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shedjs: What initially sparked your passion for DJing, and how did you get started in the music scene?
I grew up playing piano since I was 5 and music was always a huge part of my life. I was mostly into old r&b, hip hop and like indie rock kinda stuff, but in 2013 I went to my first rave (when I was only 16) and it truly changed my life. I got super into edm trap with artists like RL Grime, Baauer, and Hucci. Then in 2014 I attended my first festival, Coachella, and that’s when it took over for me. I was obsessed, constantly on SoundCloud digging for new music and discovering new artists to add to my playlists. In 2015 at my first EDC I saw Alison Wonderland, I probably cried at least 10 times during that set. It was so inspiring seeing a girl up there not only playing one of the biggest dance music festivals in the US but absolutely CRUSHING her set. She brought such an intense emotional energy to the stage that I had never felt from anyone else’s set before. She sparked the inspiration in me that I could be up there doing that too. And it was all that I wanted after that point. I got a native instruments traktor a few weeks later and locked myself in my room to practice 24/7. The first night I got my mixer I stayed up until 9am trying to put together a mix and I ended up posting it that day on my soundcloud. I continued to post mixes weekly until I finally got my first club gig doing an opening slot for a night bass takeover in OC. I did so good I got booked again for the same venue for the next week but when I went to play that time my fake ID I had used to get in got taken by security. I was only a couple months from turning 18 then anyways so I took that time to practice more, playing local parties around my hometown and spending the rest of my time crate digging and honing in on my skills. About a year into DJ’ing I was craving doing more. I knew I needed to make my own music to make this a career and I always had a passion for creating. I downloaded ableton and watched every YouTube tutorial I could until I knew the program inside and out. At this point I was so grateful for all those piano lessons my mom put me in when I was little. I kept making music in my room for about a year before going to a music production school in LA that helped me hone in on my craft and dive head first into the industry.
Can you share a memorable experience from one of your performances or events that stands out in your mind?
Oh my god there is SO many it’s so hard to pick, every single time I get to be behind the decks it’s truly such an honor and it makes my heart sing. I think one of my favorite moments so far though has to be the recent b3b set I did with my roommates here in LA for our collective, Kyra. It was the first time we all got to play a show together and the energy was unmatched.
Our set flowed seamlessly and the crowd ATE it up. We were absolutely the highlight of the night and we were the only women on an all boys lineup. It felt so good to come in there and show them all what we can do and prove to them that not only can we keep up in this scene. We can RUN it.
How do you approach creating a setlist or choosing tracks for a particular event or venue?
It usually depends on the lineup I’m playing alongside. I always want to stay true to myself and play what I feel represents me most, but as a multifaceted artist with many styles and lanes that I’m in, I can be a bit flexible and I make sure my set feels cohesive with the artists on the lineup without feeling so similar that it doesn’t stand out. I tend to half plan my sets where I’ll put together a general set list and then freestyle it when I get there because you never know what the vibe of the crowd and energy of the show will be like. I do make some exceptions for bigger shows and festivals when I want to set a very intentional set that tells a story. Like my set for the DJ Mag and Insomniac event I played for RL Grime recently was planned to a T. I spent so much time crafting that set together to fully tell my story through music and it ended up being my favorite set I’ve played so far in my career.
Are there specific genres or artists that have had a significant influence on your style?
Oh yes SO many, like literally tons! This questions always so hard because my style and influences vary so much within and even outside of electronic music. Some of my biggest early influences were Alison Wonderland, Mija, and Cray. Those were the girls that showed me I could do this and all of them had a sort of multi genre, fuck the rules kind of mentality too. They were all paving their own lanes and doing it so gracefully. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. Currently the girls that inspire me are a lot of my peers in the scene, Osyris, Auracle, and Tsu Nami are all amazing friends and such talented artists. Being around them truly helps me grow so much and motivates me to constantly push myself forward in my music. My roommates Bunny G and Baby Kush are also so incredibly talented and driven and they inspire me on a daily basis not only in my music but in my every day life. I’m so blessed to have such an incredible girl gang around me.
In a constantly evolving industry, how do you stay updated on new music trends and technologies?
Honestly it’s so tough in such a rapidly changing environment. I think knowing what’s hot is important to a degree but also staying true to yourself and what you believe in is far more valuable. Trends come and go, they phase in and out and people following them will either be on a constant chase for the next one or they’ll simply fizzle out of the scene. I just do what feels right to me and make the music my heart and soul call me to. As far as technology goes I have my friends to thank for keeping me up to date on all that, I was never a super technically savvy girl and I don’t think I’ll ever be, my strengths in music are more emotional and come through in my writing and composition. But I’m blessed to have some extremely smart friends who help me tons with learning techniques and showing me new plug ins or hardware that can help balance that side for me.
Do you have any advice for aspiring DJs looking to break into the scene or enhance their skills?
Work. Your. Ass. Off. None of this comes easily, put in the work and you’ll see the results. Stay determined and true to yourself, and most importantly believe in yourself. I’m pretty big into spirituality and the law of attraction, and I really believe that your mindset is everything. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will either.
Put out into the universe the energy you want to attract. What you give you receive. Move with love and intention and it will do wonders for you. And for my fellow girls in the scene, please please PLEASE be safe. It can be extremely scary for us here a lot of the time, stick together, pay attention to your surroundings at all times and always look out for each other.
What's next for you in terms of projects, collaborations, or upcoming gigs?
I’m currently working on my first ever full length album, I’ve written a handful of EP’s over the last couple years but recently I felt called to write a complete story to my journey. This is going to be so different from anything anyone’s ever heard from me, as are most of my other singles coming out throughout this year as well. I’m honestly a bit tired of writing dancefloor bangers and am craving the detailed storytelling that comes with more drawn out and intricate works; there will definitely still be some club hits but it won’t be the entire focus anymore. On top of that I’ve been working tirelessly at growing and pushing forward Kyra Collective, a women’s music group myself and a few friends started last year, be on the lookout for sample sample packs, a showcase mix series from all our girls and a compilation by the end of the year; as well as many more takeover shows. As for personal gigs aside from what’s been announced already, I can’t really say too much but just keep an eye out for some upcoming festival lineups, you might just see me on there.