Francesca Lombardo explores vulnerability and new music directions

Francesca Lombardo has carved a distinct path in electronic music through emotive storytelling, hypnotic rhythms, and melodic depth. A globally touring DJ and live performer, she has appeared at IMS Dalt Vila, Burning Man, Tomorrowland, Get Lost, Resistance, Circoloco, and even The Royal Albert Hall.

Photo credit: Francesca Lombardo – Facebook

Alongside her performances, she has built a strong catalogue on Crosstown Rebels, Mobilee, Leftroom, Poker Flat, and Bedrock, while nurturing her own Echoe and Echolette imprints.

Her 2019 debut album ‘Life Of Leaf’ marked a turning point, revealing a more personal songwriting dimension. In recent years, she has also launched the ‘Life of Releaf’ campaign, an initiative encouraging the music industry to support global reforestation, further expanding her artistic voice beyond the dancefloor.

Now, following the release of ‘WANNA DANCE (The Remixes)’, Lombardo reflects on creative freedom, curating an expansive remix project, and embracing musical ideas that challenge expectations.

In this conversation, Francesca Lombardo opens up about artistic risk, label plans, and the desire to follow inspiration without constraints.

EG: Hi Francesca, welcome to EG! First of all, congratulations on the release of ‘WANNA DANCE (The Remixes)’! How are you feeling about this one? What has the initial reception been like so far?

Francesca Lombardo: Thank you! This project was born and created because a few of my producer friends started to sending me remixes. Since the original EP’s release included an a cappella, the idea came exactly from there! So I decided to do a competition, and a lot of great remixes came back across different styles of music. People have loved the remixes as it’s a compilation of great music from different styles, so there’s something for everyone in there.

EG: So, what can listeners expect to find on this remix package for ‘WANNA DANCE’, musically speaking? In your view, what was it about the original that could be reinterpreted in so many different ways?

Francesca Lombardo: The point was to give artists full freedom in the musical style and just use the voice to make the remix. It was meant to be a compilation of different styles. The voice is very catchy, so I knew it would work in any type of electronic music or genre.

EG: This is a rather expansive remix package. What was its curation like? Why did you decide to also open it up to a remix challenge? What was that process like?

Francesca Lombardo: As I said, it came naturally as a lot of people started to remix my acapella voice, which was available to download as part of the original EP. So it had to be done. It has been quite challenging to work on such a big project with so many different names. At first, I got about 40 remixes back, and it was hard for me to choose the ones I loved the most. So many were great, but I couldn’t release all of them. It took me about two months to make up my mind and choose the ones I was going to release. I chose nine in total, and then organizing them into three single releases was also a challenge. However, I am very happy with the result and the way it turned out!

“I believe as artists, we should always follow our inspirations coming from above without constraints”

EG: What do you usually look for when listening back to a remix of a track of yours for the first time? What is that experience usually like for you?

Francesca Lombardo: I am very versatile. I like so many styles and genres in electronic music, and beyond that, I just need to love it at first listen.

EG: In a way, the drop of this remix package marked the transition from 2025 to 2026 for Echolette. What’s in store for the label in the coming months? Is there anything you can anticipate on that front?

Francesca Lombardo: Yes, we have so many releases planned, and I am super excited about them! I don’t want to name them yet, but they will start coming out around March. Also, we are going to start releasing on Echoe again, which is our brother/sister label that has been dormant for a few years.

EG: Not too long ago, you shared a heartfelt post on Instagram referencing how hard it is sometimes to share with the public things or acts of creation that come from deep within, such as singing when you were younger. What “constraints” would you like to break free from in the future? What would you like to do more of?

Francesca Lombardo: I would love to do what I like to do. Sometimes I get melodies coming to me, but they are so far away from what people would expect from me. A lot of movie soundtrack music rather than dance music. Sometimes I get a very oldish melody in my head, I keep singing it as days pass, and it keeps coming back to me. Now I can sing them to my son, but then I ask myself why this melody keeps coming back to me, and I won’t forget it… Maybe I should do something with it. I believe as artists, we should always follow our inspirations coming from above without constraints, and I have so many songs – some with vocals – that I have always been scared of sharing with my fans. However, I am now working on doing that, even if it goes against my sound and what other people would expect me to release.

EG: Now, given your experience in our scene, what are some of the biggest challenges artists will face in the near future? Is there any piece of advice you have for your colleagues in that sense?

Francesca Lombardo: I guess the biggest challenge is not coming from a place of underground music, and also not knowing where to go. The motive behind becoming a DJ must be harder and more business-oriented when there is not much raving culture behind those first influences. I believe that it must be hard to do, especially if it doesn’t align with the right sound, but rather becomes a commercially created sound and identity.

“I have so many songs – some with vocals – that I have always been scared of sharing with my fans. However, I am now working on doing that, even if it goes against my sound and what other people would expect me to release”

EG: What’s next for Francesca Lombardo? What milestones are you looking forward to now? Where can your fans catch you next?

Francesca Lombardo: I am playing at Refuge this weekend in NY, and I am very excited. After playing there for Halloween, it has become one of my favourite places to play – a warehouse with big windows, bricks, high ceilings and a great sound. I also have a couple of releases planned for the year, and my own party ECHOTECA with a residency in Paris at La Demesure, where I will merge the event with my radio show, bringing some of my favourite artists to play!