Part 2

Could you take us through a day in your life, from a possible morning routine through to your work? Do you have a fixed schedule? How do life and creativity feed back into each other - do you separate them or instead try to make them blend seamlessly?
 
Let’s take a normal Tuesday: my alarm goes off at 7:00. I wake up with my son, make him breakfast and take him to school. If I’m very tired I take a nap, or not. Next I focus on office and social media (not my favorite activity ... but unfortunately a modern day requirement). Next I like doing things with my husband, we love art and visit museums and galleries or maybe go into the music studio. At 15:00 my son returns from school and we spend time with each other. If I’m working on a production I really love and am engaged with then I go back in the studio in the evening where I can get endlessly manic. Or I spend hours and hours listening to music with my lovely husband, and we talk and talk and talk and make love ... then BAMM it’s 7:00 again!
 
Let's say you have a gig coming up tonight. What does your approach look like – from selecting the material and preparing for, opening and then building a set?
 
The first thing I do is try and determine what kind of club it is, in the case that I’ve never been there; size, previous bookings etc. It’s very important to me that I truly approach each gig individually and prepare as such. The idea of playing the same playlist, regardless of where and when - I find it distasteful.

Usually I try to go to the record store during the week to find something special. I try to give my sets a note of something exceptional and interesting. I also enjoy mixing in tracks that are in their own way complicated. The best is when I know I’ll be playing for six or so hours from beginning to end. I can start smooth, take people on a journey, and end deep and emotional. Glorious!

Unfortunately sets these days are max 2-3 hours long, what with such stacked line ups. That way it’s hard for a DJ to relax and really show what they can do. DJs bang away at 2-3 hour sets and try to create identity in a way that leads to nights that sound monotonous and similar. Luckily I’m rarely booked for such prime time bookings. There was a time when I was doing this very often, and during this time deejaying wasn’t much fun ....

These days I mostly play the “second floors” or in places and at events that think differently.
 
Can you describe your state of mind during a DJ set? What supports this ideal state of mind and what are distractions? Are there strategies to enter into this state more easily?
 
GIN&TONIC and I am supersonic ; )

In ideal circumstances one quickly - when audience, surroundings and atmosphere permit - falls into musical ecstasy. My ideal state of mind at a gig is one that’s free and relaxed and full of positive concentration. Distractions for me are definitely smartphones pointed at me. Eyes full of expectation, waiting to see a “crazy performance” rather than concentrating on the music and dancing. Bright lights. Being on a raised stage, without contact to the audience. These are the types of things I don’t understand.
 
What are some of the considerations that go into deciding which track to play next? What makes two tracks a good fit? How far do you tend to plan ahead during a set?
 
I like to spend time considering and planning sets, mainly to have a point of reference. When it comes time to work, I’m free to do whatever I want. When I have picked tracks to play, that I’m excited about, then I try to find an elegant way to get to that point. But too much paying attention to whether or not something fits is definitely not my style - especially being a DJ who is not wedded to one style of music. Of course two songs with similar harmonies and grooves can be a good fit, but isn’t that just boring, tiring, and not much of a challenge?

I love to challenge myself and find it super interesting when I listen a number ahead and think to myself “oh wow, that will be a tough transition, I’ll give it a try!“ Those are the most exciting moments. I love weaving styles and dynamics.
 
Would you say you see DJing as improvisation? As composition in the moment? Or as something entirely different from these terms?

Best case scenario it’s an improvisation that turns into one really grand composition ;) but it really is a craft and it really is labor. You also need musical knowledge and general knowledge of different musical genres and empathy and feeling for people and situations.
 
How do playing music at home and presenting it in the club compare and relate? What can be achieved through them, respectively, and what do you personally draw from both?
 
What happens a lot is the following:

I go to one of my favourite club music record stores and fine a few tunes I really dig. I buy them enthusiasticly .... an hour later at home suddenly the tracks have lost a lot of attraction for me – still I bring them with me to the club that very night and try them out and all the sudden the magic is back again! Then there are songs which mean the world to me which probably would never work in public (I think), but I play them over and over at my house. Maybe it´s the job that makes you wanna have certain music just for yourself and your loved ones?

And then there are those special records, which have both of the above: a euphoric character, but are too intimate and special for big main floors – and those are the ones I am really after. They create an intimate, almost private moment in the club.
 
How would you describe the relationship between your choices and goals as a DJ and the expectations, desires and feedback of the audience? How does this relationship manifest itself during a performance and how do you concretely tap into it?

My goal concerning the audience at my optimal gig is, when I start to feel that it’s a nice, optimistic and positive crowd, to achieve harmony and unison with the audience. To share the rush, look into people’s eyes and smile. When I see the audience dance and radiate their joy I see that they appreciate me. Then it’s super easy to create a wonderful set.

I also love being courageous and experimenting with different types of music. There are tough gigs where I think to myself "hmmmm... no... this is getting to monotonous for me ... people are getting too comfortable on the dancefloor ..." that’s when I crack something open designed to give the audience a pinch and a squeeze - something to excite a reaction :)
 
Especially thanks to the storage facilities of digital media, DJ sets could potentially go on forever. Other than closing time, what marks the end of a DJ performance for you? What are the most satisfying conclusions to a set?
 
I am personally not a fan of recording DJ sets. My problem with it is that the magic elements of the evening disappear. It’s much nicer to know that just a select audience was present to experience such a special night - and others experience another special night. Everyone has had the experience that a tape played at home can’t transport the same feelings that one has in memory. For me the night ends with me laying down the last record. And then comes the next night ... but today’s demands sadly dictate something else ...
 
Art can be a purpose in its own right, but it can also directly feed back into everyday life, take on a social and political role and lead to more engagement. Can you describe your approach to art and being an artist?
 
Art is a vital part of my life. I couldn’t live without art, whether it’s music, painting, literature, or film. Art makes people think and forces them to free their minds. Yes, I see myself as an aritist. In my DJ/Producer trajectory I’ve achieved more than just traditional, functional music and experiences. I’ve created crazy, experimental, poppy, and emotional music and I know that I’ve touched people emotionally and moved them. For me that’s what makes an artist.