roots, and now I’m launching MoodCollective—a new imprint for house and tech-house explorations."
More on MoodCollective. "MoodCollective has been on my mind for a while," she says. "I’ve always had a deep love for everything from disco and funk to house and soul—and I wanted a space to explore that creatively, without compromising the identity of MOOD. This isn’t me stepping away from techno; it’s about expanding the canvas. MoodCollective is a new playground—both for me and for a new wave of artists I’m excited to collaborate with."
As for gear: "Ableton live / Traktor pro / allen & heath Xone controllers and Ableton Push controller. A semi hybrid set up that allows me to remix records on the fly, create unique sounds that can never be replicated even if if tried. The creativity is endless."
Looking ahead, Moudaber has plenty planned for the second half of 2025.
"It’s a big year. I just released my debut on A State of Trance—which is a landmark moment for me," she says. "The launch of MoodCollective is another huge step, and I’ve got some massive shows coming up this summer. There's a lot more music on the way, including some major collaborations that I can’t wait to share. It’s wild to be at this point in my career and feel like things are just getting started."
