A London DJ who was found unconscious in her tent at Houghton Festival in Norfolk has been named as Santanna Oush, also known as Santanna Maria Ally. The 38-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene on Sunday, August 9, despite the efforts of on-site staff.
Norfolk Police have stated that they do not believe there were any suspicious circumstances surrounding the DJ's death. Houghton's organisers issued a statement on their Instagram page after the incident, saying: "We are deeply saddened to confirm that a person has passed away at Houghton 2026."
Organisers and venues express shock
In their statement, Houghton's organisers added: "Our thoughts are entirely with their family and loved ones at this difficult time. We are grateful to our on-site medical team, event response team and to Norfolk Constabulary, who all responded immediately. We continue to work closely with the relevant authorities to support in any way we can their investigations."
Since the Ibiza and London-based DJ was identified, tributes have poured in from across the music scene and beyond. Pikes Ibiza, a hotel and music venue, issued a heartfelt tribute after the news. They quoted a post written by Oush earlier this year: "Too many artists leave this world without ever sharing their art… their music… their voice."
Pikes Ibiza added: "Having been a part of the Pikes family for well over a decade, our entire team is shocked, saddened and heartbroken at the news of her passing."
Fellow DJs and friends pay tribute
Another DJ in the scene, Bushwacka, posted a tribute to the late London-born DJ on his Instagram. He said: "A tragic loss, Santanna Oush brought so much love and laughter to many of us. I’ve been processing since hearing about this a week ago - it’s so sad - sometimes tragedy like this is totally out of anyone else’s control in the moment."
Bushwacka also highlighted broader concerns, stating: "There needs to be more open conversation around the connotations of fragile mental health in our industry and beyond. This has landed so close to home, having experienced the loss of several friends in the last year in our circles. Sending love to all affected by this devastating event."
Fundraiser exceeds target
Since the news of her death, her friend Marcus Eppy has organised a fundraiser for her funeral with a target of £3,500. At the time of publication, the fundraiser had reached £9,970. Marcus described his late friend as always having a "heart of gold" and said that she was a "very much loved daughter, sister, auntie, granddaughter and much loved friend".
