ARTIST OF THE MOMENT: Nicky Elisabeth
The necessity of “good vibes”. A kaleidoscope of collective failures that are globally responded to and with frustration, calling out culture and angry helplessness. Amidst this, feel-good music such as “melodic techno” received a few scratch marks on its skin, most probably rooted in a belief that feeling good is a guilty pleasure. If we think of music as something to hold on to and find hope in, we could free ourselves from this belief and embrace a broader diversity of sounds and artists. Amsterdam based Dj Nicky Elisabeth certainly is an artist that spreads positivity through her sets. They are known for an eclectic track selection that meanders between lightness and depth, being agnostic to any hierarchy on the dancefloor. Whilst growing up in Belgium she started her musical education as a singer but already switched to deejaying in her teenage years. We found Nicky to be a perfect conversation partner to discuss her journey and inspiration but also appreciated her refreshing openness about music as something to hold on to.
Photo by Richard Tas
We’d love to hear from you about how you are doing in the current situation? Where and how were you spending the quarantine?
As someone who thrives on the unexpected journeys and adventures that nightlife brings, the past months have been difficult. With my number one reason to get out of bed in the morning gone, I really had to rethink what I was going to do with all that extra time.
The beginning of the quarantine was quite nice to be honest; with very little stress and time for hobbies. After a month it suddenly hit me… nothing is happening, at least until September. This was the point I also turned to make music again, spending quite some hours in the studio which has kept me going until now
In the sudden absence of any events, what role did music play for you? Social Media was crowded with streams and people heavily producing or learning to play an instrument.
Music is still my main occupancy at the moment. Since the whole crisis started, I’ve spent most of my time in the studio and I must say, I’ve learned a lot. I finally found the time to work on music and got to a level that would’ve otherwise taken me years. This is also the thing I try holding onto, my silver lining of 2020.
How would you describe your oeuvre as a DJ & as a producer from the beginning until now? Can you identify certain phases for yourself?
When I just started out, I played old school house, there was also a heavy techno phase haha. I wouldn’t consider this part of my oeuvre though; more as the discovery of me. About 3-4 years ago I found the style I felt resonated the most with me, but it’s still an ongoing process. As an artist you’re always changing; I’ve noticed my sound is getting more refined but it’s not miles away from things I did three years ago.
Photo by Richard Tas
What is an interview question you really wanted to be asked but never were?
What is a key insight you had in your (musical) career that you would like to share?
That knowing who you are and what makes you tick is the most important aspect of achieving success. It’s like being a bear who thinks he should, like a salmon, swim upstream to achieve its goal. The only thing he’ll find is lots of resistance and permanent wet fur. Once you understand how you function best, you can use this to your advantage and flip the coin in your favor. This doesn’t only apply to music, but to any aspect of your life. Don’t expect to be able to simply copy the ways of people who’ve had success in the past, since they’re not 100% transferable.
Tell us about an artist you really want our audience to discover. What music are you inspired by yourself?
There is this Dutch artist called Baril who I discovered recently and I must say, it’s not often that I’m blown away by the music, but he definitely managed to. If you like lush synths, great grooves, and goosebumps. Go check him out!
I’m definitely inspired by Caribou/Daphni & Four Tet. I love how their music is fun but deep at the same time. Their clean, slightly leftfield sound is also something I lean towards more lately.
Who were the important people on your path that mentored or supported you?
Hubert, my partner, definitely played a key role in my development as an artist. Since day one he’s always been the person to believe in me and make me push through when the going got hard. Next to that, he also inspired me a great deal musically; coming from DJ’ing and producing himself, he mastered skills I was still learning and passed many of those onto me.
The second person is Michel, my music teacher. He’s also a great artist himself, called Love Over Entropy. When I just started out with music production, I struggled quite a bit. Making music means being alone and that hasn’t always been my strong suit. I tend to overthink things and having a sounding board makes that easier.
When I started working with Michel, I suddenly had the chance to talk about my ideas with someone who truly understood where I wanted to go. In a matter of months, I made more progress than in all the years I’ve been producing.
Last but definitely not least, Joe Foxton. We met a couple of years ago during ADE and when he moved to Amsterdam it took about one month before we started throwing parties together. Together we managed to blow new life into Navalon, the brand that I used to run. He’s the person I can always ask for advice, introduces me to all kinds of new exciting music and is always there to support me.
For someone that never saw you playing, what would be the perfect description of your sound?
I always say melodic techno with a twist, and I think I’ll stick to that. Mainly it’s melodic techno but I love to get different styles in there as well.
We also would like to include a small playlist ( a few mixes/ tracks of yours) that you would recommend as a good reflection of your work, for people to dive into and discover.
This is probably my personal favorite mix of all time. It’s a podcast I did for Kompakt last summer, and it matches perfectly with the time of year right now as well.
And a more club heavy mix: