Anané (@ananesworld) returns to Nervous Records with “It Looks Like Love,” a new single that also marks a key personal milestone in her catalog, as it is her first solo production to date. That alone gives the release real significance, but the track itself has plenty to carry it. Built around Afro-house rhythm, rich strings, guitar touches, silky synth work, and Anané’s own vocal performance, it lands in that space she has been refining for years through DJing, songwriting, and label work.
The result feels polished, warm, and grounded in groove without losing the sense of musicality that has always separated her work from the pack.
The release also comes with a strong remix package that broadens the record without losing its soul. Christian Mantini joins Anané for a deeper Warrior Dub, while Manda Moor and Sirus Hood bring a driving club version that still holds onto the original’s soul. Jamie 3:26 leans into a disco-informed direction with bass guitar detail and loose movement, and Wnoise pushes the record into a more spiritual Afro-house frame.
An instrumental version rounds out the package, making the whole release feel carefully built rather than padded out for its own sake.
That wider context is important because Anané has been building this lane for a long time. From Nulu Music and Nulu Electronic to ten years of Nulu Movement at Le Bain, she has kept a clear identity across DJ sets, releases, and curation, while continuing to connect Afro, house, soul, and live musical detail in a way that still feels distinct.
In this interview, she talks directly about principle, self-definition, discipline, and building your own spaces when the existing ones do not fit. That makes “It Looks Like Love” a strong focal point for the piece, because the record sounds like the product of that same mindset.
Interview With Anané
Have there been moments when you felt slightly out of step with the direction of the culture? How did you interpret that?
I’ve never felt out of step because I’ve never followed the steps.
I come from a time when this culture was built in real rooms… dark, underground clubs, no fancy lights, no algorithms. Things evolve, and they should. But I’ve always built my own lane. Through Nulu Music, Nulu Electronic, and 10 years of Nulu Movement at Le Bain, I’ve created spaces where the music stays raw, rooted, and free. No trends. No gimmicks. Just frequency and pure intention.
When a scene doesn’t fully align with your values, how do you decide how to engage?
I don’t force myself into spaces that don’t align with my values. I’ve learned that the moment you start compromising who you are, you lose the very thing that makes you unique. So I choose to stay where my heart is in full alignment, where I can show up fully, without dilution.
That’s exactly why I created my own spaces. Through Nulu, I don’t have to adjust to fit a scene; the scene meets me where I stand.
What practices help you stay connected to your work without compromising what matters to you?
For me, it starts with discipline, and the gym is where that’s reinforced every day.
It’s about showing up when it’s uncomfortable, tuning out the noise, and locking into yourself. The gym mirrors life; what you build there, mentally and physically, carries into everything. It sharpens my mindset, fuels my creativity, and keeps me grounded in who I am. So when it comes to my music, my family, my work, I move the same way. With discipline, with focus, and without compromise.
Have you ever made a choice to step back from an opportunity based on principle?
Yes, and I have.
Standing in my truth has cost me opportunities. One summer, during a 19-week residency in Ibiza, I noticed I wasn’t being tagged in promotions. When I asked why, I was told in a media meeting that my views were “too dangerous” for the club’s image and that I should tone things down. I didn’t. Because I’m not here to be palatable. I’m here to be real. If my truth makes you uncomfortable, then I’m not your artist, and that’s perfectly fine. I’ll lose the opportunity before I ever lose myself.
When existing pathways don’t feel aligned, how do you go about carving your own?
I built my own. Nulu Music in 2009. Nulu Electronic in 2012. Nulu Movement in 2016. I didn’t wait for the doors to open; I created the rooms.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
