Poni isn’t interested in taking the easy route. The Vancouver-born, Denver-based producer is carving her own lane in the electronic music world, blending shadowy themes with pulse-quickening beats to create something that feels intimate yet massive. Her latest EP, Hellscape, drags listeners deep into the recesses of the human psyche, unearthing the beauty and terror lurking within.
Over the course of four tracks, Hellscape delivers a visceral experience that refuses to conform to any one formula. There’s the brooding intensity of Leave You in the Dark, a slow-burner layered with tension, and the frenetic Leeches, which bursts to life like an electric shock. Each track stands alone, yet together they create an unexpectedly cohesive narrative—one born out of chaos and tied together by Poni’s unrelenting creative vision.
What’s striking about Hellscape is how it came together. “I never actually pictured them being together on an EP,” Poni admits. In fact, the songs were created in separate moments, each with its distinct energy. The glue? A last-minute decision to craft a demon character responsible for the misfortunes each song explores—an idea she brought to life with haunting visuals that feel ripped straight from a fever dream.
For Poni, Hellscape is a full-fledged world. Every visual element, from the social media clips to the makeup and costumes, is meticulously designed to deepen the story. “The visual aspect and story behind the music is really important to me,” she says. “I always want to create something really intriguing.”
The EP also doubles as a celebration of female artistry in a male-dominated scene. With contributions from vocalists Satin Puppets and Notelle, Hellscape is a reminder that women in electronic music are no longer just guests at the table—they’re reshaping the genre from the inside out.
Yet, for all its triumphs, Poni doesn’t shy away from discussing the grind behind the glamour. Balancing her music career with a demanding day job is no easy feat, and she’s the first to admit that producing original tracks takes time—especially when she’s handling vocals herself. Her honesty about the challenges of content creation, budgeting, and staying consistent in a crowded field is a refreshing counterpoint to the industry’s polished façade.
“I think women are feeling more empowered than ever,” Poni says, reflecting on her place in the EDM scene. And while she’s quick to highlight progress—like seeing more female artists headlining festivals—she’s not content to rest on those wins. For her, the focus is always on the next project, the next sound, the next evolution of her artistry.
As for Hellscape, it’s more than a milestone—it’s a declaration of intent. Dark, intricate, and undeniably bold, it’s the work of an artist unafraid to wade into the depths and return with something extraordinary.
SheBOPS: Hellscape feels like a deep dive into the darker parts of the human psyche. What’s been your personal journey behind the music of this EP?
Poni: Leave You In The Dark and Conceptual Reality were a long time in the making. Leeches came together super quick. Sometimes it’s just like that. All of these songs were made completely separate in their own spaces, time and unique way. I never actually pictured them being together on an EP. I did however picture them all with Hypnovizion and was so excited when they responded so quickly saying they wanted to sign them all as an EP! Although I panicked a bit because I was like “how am I going to tie them all together in one body of work??” and had to get Hypno an idea in a week haha.
The visual aspect and story behind the music is really important to me and I have a lot of fun doing it, so I always want to create something really intriguing. I ended up tying them together by noticing each song told the story of an unfortunate event. I came up with the idea of creating a character or demon of some kind that was the reason each of these unfortunate circumstances were happening, which I ended up turning myself into (watch the social clips we made for each song and you’ll see the look I created to play the part). It’s kind of amazing how that idea just came together and flowed, like they really were meant to be together, even if I hadn’t realized it at first.
It’s always fascinating when an artist can translate their inner turmoil or darkest thoughts into music. What was the most challenging part of creating the Hellscape EP?
Honestly just finishing the songs haha. I’m pretty slow at producing compared to a lot of artists. Mostly because I work a pretty demanding full-time job which leaves me pretty brain dead at the end of the day. Then when you factor in everything outside of work, it’s often hard to throw music in the mix, as much as I want to spend every day working on it. So, it’s definitely challenging to consistently put music out sometimes, especially in the current landscape when it’s kind of required, particularly for a smaller growing artist like myself. But I’m doing my best and hope to switch gears soon.
The other challenging part was just getting all the content together. I feel like no matter how far in advance you start to plan, it’s always a mad dash at the end. And because I like to go above and beyond with the visual side, it’s always a lot of work… and expensive lol.
You’ve remixed massive artists like Kayzo, REAPER, and Krewella. What’s it like shifting from remixing to creating your own original work, especially with a vocal debut on ‘Conceptual Reality’?
Originals are a lot harder and take a lot more time for sure haha. Especially since I’m slow at making music like I mentioned above. But I love how much more creative freedom there is with original music. It really feels like I get to express myself a lot more and that these songs I get to build from the ground up, especially when I do my own vocals, are truly an extension of myself.
It’s actually not my vocal debut! I sang on Theta. But it’s definitely my first song where the vocals are more of a focus. It’s nerve-racking, especially because I think I have a long way to go vocal-wise and don’t quite sound how I want to yet. But I’m happy with how Conceptual Reality turned out. I think the more soft, ethereal vocal style fits the vibeyness of the song.
The EP is female-led, featuring other incredible artists like Satin Puppets and Notelle. How do you approach collaboration while still staying true to your vision?
One of my favourite things about this EP is that it’s completely female-made! Proud of all the badass ladies behind this project, everyone killed it. I think when collaborating, you have to learn to let go a bit and give the others room to express their own unique creativity. Giving up total control is something I’ve honestly struggled with a bit, just because you get so used to doing things a certain way with your own music, I’m sure other producers can relate. But it gives room to create all kinds of new things and it’s always so fun to see everyone’s ideas come together and you get some really cool and interesting results that you never would’ve seen otherwise. It’s kind of freeing to put that trust in others.
The electronic music scene often feels male-dominated. Do you feel like your experience in the industry has been different from your male counterparts?
It’s hard to say. I haven’t actively noticed being held back because I’m a female nor do I feel like I’ve experienced any privileges. I think I’m experiencing the same challenges anyone would face trying to break into a creative market. I think each individual has their own unique experiences and we all face a lot of challenges, whether you’re a male or female. In general, the producer/DJ space has always skewed far more male, hence it being a more male-dominated industry. But with more women entering the industry, there’s been a noticeable shift.
I think women struggle because there’s just never been as many female producers so it can be hard to break into an industry that has had far more male producers that have been around for a lot longer. But there’s so many insanely talented female producers out there now, the gap is closing for sure. On the flip side, because it’s been such a male-dominated industry, I think it’s harder for men trying to break into the industry and stand out because it’s so saturated. At least I see those as being possibilities…
In a genre where DJs often have more visibility, do you feel like female producers are still fighting for recognition, or has there been progress in the way the industry views women behind the decks?
Compared to when I started going to shows about 10 years ago, I think there are noticeably so many more female producers and DJs. I do really think it’s because there are just far more women entering the producer/DJ space than there used to be and with the spotlight being shone more on us in recent years, we’re definitely getting more recognition.
How do you see the role of women evolving in electronic scenes—do you feel like there’s a shift happening in how women are perceived or supported?
Yea absolutely. Some of the biggest artists in the EDM space right now are women like Alison Wonderland, Rezz and Jessica Audiffred. I feel like you didn’t really see that 15 years ago. It’s cool to see the evolution of women in EDM.
Do you feel like women in music are now more empowered to take control of their careers, from production to branding, or do you think there’s still a lot of barriers left to break down?
I think women are feeling more empowered than ever for sure. With all of the support in recent years and the overall push to see more women in lineups, I think a lot of women are gaining the confidence to pursue a career in a male-dominated industry. I can’t really speak for others, but I love being in full control of my project, from start to finish. Sometimes I feel like I’m being a little overbearing or like I’m micromanaging, but it’s because I care… I promise haha.
What advice would you give to young women who are starting to produce their own music but are unsure of their place in a world that’s often seen as a “boys’ club”?
I would say don’t think about anything except you and your music. Don’t even give a single thought to all of the outside noise like people telling you who you should be or that you can’t do something because you’re a woman or that you’re getting more because you’re a woman. Focus on what’s important and what you can control. Work hard and be passionate and stay true to yourself.
What’s next after Hellscape? Can we expect more collaborations, or are you planning to explore different sounds in your upcoming projects?
Absolutely. I’m already working on countless other projects and collaborations. I’m really pushing to have my biggest year in 2025, music and show-wise. Sometimes working with other people can be a bit slow due to people being busy or having to focus on other projects, etc. so I’m making sure to also dedicate time to solo projects to keep the momentum going. I’m always exploring different genres and sounds. I knew from the beginning I never wanted to stick to the confines of any one genre. I like just making whatever I want and whatever flows easily. Keeps it interesting for both me and the listener! You never know what you’re going to get with me. 😉
Hellscape by Poni is out now.