Hannah Laing has called out critics of Dundee Dance Event with a simple message of 'be sound'

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Dundee DJ and rising star Hannah Laing has spoken out after facing online criticism following her surprise set at this year’s Dundee Dance Event — and her response has resonated deeply with fans and fellow Dundonians.

The electronic artist, who has rapidly built a name for herself on the global stage, returned to her hometown over the weekend for a surprise performance at the popular dance festival.

While many praised the set and welcomed her back with enthusiasm, a wave of online comments emerged, targeting everything from her music choices to the crowd’s atmosphere — even criticising people for filming the moment on their phones.

In a direct and heartfelt post on social media, Hannah addressed the negativity head-on, calling out the judgement and encouraging people to “be sound.”

Her message struck a chord with many, especially those who recognised a recurring problem in the city’s culture — the tendency to tear down rather than lift up.

As someone who runs Dundee Culture, a platform dedicated to highlighting the city’s positive stories and creative talent, I’ve seen this kind of attitude before. There’s a lot of passion in Dundee, but at times, we can be our own worst enemies.

Yet, what makes Dundee special is exactly what Hannah embodies — resilience, creativity, and pride in where you come from. Her success with Doof in the Park, and her decision to continue investing her time and talent into her hometown, shows just how much she cares.

Criticism comes with any public role, especially in music. But when that criticism crosses the line from opinion to personal attack, it speaks more about the culture we’re creating than the people we’re targeting.

Hannah’s message is a reminder that we can choose to support rather than judge, and celebrate rather than dismiss. Her achievements are something the city should be proud of.

In the words of Hannah herself — be sound.