Quilla

ABOUT QUILLA

Quilla — the moniker of Montreal-born Anna Luisa Daigneault— is an electronic music producer, vocalist, songwriter, DJ and educator. She is known for her songwriting, piano riffs, hypnotizing beats, and vocal loop compositions, as well as for teaching music production workshops. Her music is inspired by her Peruvian and French Canadian heritage, as well as a wide range of cultural influences including rave music, folk music, vocal traditions from around the world, and her studies in anthropology and linguistics. She was a featured vocalist on hit dance tracks released by Universal, Revealed Recordings, Armada, Vicious, and Ministry of Sound. She currently composes theme songs and scores for podcasts and films, and frequently collaborates with other artists. Her full list of collaborations are described here. 

BACKGROUND
Quilla’s first indie pop album Beautiful Hybrid (Ritual Fire Records, 2014) contained a range of musical influences and styles. It was met with critical acclaim and was featured on the iTunes US ‘Ahead of the Curve’ section. A series of limited-edition Beautiful Hybrid Remix Project vinyls were released by electronic label Visionquest and garnered interest in the international dance and techno music community.

As a featured vocalist, Quilla has penned and released dance hits with over a dozen producers on the world’s top dance labels, including Revealed Recordings, Armada Music, Vicious Recordings, Ministry of Sound, Visionquest Music, Neon Records, and Musical Freedom.

Quilla wrote and performed the lyrics for “Close To Me” by Tiësto, Sultan + Ned Shepard which appeared on Tiësto’s hit album, A Town Called Paradise (Universal Music, 2014). The song was the follow-up to the international radio hit “Walls” by Sultan + Ned Shepard (feat. Quilla), which appeared on Tiësto’s compilation Club Life: Volume 2 (2012) and was later re-released by his label AFTR:HRS as “Walls (Deeper Shades Mix)” in 2017.

Other celebrated EDM tracks written and sung by Quilla include “Universe” by Australian duo Feenixpawl, as well as “Secret” which became a classic track for Argentinian trance duo Heatbeat and appeared on their hugely successful album Global Monster. The song was regularly featured on Armin van Buuren’s radio show, A State of Trance. She also penned the lyrics for the dance anthem “Unless We Forget” by German duo Jewelz & Sparks, which rose to #4 on Beatport’s Progressive House Chart in 2014.

In 2016, Quilla shifted away from being an EDM vocalist and learned music production skills, in an effort to become her own producer and diversify her skillset. She began producing electronic material that is influenced by house music, downtempo pop, folk and world music. She produced the folktronica anthem “Wild and Kind” in collaboration with Americana artist Molly McGinn, and the duo toured cities in North Carolina promoting the track.

Quilla’s second electronic indie pop album “You Got It” was released in 2017 on Ritual Fire Records, and received positive reviews. She became a mother that year, which shaped her creativity in new, visceral ways, constraining her time but also stirring her heartstrings and curiosity to keep making music. In 2018, she produced Johanna Breed’s debut future-soul album, Is It Too Late? which was also released on Quilla’s label.

Quilla released her third album The Handbook of Vivid Moments in 2021, with the support of two grants from the North Carolina Arts Council. She wrote the musical score for WUNC’s Embodied radio show and podcast, an award-winning series about sex, health and taboos. In 2021, she wrote the theme and score for WUNC’s Creep podcast, a fascinating and innovative show about invasive species and the environment.

In 2023, she wrote, produced and directed a musical entitled ANCESTRAL. Later that year, she formed an electronic folk trio named The Queen Bees, whose debut performance was at the North Carolina Folk Festival. She also wrote the theme song for WUNC’s daily news show, Due South. Quilla is currently writing the score for a PBS documentary entitled “The Motherlode” (directed by Jennida Chase) which is about motherhood and the arts.

DJ SETS
Quilla’s DJ sets are an innovative blend of bangers, worldbeat music and traditional folk songs from around the world. As an electronic music producer and anthropologist, Quilla loves to weave together music from North and South America, Africa and South Asia, creating a unique global party vibe.

SELECTED MUSICAL PERFORMANCES (2020-2024)

• 2024. Featured performer at GreenHill Gallery, Greensboro, NC.
• 2024. Featured performer and DJ at Confessed Variety Show (an event organized by WUNC’s Embodied Radio Show), Motorco Music Hall in Durham, NC.
• 2024. Featured DJ at Sunday Rhythms Social Club. Greensboro NC.
• 2023. Writer and director of ANCESTRAL: A Musical, at the Stephen D. Hyers Theater in Greensboro, NC (funded by NC Arts Council).
• 2023. Featured DJ (with duo Mothers of Chaos) at the Greensboro Children’s Museum.
• 2022. Quilla was a featured performer at the Women’s History Month event organized by North Carolina African Services Coalition at the Greensboro Historical Museum.
• 2021. DJ and Curator of music and dance performances at Elsewhere’s Annual Extravaganza in downtown Greensboro, NC.
• 2021. Quilla headlined at Fun Fourth in Downtown Greensboro.
• 2021. Headliner at “Sunset Series” – Center City Park, Greensboro.
• 2020. Quilla & Molly McGinn: “Ghostlight Series Concert” at The Carolina Theatre. Greensboro, NC.
• 2020. SoFar Sounds Greensboro “City Exchange” with Sofar Sounds Tel Aviv. Online.
• 2020. Siembra NC’s “Sábado Gigante” Telethon to Benefit Undocumented Migrant Families. Online.
  

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

• 2021. Songwriting Workshop Facilitator, PEN America Piedmont Chapter’s “Prompt Party” at Scuppernong Books, Greensboro, NC.
• 2021. Guest speaker, Youth Leadership Conference, NCCJ of the Piedmont Triad. Greensboro, NC.
• 2021. Guest moderator, “Thirty-Two Words for Field.” Irish Arts Center, New York, NY (Online).
• 2020. Featured writer, “Dear 2020.” The Ink Project & PEN America Piedmont Region (Online).
• 2020. Panelist, “Writers Read.” Scuppernong Books & PEN America Piedmont Region. Greensboro, NC.
• 2020. Featured artist, “Pathways: Art & Technology // Digital Exploration & Empowerment.” International Contemporary Ensemble, Bespoken. New York, NY (Online).
• 2020. Featured artist, “Bit Rosie Presents: Quilla In The Studio.” New York, NY (Online).   
• 2019. Featured musical performer, “Muse: The Arts Show” on UNC-TV. Chapel-Hill, NC.
  
• 2018-2019. Guest lecturer, “Music Entrepreneurship.” University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Read more about Quilla on Wikipedia. 

With Peruvian and French Canadian roots, Quilla draws from many musical genres and vocal traditions to create multi-faceted works. Fresh and empowering, her music feels dreamlike while also being uplifting. Quilla is known for her poetic lyrics, vocal loop compositions and hypnotizing beats. She explores a palette of moods ranging from silly and absurdist to sacred and profound. Her latest projects include the use of bioacoustic sounds. Short nature-inspired loops made in collaboration with visual artists such as Hoot Alex and Liz Clayton-Fuller and can be found on her Instagram page. 

Quilla’s top tracks on Spotify:

Quilla – Around Town Sessions (2021)

Quilla – “Beautiful Hybrid” (2014)

Quilla’s dance music collaborations on Soundcloud: