The last time Daniela Di Lillo was getting primed for summer pool club season on the Las Vegas Strip, her career as a musician and DJ was hitting some all-time highs. Known onstage and in the studio as Nora En Pure, the South African-born, Switzerland-raised deep house specialist had played her first set at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami in 2019 before launching a new residency at Wynn. And the pandemic didn’t slow her rise. She was already planning a break from touring, and locking down meant getting creative. “Without the constant traveling you had way more time in the studio,” Di Lillo says. “[I] could work on ideas that were laying around for way too long. Besides that, [it] was an emotionally charged time, something new for all of us. This can change the approach in creativity or open new doors.”She also further developed her Purified Records brand while honing in on her unique indie-dance sound, exemplified by new single “Us,” a bittersweet anthem with a driving beat and layers of vocals and piano. And she’s bringing plenty of new music back to Las Vegas for her very first EDC performance, after playing the Mexico and Orlando versions of the fest in the past.

When you started making music, you never really intended to perform for live audiences. Now you’re playing the biggest festivals in the world, including EDC. How has the performance experience changed for you through the years? As a new or upcoming artist, you often play to half-full clubs, or really tiny venues, and it can take a while to start getting booked for larger events. While those shows can still be very rewarding, the feeling I get playing for audiences at the biggest festivals is so cool, as it shows you how far you have come, and especially with my calmer sound, I am always very humbled to be put on big stages like that.

That being said, being placed on lineups with acts who play very hard or fast music can sometimes feel a bit daunting. But I believe in originality, diversity and authenticity, so I always stick to my sound. I also have been very lucky to cultivate a loyal fan base who come to my sets for my style.

Your sets stand out at events like this because they are chill. Any special plans for your first EDC Las Vegas set? I definitely adapt my set to … ravey sounds [more] than my usual organic approach. With festival slots being on the shorter side, you have to be a little more tactical than with an extended set, but I still hope to take the audience on a melodic journey across Purified soundscapes.

Did you take a longer break from touring during the pandemic, or did you try to return to performing as soon as possible? My plan before the pandemic was to cut back on touring, as at that time the touring was heavy and taking its toll. However, during lockdown and travel restrictions, I had an extended period of time at home and was able to work on the label and other projects and soon began to crave getting back on tour. I think it made everyone realize how much we took for granted, and did feel like a reset, but as soon as I could, I was back on the road. It was a lot of work and uncertainties … but reconnecting with people around the world after so long was unforgettable.

You had moved over to Wynn just before the pandemic and now you’ve returned to Marquee, with plenty of dates for the Full Bloom party series coming up this summer. What’s it like to be working with the Tao Group again? I love both “homes.” I feel really comfortable at both residencies. In the end I’m just so grateful for the teams believing in my sound and that I can play my music in an entertainment city like Las Vegas.

What differentiates Vegas from other tour stops?It is definitely quite a challenge musically. Vegas is all for entertainment; you really can’t expect visitors to be in for the deep, emotional musical journey. But that is what my sound is mostly about, and I always find it hard to venture too far from my style and also don’t feel like I should.

It’s a mix of making the crowd have a good time, engage them, but also a little bit of musical education. I always try to keep it on the euphoric side, switch it up with a little more groovy tracks, make the set a little more on the fun and approachable side.

NORA EN PURE May 20, Circuit Grounds Stage at EDC. May 22, 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, events.taogroup.com.

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