Name: Janina
Nationality: German
Occupation: DJ
Current release: Janina's new mix was recorded at Triplevisions and is published as part of the MEOKO Podcast Series.
Recommendations: Roland 808; La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini

If you enjoyed this Janina interview and would like to stay up to date with her music, visit her on Instagram, and Soundcloud.

Do you think that some of your earliest musical experiences planted a seed for your interest in DJing? How and when did you start DJing?

I started playing at Berlin’s CDV when I was 19, exactly 20 years ago.

Before that, around the age of 15, I worked alongside school in a record shop. That’s where my journey into DJing really began.

Without those two experiences, I wouldn’t be the musician I am today.

Today, DJs are rarely just DJs. Very often, they can be producers who are also DJs or DJs who are also producers. Where do you see yourself on this spectrum and what kind of potential issues and cross-pollinations does this create?

For the past 20 years, I’ve definitely thought of myself primarily as a DJ.

But lately, as my boyfriend and I have been creating a new studio in Ibiza, I feel like I may be moving in a different direction ... let’s see what happens.

What were some of the most important insights you gained from teachers/tutorials, other DJs, or personal experience? What does it mean to be a “better DJ?”

In my opinion, there is no single “best” DJ.

We’re all different, and luckily, that’s what makes it interesting.

For you, is there still listening outside of looking for music for your next sets? If so, what do you prefer to listen to and how does it possibly nonetheless have an influence on your performances?

To be honest, when I’m at home and don’t have to listen to music for work, whether it’s organising gigs or going to a record shop, those moments are golden for me.

Silence gives me space to reset and find new inspiration.

When digging, what are you looking for? Is the process all about taste for you, or is it about “going beyond taste?”

I'll go to the record store and see what happens.

Of course, two or three days before a gig I’ll also go with a more specific purpose, buying vinyl for that particular set.

But it often happens that I find great music that isn’t for that gig at all. You need to stay organised for moments like that, too.

There must be endless ways of “matching” two or more tracks. How do you prefer to do it? What makes two tracks inherently “matchable” and what constitutes a great transition?  

If it all happens naturally and I haven’t planned much in advance, I might only decide on one or two tracks for the gig.

I just open my bag, go with the flow and the energy, and let the rest unfold on its own.

How would you describe the experience of DJing, physically and mentally? Do you listen – and deejay - with your eyes open or closed?

My eyes are open, my mind is closed.

Do you engage with audiences/dancers - and how? Taking one of your online DJ mixes as an example, how does the experience and the way you deejay change when you subtract the audience?

It’s an exchange of energy. If I feel good, people feel it too.

I became a DJ because I’m able to make people happy through my energy and my music. When everything aligns, it feels like a gift from the sky, and that’s exactly why I became a DJ.

Collaboration is a key part of almost every aspect of music making, but it is stil rare in DJing. Tell me about your own views on back-to-back DJing, interactions with live musicians or other forms of turning DJing into a more collective process.

Finding a partner to play b2b or collaborate with is like a gift. When you find someone you can truly share your music with, it’s like sharing your life.

Having someone by your side with whom you can be yourself, open up, and share your music, passion, and life is incredibly special.

How important is dancing for our wellbeing on a personal and even on a societal level?

Music and dancing are like yin and yang, or day and night — one can’t exist without the other.

It’s as simple as that.

Especially in the light of advances in AI, where do you see the role of humans in DJing versus that of technology? Can AI act as a collaborator or creative stimulus?

Not for me, but I’m sure for others, as I’ve said before, we’re all different.

It’s exciting and also a little scary to see what AI is already capable of. We’ll see what the future brings; it’s something we can’t really escape.

AI can be a useful tool or collaborator, but for me, not in the creative process, where feeling and emotion are essential. I’m not sure AI can reach that level.

Tinnitus and developing hyperacusis are very real risks for anyone working with sound. Do you take precautions in this regard and if you're suffering from these or similar issues – how do you cope with them?

Earplugs are essential for me, especially on big stages.

Do you feel as though DJing is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

I have the power to make people happy with the music I collect or produce. It’s similar to a chef or a painter: we create art for ourselves and others, and in doing so, we can bring joy.

Even something small, like making a cup of coffee and putting a heart on top, can make someone happy.

Let's imagine you lost all your music for one night and all there is left at the venue is a crate of records containing a random selection of music. How would you approach this set?

B Sides!