[INTERVIEW] ONARA Breaks Down 'SHARPSHOOTER,' Riddim Precision & His Rapid Rise

Riddim has always been a space where precision meets chaos, and few rising artists are navigating that balance as effectively as ONARA.

With a sound rooted in tight sequencing, aggressive low-end, and functional design for the dancefloor, his recent output has steadily positioned him among the genre’s most promising names.

Following the release of “SHARPSHOOTER,” a track built for peak-time impact and late-night sets, ONARA continues to refine his approach while expanding his presence across global stages.

From viral live moments to high-profile collaborations and upcoming festival appearances, the project is entering a defining stretch.

In this conversation, ONARA breaks down the making of “SHARPSHOOTER,” his approach to sound design and set construction, and how he views the current evolution of riddim.

Check out our exclusive interview with ONARA below.

iEDM: “SHARPSHOOTER” feels very intentional in its pacing and structure. What was the starting point for the track, and how did it evolve from idea to final version?

ONARA: The song actually started out as a dedicated opener tune for my Northern Invasion 2025 set. I knew I wanted a high-energy set intro with a catchy and big fakeout drop to set the tone.

With that idea in mind, I drew some inspiration from older songs of mine and experimented with some bass design until I landed on a cool idea that I liked.

I also knew I wanted to bring in a double for the second half of the drop, so I intentionally made the flow in that section a bit more repetitive and simple. I actually didn’t touch the song for like a full year after that until I decided to finish it with a proper intro and second drop.

I didn’t have any particular inspiration for those parts; I just knew I wanted something continuously high-energy and fast-paced that matched the first drop.

iEDM: The drops are built around very controlled, staggered phrasing. How do you approach arranging riddim sequences so they hit consistently in a live setting?

ONARA: I try to keep it fairly simple in terms of the flow to allow for doubles and to make it easier for the listeners to have stuff to latch on to and dance to. I find if the arrangement is too hectic, it can become harder for the crowd to follow along and move to the music.

It is pretty essential to a genre like riddim to keep the flow somewhat repetitive, but to balance that out, you do have to keep it interesting with stuff like fills and variations here and there.

iEDM: The track wastes very little time getting into its core energy. Was that a conscious decision to prioritize immediacy over longer intros or builds?

ONARA: Definitely for this one. Longer and slower paced intros do have a place, but to me this tune felt very much like it was meant for a live setting, and I wanted the energy and format of the intro to reflect that.

That both sets the tone for the rest of the song but also makes it easier to mix into any live set.

ONARA, SHARPSHOOTER, new music, riddim

iEDM: There is a strong sense of tension throughout the track without relying on traditional risers. How do you create that sustained pressure from a production standpoint?

ONARA: hat comes down to having the elements of the track change a lot. Things like modulating pitch, filters, and reverb to create movement and tension, in particular during the intro.

There are definitely traditional risers in there, but they are more subtle and buried in the mix.

iEDM: How much of “SHARPSHOOTER” was influenced by testing ideas in your live sets versus building it purely in the studio?

ONARA: I built the core idea of the song in the studio in just under a day, but it was very consciously inspired and driven by things that I know to work well in a live setting. Stuff like the structure of the fakeout, the style of the sound design, and the overall flow.

As far as I can remember, those things were mainly inspired by three other songs that always work well live: my song “TOTAL MAYHEM,” “RAILOUT” by DEXAMP, and an unreleased ID by Automhate.

After all, the song was originally intended as a high-energy opener, so it was engineered with that purpose in mind.

iEDM: Your sound design leans aggressive but still very clean in the mix. What is your process for balancing heaviness with clarity, especially in the low end?

ONARA: Honestly, this is a tough one to answer. Most of it isn’t really super conscious or an intentional process; I kind of just know what I am doing, and as long as I spend some time on it, things eventually end up sounding the way I want them to.

I think that just comes with experience. But for any producers out there, I can vouch strongly for MBassador by MeldaProduction and FabFilter Saturn.

iEDM: Compared to earlier releases like “KREAM TEAM” or “MOST WANTED,” where do you see “SHARPSHOOTER” fitting within your evolution as a producer?

ONARA: Even though I would say it is a simpler song production-wise, it fits well into my discography. Just like “KREAM TEAM” & “MOST WANTED,” it has a memorable drop idea that works very well live, and that is something I try to aim for with my music.

That feeling of having the crowd recognize your song never gets old; it also makes tracks hit so much harder live when everyone can sing along.

Even though I am a very technical, nerdy producer, and I love spending time making weird noises and showing off technical skills, lately I find my production is leaning more toward writing memorable ideas that people will actually remember. “SHARPSHOOTER” reflects that pretty well.

iEDM: Your B2B with roi* in Montreal has gained a lot of traction online. What stood out to you from that set, and how has that performance impacted your momentum?

ONARA: That set was so much fun. I am really glad it did so well. It has done lots for my momentum, which I am truly grateful for, and we definitely have more planned for the whole ONAROI* thing as a result.

We have great chemistry as DJs since we have pretty similar taste and style, and he is just super fun to mix with.

I think what really made the set stand out was just how relentless and fast-paced the energy was throughout the full thing. I don’t think we had a single song that wasn’t doubled with something, and many songs even had two separate doubles or triples coming in.

It also wasn’t like most b2bs where each DJ just takes turns playing their stuff. We play lots of each other's music and kind of weave in and out instead of taking turns. Sometimes roi* brings in a double for a song I started, and vice versa.

It is a very fun exchange of energy on stage. Also having the legend SHIVERZ coming in as an MC in the second half was crazy and raised the vibe even further.

iEDM: You also contributed an official remix to THE RESISTANCE’s ‘EVIL EMPIRE’ compilation. What was your approach to reworking their material within your own style?

ONARA: That was a song I was very excited to work on but actually found quite challenging at first. I think I went through probably four or five different iterations before I settled on an idea I liked.

I was never really sure exactly what direction I wanted to take it in, and I ended up letting random happy accidents and serendipity guide me toward the final idea.

One of the hardest parts of remixing music for me is finding a balance between reusing elements from the original song and making completely new material. For this one it ended up being mostly new material of my own, but with elements from the original in the intro, predrop, and fills to make it actually feel like a proper remix.

All in all I am very happy with the result, and it makes me glad to see it being played so much by The Resistance in their sets.

iEDM: Looking ahead to your upcoming B2B with roi* at Rampage, how do you approach preparing for a set on that scale compared to a club show?

ONARA: Honestly, I do not think we will change our approach at all! We are going do what we do best and do it even better this time.

After that NI26 pre-party set, I know the crowd is going to come in with high expectations, but also I know they will not be disappointed if we just do our thing.

iEDM: The riddim scene has been evolving quickly over the past few years. What changes are you noticing right now in terms of sound design and crowd expectations?

ONARA: I am noticing a big shift lately toward crunchier sound design, which I love. I have always had a sweet spot for crunchy stuff and been doing it myself for a long time.

I think it stems from everyone wanting to achieve the sound that Modal Nodes is doing at the moment. As a result, I’m hearing plenty of people discovering more complex sound design techniques and experimenting with the Reason rack more.

There is still so much untapped potential there. I do also believe it has had the consequence of a lot of stuff sounding pretty samey at the moment, but that is just how trends come and go.

As for crowd expectations, I do not think they have changed too much, but I have noticed the tempo of sets getting faster and faster. Most riddim sets are played around 150 bpm now, and sometimes higher (I like to hover around 148-149).

Personally I do not mind the faster tempos, but I do think riddim at 140 just hits different, and every so often I miss hearing that. I also think faster is just more danceable from a crowd perspective.

iEDM: How do you personally approach set building? Do you plan everything out in advance, or leave room to adapt in the moment based on the crowd?

ONARA: It is a bit of a mix of both, but mainly planned out in advance. I like to plan my sets pretty meticulously and pay a lot of attention to the structure and transitions so that they flow well and the set has a clear kind of “energy curve” throughout.

With how high-paced my sets are, they can be pretty intense and demanding to perform. So, having things planned out in advance is just a bit of a relief and lets me execute the sets with less room for error.

I do always have reserve material, though, in case I want to change up the vibe a bit or adapt it to the crowd.

iEDM: Outside of production and performance, do you have any pre- or post-set rituals that help you stay locked in?

ONARA: A shot and an energy drink usually do the trick before I play!

iEDM: Looking forward, what is one festival or stage that sits at the top of your bucket list, and what makes it stand out to you?

ONARA: 100% Lost Lands, it would be such a dream to play. It is just the biggest and baddest festival in all of dubstep. I would also love to play Forbidden Kingdom; this year's edition looked insane.

Of course I am also super excited for the upcoming b2b with roi* at Rampage Open Air. Playing the Storm stage specifically has been a goal of mine since I first attended the festival.