An emergent figure in Berlin scene, a DFA records rookie signing her first album Hermetica, the remarkable Perel appears on the line-up of the Innervisions parties and the biggest international clubs. On the eve of his first time behind the decks of Badaboum, we talked about feminism and sexism with an artist full of energy.
What means feminism to you ?
Equality of all gender. Respect and understanding for each other – Actually quite universal values.
What is your vision of femininity ? Do you consider femininity an asset?
I see feminism as common subject, not just something women need to talk about.
I hope a male dj gets the same questions here 🙂
And yes, if it’s an asset for our social and economic development. Absolute essential.
Did you have models of women artists when you started?
I have to admit, my role models had been men primarily. Sure, women like Annie Lennox had been influential at lot, no question. But when it comes to djing, my role models had been men, also because at that time (around 2005) there weren’t much female djs. But who cares – I thought „this is what I wanna do“. So I did it!
What are the feminine personalities that inspire you today in night life / music ?
All female artists!
But I’m also someone who never sees a gender first – I see an artist that inspires.
You seem to have a special relationship with Jennifer Cardini, could you tell us more about it ?
There aren’t may people in this business who have a heart like her! Plus, we like the same kind of stuff and we laugh about the same stupid jokes. She’s so funny! Also, Jennifer is definitely one of those friends you can call in the middle of night if something really bad happened. All that makes me love her a lot!
Do you feel that women’s place in club/night life is evolving? What still needs to change?
I think we’re on a very good way! let’s keep on going. I’m very happy to see how things change for the good of female artists. Always focus on the positive, even though we all know we haven’t reached the right balance yet…
In which country do you feel that things get moving the most in terms of parity in clubs and festivals?
Uff, that’s a very tough and socially complex question. I see very well balanced parties around the globe but also still very disappointing line-ups EVERYWHERE at the same time. So I think in the end, it lies within the promoters’ ability to take care of an all gender balanced line up or not.
Have you ever been targeted by sexist attacks in your career?
Sure, and I talked about it a lot. People who had been a target by sexist attacks should always talk about it.
What kind of situations made you feel uncomfortable in a club?
When people simply don’t dance or don’t care what I’m doing up there. I think every dj experienced those kind of situations.
How do you feel behind the turntables ? What makes you strong? What do you appreciate the most?
I always feel different but in general I’m quite focused, or let’s say I’m in a tunnel unless I grab my microphone and start to sing. I enter another level or dimension then, because my sets turn into a real performance.
So I think the music and the crowd itself make me strong – I love those nights where you really go on a journey together. And the fact that I include my voice makes everything more personal, unique and easier to connect with people. I remember nights, where everyone seemed very tired – me plus the crowd. I thought ‚ok that’s gonna be slow one‘ but then after one hour everything started to be a little bit shakier. So I took the mic and sang. Suddenly my people woke up completely and even started to scream.
What advice would you give to young girls to work in this world?
The same advice I would give to male up and coming artists: Always follow your heart, listen to your inner voice, work hard and stay patient. And don’t care what other people say or do – If this is really what you want to do and it feels right for you, everything will come automatically. A positive vibe is the most important!
What do you think is the most important victory for women in recent years?
Everything! I mean, look where we are now compared to 50 years ago! And every single day is a victory for us, no matter how much injustice we still have to face.
Also, women are so diverse. – Each of us has her own personal goals to reach, stories to tell and something she can be proud of.
