KIKI SOLVEJ
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GET TO KNOW - KIKI SOLVEJ
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Hi Kiki we would love to hear all about your musical background. How did you first become interested in DJing and producing music, and what inspired you to pursue it as a career?
With making music or being with music connected it's hard to pinpoint a “real” beginning. I grew up in a very musical family, my mother studied music and art aesthetics and my father is a priest also surrounded by music. Since a little kid, I loved to think about my own songs, even if I could not write them down yet, and to show them later to my parents. When I was a bit older, I was singing in musicals and as a young teen, I wanted to become a pop star - I was writing songs, singing songs, performing in my room. Later I loved to rap, wrote rap songs, and was sitting sometimes in parks to rap with other “cool kids”. So, long story short: I was always kind of involved in music and its producing. When I got to know Ableton, I was first not continuously working with it. The (of course never ending) learning process can be especially in the beginning pretty depressing with this program (haha). But the more I felt connected to techno, the more I was diving into this music, finding myself in it - I could express, relieve, relax, enjoy, and share everything in it. So I was sure: to live this, to do this for a living, this is what I want.
So I actually also quit my soon-finished master's studies for that. Risky, but I’m happy that I did it - and I felt it was right.
Which artists influenced you the most growing up?
Puh, difficult question. I have had many influences in specific periods of my life. I also was always a dreamer, loved the kind of “weird” but so intelligent, suffering, or independent artists from a lot of genres: from chansons to classical artists, rappers, to rock bands. But later, when I was older and already more in techno, I loved (and still do) the tracks of Nina Kraviz and her way, to give her tracks this very sexy touch.
How often do you listen to music in your personal life? And what do you listen to?
Still a lot! Music can calm you down when you need it, can push you up, can let you dream, create memories, and more. Music is the food for mood I like to say (haha). So it also depends on what I put on.
What has been your favorite place to perform so far and why?
I think my favorites were until now Tomorrowland last year and New Year's Eve in the Ziggodome in Amsterdam! It was just crazy and I loved every second of these crazy big shows. But also the Free Your Mind show in Breda on Kingsday with over 27.000 people was just insane and gave me a big big smile on my face.
How did you develop your style and how would you describe it yourself?
That's changing with the experiences you make, how you feel as a person,.. it kind of comes automatically. That's why I would describe my style as very diverse. I like a lot of things, love to try out, to risk, and to “just do it”, if it feels right.
What kind of releases can we expect from you later in the year?
I actually have already quite a lot of music I can't wait to release. Also some other collaborations with the love of my life. At the end of my private boat party set I play as a last track a disco track of me, called ‘Thunder’. I was quite insecure about its release, but the feedback was crazy and also I listen to it now for quite some time a lot. So this stands now on the agenda for pretty soon :)
As a producer, where do you start, what is your creative process when you are about to develop a new idea?
When I was a writer (I wrote poems, stories, etc, also during my Germanic studies) I wrote the best when I was emotional. I have this with music too. When I'm feeling strong, I can express it the best. But also when I’m hangover - tired, but still smiling from a good party, sometimes I feel like I was bathing in a tub of ideas and it's just pouring out of me haha.
Who are some new talented names on the scene from your perspective? Who do you fully support on their journey as DJs and producers?
I really love Ascendent Vierge and I love their so special style of music. ‘Influenceur’ and ‘Faire’ are two tracks I play and listen to already for very long. I started following their music when they were quite unknown actually. I'm happy that this is changing right now!
What is up next for you? Anything special we should keep an eye out for?
Be ready for lots of surprises!
To wrap it up if you had to describe with one phrase what electronic music means to you, you would say it is…
Feeling the ecstasy you need!
