THE DJ HANGOUT / ARTISTS BEYOND THE BOOTH
Carlita
From Classical Instruments to a New Language of Club Music
Check out the Carlita events here ↓House · ElectronicThe Turkish-Italian musician brought years of instrumental training onto dance floors and used her debut album Sentimental to show an audience more than her DJ sound.
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THE DJ HANGOUT · ARTIST TYPOGRAPHYCarlita
ARTISTCarla Frayman
HERITAGETurkish · Italian
LABELCounter Records
DEBUT ALBUMSentimental · 2024
CHAPTER 01
Long before the decks, there were instruments
Carlita, the performing name of Carla Frayman, is a Turkish-Italian DJ, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Her path to club music began with a much broader musical education than the typical beginner’s production software. She studied and played instruments including cello and piano, and her wider musical background extends to bass, drums and guitar. Those skills shaped an ear for harmony and texture before the larger festival audiences arrived.
Her productions bring together house rhythms, warm melodies and influences that reflect her upbringing and international musical interests. She has spoken about the Turkish psychedelia, rock and electronic records that inform her taste. For a DJ, a background in acoustic performance need not disappear when a new set of tools enters the studio: it can become a distinct advantage when arranging music.
CHAPTER 02
One dance floor, several artistic identities
Carlita’s profile grew through DJ sets at venues and events such as Printworks, Circoloco, Tomorrowland and Burning Man. The crowds were different, but her approach made room for disco, house, melodic music and surprising transitions. Her Senza Fine party concept also connected performance with fashion and art, suggesting that a night of electronic music can be designed as a wider cultural experience.
The same curiosity informed a collaboration with DJ Tennis, a mentor and frequent creative partner. Instead of treating a DJ performance as disconnected from the rest of her work, Carlita developed a recognizable world of sound and presentation. That combination helps explain why her audience follows not only individual tracks but also her events and larger artistic projects.
CHAPTER 03
Time becomes an introduction to a bigger record
On April 2, 2024, Counter Records released Time, a track Carlita had been using to close DJ sets. Its reception helped introduce her to Ninja Tune’s wider audience. The label described the single as a preview of a more substantial songwriting project and emphasized the unusual blend of classical and contemporary electronic influences within her production.
Her debut album Sentimental followed on November 15, 2024. The twelve-track record brought together guests including SG Lewis, DJ Tennis, Elderbrook and others. Tracks such as The Moment, Planet Blue and Wish You Knew showed different aspects of her melodic and rhythmic range. The Moment revisited music she had first worked on years earlier, turning part of her musical history into a new collaboration.
CHAPTER 04
What a studio album can reveal that a DJ set cannot
In the album announcement, Carlita explained that she wanted listeners to hear a different side of her work from the club records they knew. That distinction matters in an electronic-music environment where short clips from high-energy performances often dominate the public impression of an artist. A long-form album allows quieter ideas, unusual instruments and changing moods to sit alongside tracks intended for dancers.
Sentimental also provides an example for young producers: musical background is not something to hide because the current club fashion favors a particular sound. The experiences behind the recording can become the strongest part of an artist’s identity. Carlita’s development from instrumental performance to international DJing and album-making is not a rejection of her early training but a continuation of it.
THE REPORTING BEHIND THE STORY
Verified releases, artist accounts, interviews and dated event records. Artist-reported history is identified in the article when older accounts disagree.
- Ninja Tune — Carlita, Time ↗April 2024 single and artist background
- Ninja Tune — Sentimental ↗November 2024 album, track list and artist statement
- Beatportal — Sentimental feature ↗Musical training, collaborators and upbringing
- Ibiza Spotlight — Carlita album review ↗Album analysis, Senza Fine and release context
Until an authentic image is approved for republication, this profile uses original name artwork rather than a fabricated artist portrait.
House · Electronic
CARLITA EVENTS
CARL COX + CARLITA →
EXPLORE ALL SHOWS →MIAMI · Club Space Miami · NOV 14 2026