SPOTLIGHT: PAULA
Published March 5, 2023
We’ve known Paula for a while as an excellent DJ and active force in the Danish electronic music scene, especially in Jutland. Impressed by her spirit and talent we thought it right to point the spotlight on her in this interview.
Saturday 11 February you were a crew of some of Aalborg’s finest selectors and DJs who filled our Red Box with incredible vibes and music. Did you recover nicely, and did you have a good time?
I have played at Culture Box a few times now, and it’s been great fun each time. But I gotta say, the night on the 11th was something else. Being able to play together with the Aalborg’s finest plus the crowd that joined us that night, was absolutely amazing. Thank you!
You are currently based in Aalborg and very active both in different electronic music -and other initiatives, can you tell us a little about these?
What many people don’t know is that I moved to Aarhus recently. I lived in Aalborg for 5 years and I, of course, am still attached to this place and hop there from time to time as it’s a base for some ongoing projects. In Aarhus I am actively part of the Soul Clinic collective. Soul Clinic was the crew that kickstarted the Klinik303 parties back in the day, that now has taken off in Horsens again.
But as I mentioned, a few things are still going on in Aalborg for me. I’m a board member of NEMA (North Electronic Music Alliance). NEMA’s mission is to create a home for the electronic music scene in Aalborg by bringing together and facilitating a network for all local actors within electronic music who have lacked a physical meeting point in recent years. We are working to ensure that this meeting point can become a reality, as we are convinced that it will create a better environment for performing artists, organisers, and participants from the local community and that this can contribute to placing Aalborg on the musical map again. NEMA’s vision is to create an electronic venue that must also be a “safer space” to walk in the city. We stand firmly on values such as inclusion, equality, and mutual respect for all individuals. Our vision is also to introduce the “safer spaces” concept to Aalborg’s cultural life.
Besides playing music, I’m very passionate about organising both electronic music- and cultural events. Two years ago I started a cultural event platform, The Undergrowth, together with my friend Rikke Bogetoft Jensen. As an international in Aalborg I saw the need for more curated experiences with a focus on sustainability that not only Danes, but all internationals have access to. We believe that sustainability encompasses both the idea of a greener lifestyle, and sociocultural means of action – issues such as gender bias, systemic racism, and lack of information are all aspects of an unsustainable society. We fight these issues by engaging local artists & experts and curating a space for them to share their resources and knowledge. With The Undergrowth I’m currently part of a one year project that we helped to kickstart together with Teater Massehysteri and IVÆRK og Unges Møde Med Kunsten, and we collaborate with other Nordic countries such as Norway, Sweden, and Iceland. It’s a knowledge sharing project focused on young people and the goal of this collaboration is the dissemination of knowledge & experiences by, and in between, the Nordic youth in an effort to promote social sustainability and normalise experiences across gender, borders and cultures.
The initiative that is closest to my heart is I Land Sound, which is an experience festival in my hometown on an island that ties together music, nature, art and people. It’s a sustainability focused festival which has been created by the pioneers of nightlife, artists and the local community. It is a place and an event one should get to experience at least once in their life.
And last but not least. I joined the Soul Clinic crew back in Autumn last year. They have been focusing mainly on drum and bass events past years, but as the team has expanded, we decided to grow also within the music scene and started doing multi-genre events from this year. In 2018 I started my own music event series called Oh My in Aalborg, which, unfortunately, got put on pause when corona hit. I’m now considering to kick it off again in Aarhus as a house and tech house music event series under Soul Clinic.
How did you get into electronic music in the first place?
I gotta thank my brother, Paap, for it, who is also a Dj, producer, and an event/ILS festival organiser among other things. He has always been a big inspiration to me. He started his journey in the entertainment industry quite young and I’ve been there watching him do great things and learning from him every step of the way. He is definitely the one who introduced and infected me with the joy of playing music and organising events.
What motivates you to work with music?
Music is just magical. Music has always been a big part of my life, and the one key word would be the energy. As soon as I hear music, my body goes to immediate dancing mode and it’s just pure joy.
One reason why I love to dj and, also, organise events is because I want and am able to bring and share that same happiness and energy to the people that it brings me. It overflows me with positivity and this needs to be shared. The latter brings us smoothly to my second keyword, which is community. I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in a place where the community is a big word with high value. Music brings people together and creates a whole new family in your life. It’s just so wholesome!
How do you see the Danish electronic music scene right now?
This is something that I’ve been thinking about a lot. It’s doing okay, but it definitely has still a lot of room to grow as there is potential. The scene is visibly quite different in north and central Denmark comparing to how it is in Copenhagen. I remember being taken a little aback when first coming to Denmark, Aalborg to be exact, and seeing that there was not that much happening as I hoped for. There were, and are, a few crews that have been doing events, but coming from a place where the level of the electronic music scene is quite high up, it definitely took me by surprise.
I’m personally very active and always trying find new opportunities and ways of bringing people experiences through music and culture, but it hasn’t been the easiest ride neither for me, or other artists/event organisers in North Jutland, due to lack of support and venues. I’ve noted that people living in Northern Denmark are also a bit more stubborn when it comes to introducing them new genres as they are too much in their comfort zone and it takes longer time to finally get the support and traction that is much needed. But we’re definitely hoping to make a change and push the electronic music scene with NEMA, in Aalborg.
Do you have any specific dreams for the scene in general? Or for Aalborg and other local environments?
As I mentioned, the association NEMA is working very hard to bring the necessary change to Aalborg. Not only with making the electronic music scene more accessible but also introducing and normalising the safer space policies. This scene has had to struggle in Aalborg, and the hope is that by 2024 we all can be part of a new and exciting journey. But in general, I wish for people to be more open and supportive. Go explore, and have a dance once in a while 😉
You are once again to play for the party concept Klinik 303 at Platform K in Horsens Sat 4 March, what do you look forwad to about this night?
Yes. I was invited back and looking very much forward to it. In Horsens, unfortunately, not that many electronic music events are happening. Therefore, I’m just happy to be able to be part of it and bring the place and people the joy of a good steppin’. There will be a a few different genres of music playing that night, by several great Dj’s, and I hope to see many music lovers to come, have fun, and dance with us.
You have been on a musical journey, moving through different genres. Tell us a little about that. What genres do you enjoy working with at the moment?
It has indeed been quite a journey for me. I have, and still am, listening and playing different genres. I have tried out drum and bass, dubstep, tech house, and more. They all have been good fun runs but I always felt like these genres weren’t truly me. I think it’s important to be able to both enjoy and play many genres as it will grow you as a person and artist. I have found a few genres by now that have stuck with me – afro house, deep progressive house, and melodic techno music are the ones I consider to be channels that reflect my inner universe.
Where do you find your musical inspiration?
I listen to a lot of music, and even if I’m not necessary on the search for tracks for an upcoming event, I always have that scout in me that by default saves tracks/mixes or make notes for later. Though, the biggest inspiration for me would be the experience of an event – being there physically on the dance floor with other music lovers and purely enjoying and listening to the other talented and creative artists. To me, as also an event organiser, it’s not only finding the inspiration for music, but getting inspiration and motivation for the whole shebang.
Any mix or album you’d like to recommend us to listen to?
I will share a mix by MHKL and creations by Calabasa, both who are crazy talented guys and I’m honoured to call my friends. Even though I don’t really play dnb much anymore, I still love some good fast paced vibes in my day, and this mix by MHKL has been my go to for some time now.
When it comes to Calabasa, I’m sharing his whole Soundcloud resume and let you all explore the goods as it’s impossible to bring out just one specific track or a mix.
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