Chloe Lula

"The work that leaves a lasting impression on people doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a slow process"

An interview with Chloe Lula.

When and how did you get your interest in electronic music?

I started out as a rave kid in San Francisco, where I’m from. I would sneak out of the house in high school and go to clubs downtown or travel on the weekends to big raves and festivals.

How did you decide to dedicate into djing?

It wasn’t until university that I started DJing. I joined my college radio station and met a few other people who were interested in electronic music, and we started a record label and monthly event in an abandoned apartment. At that point I was just playing on Traktor on my computer—I didn’t even touch CDJs for a few years after that! I became more serious about it when I moved to Berlin.

What is your criterion when you are dj sets? What inspire you?

I get bored by people who play really rigid music within the same genre for hours at a time, so I try to keep things funky and switch things up where I can. But I’m still pushing myself to be a little more adventurous in my selections!

How do you assess the trajectory you have had and what were the reasons that led you to start it?

I’ve kind of stumbled into DJing and production over the last few years without any definitive goals in mind. I feel really grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve had so far, but I’m definitely at a point where I’m ready to kick things up a notch.

You had a huge touring schedule last year. Is there anything you do to warm up before you go on the road, to get yourself into the right headspace?

I actually don’t feel like I toured around that much! I’m hoping to travel much more this coming year. Before I get on the road, I usually just go over any new music I downloaded so that I can think about how it might sound in a set.

Were there any gigs that surprised you?

A few months ago I played a gig at Bossa Nova in New York. A random person came on stage and tried to start DJing in the middle of my set! She was convinced she was booked to play and had to be escorted out by security.

What was the last track that you heard that really blew you away?

I recently discovered “Scratch to Cash” by Rosa Anschütz. I’ve completely fallen in love with the entire EP.

What’s been the most difficult lesson you’ve learned since you first started your career?

I’ve had to learn to be patient, especially since I’m not a full-time musician and juggle a lot of other responsibilities with my career and graduate school. There are a lot of goals I’ve wanted to hit right away that I’ve realized I need to work towards with time.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

A friend of mine once told me to take my time making music that’s meaningful and thoughtfully produced. I think there’s pressure to churn out albums and EPs as part of this “race” to get more bookings, and it can be a toxic environment to be DJing and making music in. The work that leaves a lasting impression on people doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a slow process.

Could you recommend a set that you are especially proud of it, and that we can see on your SoundCloud or on YouTube?

It seems like the first set I played on Hör has been circulated a lot recently, but I’m also quite happy with the last set I played there a couple of months ago!

What can you tell us about the scene of your city? What would you improve?

I’m living in New York for the time being—there are a lot of DIY spaces and parties here, and I wish there was a similar scene in Berlin. I love the clubs, but a lot of them feel so institutional. I miss the spirit that comes with more intimate parties in unusual locations.

Finally, what can you tell us about your present and future projects?

I’ve mostly been DJing up until now, but my first EP will be out on aufnahme + wiedergabe in the next few months! I have another split EP coming out this year with my friend Ireen Amnes. Going forward I want to do more live sets and work on experimental and collaborative projects like this.