Three Curators, One Signal: Inside Premonition’s Mardi Gras Orbit
⚜️ Go behind the scenes with Virtue Signal, Nile Ashton, and Tristan Dufrene — three curators shaping Premonition’s Mardi Gras run through Liquid Lundi, Poor Boys, and No Dice. ⚜️
Three Curators, One Signal: Inside Premonition’s Mardi Gras Orbit
virtue_signal.
Tristan Dufrene 
Ahead of Mardi Gras, we sat down with three artists shaping Premonition’s gravitational pull this Carnival season. From fog-drenched dance floors to acid-charged Lundi Gras rituals, Virtue Signal, Nile Ashton, and Tristan Dufrene each bring a distinct voice to a shared underground vision. a vision rooted with intention, community, and forward-thinking dance music.
Together, their work traces the quiet architecture behind Premonition. A project built not just on lineups or hype, but on trust, taste, and the belief that dance floors can still feel sacred. Whether it’s Virtue Signal’s role as both selector and connector, Nile Ashton’s genre-fluid approach to pressure and release, or Tristan Dufrene’s deep respect for the ritual of Lundi Gras, each artist contributes a different frequency to the same transmission.
As Mardi Gras season accelerates, Premonition reflects on more shared moments, late-night communion, and music that moves with purpose. These conversations offer a glimpse into how collaboration, care, and creative risk come together to shape and curate the some of New Orleans dance floors .
NOLA EDM: For those discovering you this Mardi Gras season — who is virtue_signal, and how do your roles as both artist and organizer shape the way you move through the scene
virtue_signal: virtue_signal is the silhouette dancing in the foggy club all night long. Seeking transcendence in the music. Communing in sweat with my people from every walk of life. The dancefloor was my sanctuary through good times, chaotic times, difficult times & I seek to create that kind of space for others.
Whether I play music or organize events or do both, I never forget about that part of me that sought out this kind of community in the first place.
NOLA EDM: Mardi Gras in New Orleans is already intense, but this year, you’re deeply involved in multiple shows and curations. What does Mardi Gras mean to you creatively, and how does it influence the way you approach programming and performance?
virtue_signal: Mardi Gras is my favorite time of year. All the chaos, the serendipity, the connections, the MUSIC – there’s nothing like it. As someone playing music & curating music spaces for many events this season it’s a special honor to put together some of the best artists that New Orleans has to offer & to bridge different crews, cities, creatives.
As a performer – this is what I’ve been preparing for all year. Unreleased tracks, deep digs, music outside of my usual comfort zone. And you know what? I’m having the most fun while challenging myself & pushing the envelope.
NOLA EDM: You’re part of the Premonition orbit this season, including the February 13 show at Poor Boys with Jialing. What can people expect from that night specifically, and how does it fit into the larger story you’re telling this Mardi Gras?
virtue_signal: Jialing is an artist that Nile and I have wanted to book for a while – for almost 2 years now, and the schedule finally lined up perfectly for everyone. They’re at the top of the game right now, producing & DJing forward-thinking club music. That sound has really taken a hold in New Orleans & I’m so excited for our support lineup to show up at their best too.
Also, it’s not a proper Mardi Gras season without at least 1 all-nighter at Poor Boys Bar. This was the one.
NOLA EDM: Looking beyond Mardi Gras, what are you building toward in 2026, both artistically and organizationally?
virtue_signal: I’ve spent the past year making a ton of music – this will be the year it starts getting released. I’m so excited share the things I’ve been working on as part of a cohesive vision.
Going into post-Gras I’ll continue to plan out thoughtful bookings & building collabs across the Gulf Coast.
Have fun, be safe, and be good to each other. – virtue_signal
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NOLA EDM: For those discovering you through Premonition — who is Nile Ashton, and what draws you to the spaces you help create?
Nile Ashton: Nile Ashton is a Durham, NC–based DJ, Producer, and Organizer whose rhythm-forward and genre-fluid approach centers the dance floor as a site of release and collective movement.” The spaces I’m drawn to help create are always artist-focused and dancefloor-centric.
NOLA EDM: You’re stepping into Mardi Gras with shows on February 13 at Poor Boys and February 16 at No Dice with Paranoid London. How does Mardi Gras energy change the way you approach a set?
Nile Ashton: During Mardi Gras I prepare to pivot in any direction… ranging from maximum intensity at peak-time, to the Slow Burn sunrise, always matching the energy of the Gras. Surviving this environment is what sets DJs that come up in the New Orleans scene apart. For the Jialing show I’m packing a ton of unreleased Breaks, Electro, Club and Techno.
NOLA EDM: Premonition has developed a distinct identity within New Orleans nightlife. What makes these nights feel different from a standard club experience?
Nile Ashton: With Premonition, we always aim to push the boundary of what’s possible, while centering quality underground dance music, highlighting true artists, and freely expressing our taste.
NOLA EDM: As you look ahead to 2026, what’s next for you creatively?
Nile Ashton: In 2026 I plan to continue playing shows that aren’t marketed on social media. These were some of my favorite environments to play in last year. I’ve got more Live ambient sets, Vinyl sets, and Hybrid sets on the way… as well as some unexpected and exciting collaborations.
I’ve been djing a bit less, to focus a bit more on producing and releasing music.. which I’m very pumped for. – Nile ASHTON
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NOLA EDM: For those discovering you through Liquid Lundi — who is Tristan Dufrene, and where does your sound sit within New Orleans’ underground ecosystem?
Tristan Dufrene: I’m a fond lover of underground dance music…present on the dancefloor, thorough digs with extended years of practice in the craft of dee jaying. My sound varies, depending on the vibe and curation of each event, I’m genre fluid with a ear for deep, weird and more obscure sounds and shapes.
NOLA EDM: Lundi Gras carries a different kind of weight during Carnival. What does playing Liquid Lundi with Paranoid London mean to you personally?
Tristan Dufrene: This year’s Liquid Lundi just hits differently for me than most things I look forward to. Being partner in producing this party with Preminition I can honestly say I feel like I’m dreaming. Im super grateful to share space with such a reputable and prestigious artist as Paranoid London, their sound has carried me for many years thru countless dancefloors. Being able to host them here during Mardi Gras is a complete honor. Ill never forget the first time I heard one of their songs being played at a popular bywater warehouse party years ago, pretty positive it was Bouffant Bouffant playing, kinda a full circle moment.
NOLA EDM: That night leans into acid, pressure, and release. What kind of energy are you hoping to build on the dance floor?
Tristan Dufrene: Its Lundi Gras…as the energy builds to welcome the Big Fatty, I’m hoping to take the dancefloor into a light to feral and robust energy.
NOLA EDM: After this Mardi Gras season wraps — what chapter are you stepping into in 2026?
Tristan Dufrene: Post Gras will be a chapter of rest and possible travel is on the horizon.
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About NOLA EDM:
NOLA EDM is a New Orleans-based music and culture platform dedicated to documenting, promoting, and producing events that highlight the Gulf South’s electronic and underground scenes. Through artist interviews, editorial coverage, and festival production, NOLA EDM connects fans, promoters, and creators shaping the city’s next wave of sound. Follow NOLA EDM on Instagram for weekly event updates, giveaways, and exclusive artist features.