Q&A: HAIVE’s Journey Through the Shadows of Pop From Trauma to Techno
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY DANIELLE HOLIAN ☆
USING HER SONGWRITING AS A THERAPEUTIC OUTLET – HAIVE is an emerging singer-songwriter hailing from Switzerland’s underground electronic scene. Now based in Germany as a student at Popakademie Baden-Württemberg, Haive has built a creative identity rooted in emotional honesty and sonic precision.
Her brand of “dark pop” isn’t about chasing shadows for aesthetics’ sake, it’s instead about confronting them, dissecting them and transforming them into art that breathes catharsis. It’s a sound that doesn’t just fill a room but reshapes it, bending atmosphere into emotion.
Her music balances delicate vulnerability with industrial strength, a collision of ethereal melodies and grinding bass textures that feel as personal as they are cinematic. It’s a fusion that owes as much to the introspective intensity of artists like Billie Eilish as it does to the visceral sound design of producers like Skrillex and Rezz, a space where pop’s emotional immediacy meets electronic music’s raw physicality.
But what truly sets HAIVE apart is her refusal to separate art from emotion. When she talks about her sound, she doesn’t describe it in terms of genre or production trends; she speaks in the language of release. For her, music isn’t a stylistic decision; it’s an act of survival. Nowhere is that more evident than in her haunting single “Bathtub,” a track that began as a private act of therapy and evolved into one of her most striking artistic statements. Originally conceived as a ballad about surviving abuse, the song transforms midway into a heavy, techno-infused finale, the sound of pain transmuting into power. It’s intimate and explosive, sorrowful and defiant all at once.
HAIVE’s technical fluency gives her the freedom to follow that instinct wherever it leads. Having trained in Audio Engineering and Electronic Music Production, she builds her tracks from the ground up, sculpting every sub-bass wave and vocal layer herself. Her home studio isn’t just a workspace, it’s a sanctuary, a laboratory of feeling. And yet, even within that fierce independence, there’s a curiosity that HAIVE hopes to awaken in her listeners. Her goal isn’t just to entertain, but to provoke, to make people listen differently.
Whether she’s channeling trauma into basslines or layering whispers over walls of sound, HAIVE is crafting something far deeper than dark pop. She’s building a sonic language of reclamation. It’s music that doesn’t shy away from the dark but finds beauty within it.
Continue reading below to find out more about HAIVE, her musical artistry and more.
LUNA: You’ve been described as a “dark pop visionary.” How do you personally define dark pop, and what draws you to its emotional and sonic palette?
HAIVE: For me, this kind of music creates a space for emotions that we sometimes don’t want to carry into our everyday lives. When I hear bass-heavy music, it evokes adrenaline and anger inside of me — it’s like a coping mechanism that helps me become aware of those feelings and eventually let them go. I think what defines it for me isn’t a certain “spooky vibe” or scary lyrics; it’s about feeling this urge to crush something.
LUNA: “Bathtub” feels both intimate and cinematic. Can you walk us through the emotional and technical process of bringing that song to life?
HAIVE: Originally, “Bathtub” wasn’t supposed to be released. I wrote it as a coping strategy — for therapeutic reasons. The song deals with the topic of abuse and was meant only for myself. It started out as a ballad, but while processing everything, I got angry about having had to experience all of this, and I felt the urge to visualize that emotion. So I brought that anger into the track, since it was part of the healing journey. It’s the finale of the song, expressed through a heavy techno section.
LUNA: The song touches on trauma, anger and healing. How do you navigate the balance between vulnerability and artistic control when writing about such personal experiences?
HAIVE: I really have to get into the vibe. When producing and writing something personal, I’ve learned that I need my own space for it. I couldn’t let another producer or songwriter enter that space. While working on the song, I cried a lot — and as soon as I got it out, I went straight to my DAW and poured all those feelings into the production. I don’t think I needed any artistic control over it; I just let creativity happen, held onto it, and cherished what came out of it.
LUNA: Your production work shows an incredible level of detail, from sub-bass design to vocal layering. How do you approach building the sonic architecture of a track?
HAIVE: It really depends on the song. Sometimes I start with a gritty Serum bass patch in my DAW, other times with a topline or piano chords. I have a studio setup in my apartment, so if inspiration hits, I can record immediately. It’s definitely an advantage being both the producer and the songwriter — it gives me full creative control from start to finish. My favorite part, though, is the detailing. It’s like drawing the final delicate lines to complete a rich and intricate picture. “Ear candy” somehow tingles a nerve inside me — it makes music fascinating to me, and it requires a curious ear.
LUNA: Having trained in Audio Engineering & Electronic Music Production in Switzerland, what did that academic background add to your creative freedom?
HAIVE: First of all, it helped me break free from technical restraints. Being able to handle a DAW opens up so many possibilities for an artist. It also allowed me to be independent when I felt the urge to make music. I know many singer-songwriters who are constrained by having to rely on producers to build a foundation for their ideas. If inspiration hits, I can immediately capture that thought. That’s very precious to me.
LUNA: You’re now studying at Popakademie Baden-Württemberg. How has that environment shaped your perspective on artistry and the music industry?
HAIVE: In the first semester we learned a lot about promotion, artist identity, and so on. Being new to the industry can be scary — suddenly your art becomes something with value, something that can be traded. The industry teaches you “fast fashion music.” But especially in times of AI, you have to find your own signature sound to stand out. I think I’ve learned more about myself than about the industry, though. How do I want to represent myself? What do people see when I step on stage? What do I want them to see? Before even stepping out into the industry, you have to be able to answer those questions — and that’s what this university is helping us do.
LUNA: You’ve mentioned influences like Skrillex, Rezz and Billie Eilish, artists who each embody a strong sonic identity. How have they inspired your approach to sound and storytelling?
HAIVE: I’ve been listening to bass music since I was 15. Skrillex and Rezz were some of my earliest inspirations — their sound design and that “badass,” in-your-face bass energy really hit the spot for me. As for Billie Eilish, I’m a huge fan of her art in general — not just because of her voice and its many colors, but because her productions are some of the most creative in pop today.
LUNA: “Bathtub” tackles themes of sexual abuse and self-reclamation. What conversations do you hope your music sparks around trauma and recovery?
HAIVE: I hope it encourages those who have experienced trauma to confront it. I believe healing can only happen once you become aware of your trauma and accept it. I don’t want to point fingers — I want people to tell their own stories.
LUNA: You’ve built a strong sense of sonic identity early in your career. How do you protect that vision as you collaborate with others or navigate industry pressures?
HAIVE: I don’t make compromises when it comes to my sound. I have to be 100% content with the art. I do work with mastering engineers who help me finish tracks, yes — but I always have to be the final instance. My art is the most precious thing I own, because it is me. If people try to persuade me to do something I don’t believe in, I’d be betraying myself — and that’s what I try to avoid.
LUNA: What’s been the most transformative moment in your journey as HAIVE so far?
HAIVE: Preparing our debut show as the opening act for Snow Patrol. We won a talent contest and went from playing small university shows to performing on an 18-meter stage in front of thousands of people. My band and I worked really hard to make that performance as representative as possible, and it shaped the vision of the project faster than I could have imagined.
LUNA: Finally, if a listener were to take one feeling away from your music, what would you want it to be, and why?
HAIVE: Curiosity. I want people to be interested in my music — not just entertained. I want them to listen and think, “I wonder how she made that sound.” My audience shouldn’t be listeners who treat music as background noise.
