EXCLUSIVE: Hannah Laing reflects on her journey ahead of Doof in the Park 2026
- Andrew Batchelor
- Jul 2
- 5 min read
From playing in a small festival tent surrounded by friends to creating one of Scotland’s biggest electronic music events, Hannah Laing’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable.
Now preparing to welcome around 17,000 people to Camperdown Park for the second edition of Doof in the Park, the Dundee DJ and producer is balancing two of the biggest roles imaginable: festival founder and headline act.
As thousands prepare to descend on the city this weekend, Hannah says this year’s event is all about building an even stronger community while giving the next generation of DJs the opportunities she wishes she had when she was starting out.
Ahead of taking to the main stage on Saturday night, I caught up with Hannah to talk about the evolution of Doof in the Park, nurturing emerging talent through Doof Studios, the pressure of organising a festival on this scale, and why bringing an event of this magnitude back to her hometown remains her proudest achievement.
Andrew Batchelor (AB): Doof in the Park is back! What’s new this year, and what’s been the biggest challenge in bringing Doof 2026 together?
Hannah Laing (HL): New for this year, we’ve introduced a fourth stage to champion up-and-coming artists and give more people the chance to showcase their talent.
We’ve also introduced something called the Doof Hub, where DJs can submit their music on a USB for me to listen to afterwards. It’s another way of discovering new talent.
The DJs will also be doing meet-and-greets there, which is great, and for people coming on their own, it’s somewhere they can meet members of the Doof Discord community and connect with other festivalgoers. We wanted to make it a really welcoming community space.
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AB: When we last met, Doof Studios had just opened. Now we’re seeing DJs from the studios performing on the new fourth stage. How special is it to see that journey come full circle in such a short space of time?
HL: It’s amazing. The students who’ve been coming in have been working so hard and they’re doing really well.
I wanted to give them an opportunity because that’s what it’s all about. Some of them are even under 18, so they’re having to be chaperoned by their parents to perform.
It’s such a huge moment for them and the fact they’re getting this platform at Doof in the Park feels incredible.
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AB: Last year’s introduction to your headline set became one of the standout moments of the festival. Without giving too much away, what can fans expect when the clock strikes 9pm on Saturday?
HL: Expect familiar faces.
I’ve put together a huge introduction that’s all perfectly synced with the lighting and special effects, so it’s going to be a proper spectacle.
Then it’s going to drop straight into one of my unreleased tracks.
AB: You’re the founder of Doof, but you’re also the headline act. At what point does Hannah the organiser become Hannah the DJ?
HL: I actually said this to my team—we’ve put so much work into the festival that I almost forget I’ve got a set to play!
I’ve been working on my set for a few months now alongside the intro, which was finished a while back. I’ve blocked out today and tomorrow to get everything finalised.
It’s definitely difficult trying to balance both roles.
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AB: Running an event of this scale comes with huge responsibility. How do you manage the pressure that comes with putting your name to a festival like Doof?
HL: I definitely feel a massive amount of pressure because, at the end of the day, my face is attached to the festival.
Everyone comes up to me throughout the weekend, and alongside all of that I’m also preparing to perform to a huge crowd.
So yes, there are a lot of challenges that come with it, but it’s all worth it.
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AB: When you take a step back to look at your career and see what it’s become, what’s the one thing you’re proudest of?
HL: I’d definitely say Doof in the Park itself.
I’m lucky enough to travel around the world playing shows, but bringing something like this back to my home city is really special.
You see festivals like this happening elsewhere, but Dundee didn’t really have anything on this scale.
It brings together the ravers, but it also brings people into the city and benefits the local economy. So many people gain something from it, and I’m really proud to bring it home.
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AB: I remember seeing you perform at Carnival Fifty Six, where you weren’t even top of the bill. To go from that to headlining and hosting your own festival must be surreal.
HL: Back then I was playing in a small rave inside a little tent. All my pals came along to watch me and it was actually my birthday that day.
It was just fun - and honestly, whether you’re playing to a small crowd or a massive one, if the energy is there then that’s what matters.
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AB: If you could go back and speak to the teenage Hannah who was just starting out as a DJ, what advice would you give her? And do you think she’d believe everything you’ve achieved today?
HL: I’d tell her that it’s completely normal to hear the word “no” and to experience knockbacks.
When I was younger, those setbacks made me doubt myself a lot, but as I’ve got older I’ve realised that’s just part of the journey.
I wish I’d believed in myself more back then.
And if you’d told me I’d be putting on a festival for 17,000 people in my hometown, I’d have told you to shut up!
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AB: Do you think people really started taking you seriously after Murder on the Dancefloor and your Creamfields performance?
HL: Yeah. People really start taking you seriously when other DJs start playing your music.
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AB: Finally, if you had to describe Doof in the Park 2026 in just three words, what would they be?
HL: High-energy Doof.
As Hannah prepares to step onto the main stage on Saturday night, it’s clear that Doof in the Park has grown into far more than just another music festival.
It has become a celebration of Dundee’s growing place on Scotland’s electronic music scene, while creating opportunities for aspiring DJs through initiatives like Doof Studios and this year’s new fourth stage.
Despite now performing around the world, Hannah remains passionate about bringing something special back to the city where her own journey began. From introducing new artists to welcoming thousands of visitors into Dundee, the festival continues to grow while keeping community at its heart.
And when the lights go down shortly after 9pm, accompanied by a brand-new show, familiar faces and unreleased music, Hannah Laing won’t simply be closing another festival—she’ll once again be proving just how far a Dundee DJ with a dream can go.
