A woman who died at a techno music festival in the grounds of a stately home has been named as a prominent Ibiza-based DJ.
Santanna Maria Ally, 38, who performed under the name Santanna Oush, died on August 9 at the 18th century Houghton Hall in north Norfolk.
She was found unconscious in a tent on the last day of the Houghton Festival and pronounced dead, despite the efforts of the on-site medical team.
The four day event is known for its rave-style dance and electronic music, played around the clock.
It is often referred to as the UK’s poshest music festival and was attended by the Princess of Wales three years ago.
An inquest that opened today at Norfolk Coroner’s Court in Norwich heard that the provisional medical cause of Ms Ally’s death was hanging.
She was formally identified at the festival by her friend Amber Matheson.
Her sister Katy confirmed that Ms Ally was born in London on May 15, 1988, worked as a DJ and usually lived in Ibiza.
Her death was initially treated as unexplained by Norfolk Police but is not believed to be suspicious.
Norfolk coroner Yvonne Blake has now ordered Ms Ally’s GP records to be obtained as part of the investigation into her death. A full inquest will be held on December 15 this year.
Santanna Maria Ally, 38, who performed under the name Santanna Oush, died on August 9 at 18th century Houghton Hall in north Norfolk
Ms Ally’s family has also been invited to provide a pen portrait and any background information they believe may be relevant to the circumstances.
She was a well-known figure within Ibiza’s dance music community and had been a DJ for more than two decades.
Ms Ally had lived in the north of Ibiza and performed at some of the island’s best-known venues, including Pikes Ibiza and Hï Ibiza.
She was also the founder of OuShe, a female-led party and movement which championed women in music and gave emerging performers opportunities to play live.
It began at Pikes around five years ago before expanding to other venues in Ibiza, London and France.
In an interview last year, Miss Ally described OuShe as both a party and a platform created to ‘elevate and celebrate women in music’.
She said it offered space to women ranging from experienced performers to those who had never previously played to a live audience.
Miss Ally was also a vocalist, songwriter and radio presenter and had spoken about plans to release her own music.
Tributes have poured in from friends, fellow artists, promoters and venues following her death.
Houghton is the UK’s only 24-hour music festival and features techno, house, drum and bass and jazz
An inquest which was opened today at Norfolk Coroner’s Court in Norwich heard that the provisional medical cause of Ms Ally’s death was hanging
One fellow DJ recalled playing alongside Miss Ally regularly during the Covid era in Ibiza and said there was ‘something special’ about sharing a bill with her.
She said the pair loved the same music and would jokingly compete over who could play or mix a particular track first.
The friend added: ‘Thank you for the music. Thank you for the laughs. Thank you for the memories.’
Others described Miss Ally as a vibrant and unforgettable presence whose energy could transform a dancefloor, while praising her commitment to supporting women and emerging artists.
Several tributes also urged people to check in with friends and not to assume somebody was well because they appeared to be smiling, working, travelling or socialising.
A GoFundMe appeal set up by her friend, Marcus Eppy, to help pay for her to have ‘a fantastic funeral’ has so far raised more than £8,000.
Mr Eppy stated on the appeal page: ‘I’m setting this up to help fund the funeral and send off for Santanna (Oush) Ally that she deserves and would want (especially to be the main person involved).
‘Those that knew Santanna knew her as mad as a box of frogs, which she was, but she had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone at any time of the day, she was a very much loved daughter, sister, auntie, granddaughter and much loved friend.
Houghton music festival has been dubbed the UK’s ‘poshest’ and is held near the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk
Miss Ally had lived in the north of Ibiza and performed at some of the island’s best-known venues, including Pikes Ibiza and Hï Ibiza
‘Her love and passion for music and to spread the love was phenomenal and was always the life and soul of the party, from a quiet meditation session to a full scale party she would do everything to make it happen and make sure everyone was having the time of they’re lives and making the best memories they can.
‘This was not expected but, like Santanna was, it was spontaneous but also on the other hand it has devastated many and broken the hearts and lives of many.
‘Anything given will be amazing to help and any over im sure would go to a good cause as Santanna was a giver and would never let anyone miss out.
‘The family would like to thank everyone and hope that many will come and celebrate the life of Santanna that touched so many hearts. Lastly as Santanna would say… OUUSH. Fly high Santanna and keep the party going.’
Norfolk Police were called to the festival at 8.11pm on August 9 following concerns for the safety of a woman who had been found unconscious inside a tent.
This year’s festival featured music played 24/7 on stages set across the grounds of the 1,000-acre estate which is home to David Cholmondeley, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, and his wife Rose Hanbury.
The couple are friends and neighbours of the Prince and Princess of Wales with Houghton Hall being less than two miles from Kate and William’s country retreat at Anmer Hall on the 20,000 acre Sandringham estate.
Houghton Festival is the UK’s only 24-hour music festival, which means that some form of techno, house, or drum and bass or jazz is playing at every point on at least one of its stages throughout the weekend.
The Princess of Wales, a friend of David Cholmondeley, at whose estate the festival is held, was pictured at Houghton in 2023
It was set up in 2017 by DJ Craig Richards, the longest-serving resident DJ of London nightclub Fabric, who has played over 700 Saturday night sets at the club since 1999.
Attendees at the festival, paying between £280 and £330 for weekend tickets, are said to don fluffy bucket hats, skin-baring rave gear, and side bags as they dance the days and nights away on the 1,000-acre site.
It is regularly dubbed as the UK’s poshest music festival, attracting wealthy and high society ravers determined to let their hair down in the north Norfolk countryside.
The Princess of Wales is said to have made her visit on the Saturday evening in August 2023, accompanied by security guards and a group of friends, after having dinner with the Cholmondeleys in Houghton Hall.
According to reports, Kate was hesitant, but eventually agreed to go into the festival, although there was no sign of Prince William being with her.
The mother-of-three is said to have shunned the food trucks, instead opting for the upscale on-site restaurant, Turntable & Napkin, where festival-goers could treat themselves to a four-course meal, featuring burrata, panzanella, short rib ragu, and affogato, for £60 a head.
A source at the restaurant told the Evening Standard that Kate, who was wearing an understated black off-the-shoulder top, black skinny jeans and Veja trainers, was in high spirits.
She was seen ordering spicy margaritas, eating affogato, and speaking with the other members of her party who enjoyed balthazar-sized bottles of AIX rosé.
The festival regularly attracts wealthy and high society ravers to the north Norfolk countryside
The group with Kate were reported to have left a £700 tip to the festival restaurant staff before she left via the festival’s Pavilion stage.
It is unknown if she toured the rest of the festival site or saw any of the acts that night, which included DJ Stingray, DMX Crew, Shanti Celeste, and Radioactive Man.
The line up for Houghton 2026 event included major names from the dance music scene, including Ben UFO, Helena Hauff, Objekt, CCL, Underground Resistance & Saul Williams and Paquita Gordon.
The Houghton Festival released a statement on Instagram after Miss Ally’s death, saying: ‘We are deeply saddened to confirm that a person has passed away at Houghton 2026. Our thoughts are entirely with their family and loved ones at this difficult time.
‘We are grateful to our onsite 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 with their investigations.’
The death of Miss Ally came just over a week after a 17-year-old girl also died from a ‘medical episode’ at the Kendal Calling festival in the Lake District.
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