Blu 9, a Chicago-based DJ and producer We has a chance to chat with Blu 9, and we asked her about her music career and involvement in the 23by23 campaign, which aims to increase the percentage of female producers on labels to 23% by 2023. Blu 9 talks about her music influences, her approach to finding the right label for her music, and her creative process for approaching a remix. She also shares insights on crafting DJ sets and drawing inspiration from fellow artists. Throughout the interview, Blu 9 highlights her passion for creating diverse and energetic music, while being part of a supportive community of artists.
Hello BLU 9, welcome to CelebMix! For these of our readers who are not familiar with your music, can you introduce yourself?
Hello! I am Michelle aka Blu 9. I am a dj/producer born, raised and based out of Chicago. I have been a dj in the scene here in Chicago for 15+ years, starting djing when I was 17. Being from Chicago, I started off playing house however the past several years my heart belongs to techno. I’m known as one of the most diverse members of the local music scene. I have always loved music, from an early age. I started to play the violin around age 7 followed by percussion and piano. Someone called me the chameleon because I can seamlessly move through house and techno while bringing significant energy.
Can you tell us more about 23by23 campaign, and what inspired you to get involved?
When Joanne approached me to sign up over a year ago and get involved I immediately said yes. I know how hard it is here in Chicago to be one of the few female dj’s that play consistently and produce music, so to be part of a community that is filled with female dj’s/ producers around the world coming together and pushing and helping each other, it makes my heart happy. I’m grateful to be a part of 23by23 which lent me the opportunity to produce the remix. 23by23 is a campaign started by Sydney Blu and Rebekah. Its aim is to encourage labels to increase their percentage of female producers to 23% (from 5%) or more by the end of 2023. Read more on 23by23.com.To support this initiative, Discord in combination with Native Instruments is hosting remix competitions and demo challenges with some major labels participating in the campaign. It’s been great to be a part of this group.
As a Chicago native, how has your hometown influenced your music and your career as a DJ and producer?
I was heavily influenced by my cousins that were djs in Chicago in the late 90s. They were part of the hard house and progressive house era. I used to sneak into the clubs with them at 16,17 to go dance while they dj’ed. I loved it. I wanted to do that. I used to go dance to Dj Psycho bitch, Teri Bristol and of course Super Jane (Lady D, Colette, Dj Heather and Dayhota). It’s wild. I can call those ladies friends now and work/create with them. Gene Farris is also a great friend and he definitely encourages me to keep pushing. As I mentioned before, the past few years I’ve really focused on techno. Coming from a city of house music, techno is a little harder to find but it’s there. To be able to play and work with Lester Fitzpatrick, Hiroko Yamamura, Hyperactive, Jerome Baker and Microdot to name a few. All have been an influence and contribute to my sound. There is a certain bounce to my techno productions to keep that feel of home.
You’ve released on a variety of labels, including Farris Wheel, Natura Viva, and Phobiq. Can you talk about your approach to finding the right label for your music?
I am very mood dependent. My style changes a lot, in a way to match my attention span sometimes. When I first started to produce, I started off house and kept growing. I moved to more techno and stuck there with a little bit of progressive house mixed in. I love switching gears to keep things fresh and new. A lot of productions don’t get shopped to labels as I keep changing. Only a few make the cut. I am strategic and I will shop to the labels I play multiple tracks from. I love being on a label where all the artists work together as well.
Your remix of Joyce Muniz feat. Demetrius’ “What’s Your Name” is part of the latest round of remixes for the 23by23 campaign on Poker Flat. Can you walk us through your creative process for approaching a remix?
First of all, I was obsessed with the original track. So when the remix contest came about, I jumped on the opportunity. I listen to all parts of the stems. I pick at least 2-3 stems from the lot. A lot of the time, I don’t want to listen to the original track and won’t as I am creating so that I put my own spin and arrangement on it. I put different sequences and pieces in a remix that does say, yes that’s Blu in there.
In addition to your production work, you also DJ regularly. How do you approach crafting a DJ set, and what do you hope to achieve with your sets?
It depends on the show. Typically I am booked as direct support to heavy hitters. I listen to their most recent sets and plan accordingly. When I am direct support, I plan my set to compliment theirs. I am very particular and organized, having a multitude of tracks to create the journey and to mesh with the vibe of the night. It’s a collaborative effort. If it’s more of a solo show or a festival set, I plan a set as a journey and typically 25-30% of the set list are my originals and/or remixes.
Who are some artists that you’re currently listening to and drawing inspiration from?
I have my staples like Nicole Moudaber, Joyce Muniz, Christian Smith, Drunken Kong, Secret Cinema and Chris Liebing. However, I love more underground artists like Lindsey Herbert, Sole Dosi, Dani Sbert, William Artist, Maccari and Vinicius Honorio.
What are your goals for the future of your music career, and how do you plan to achieve them?
I’m looking forward to heavy hitting releases on major techno labels. I’ve worked tirelessly on these productions and to have them be released under big names, I’m beaming. I have 12 releases scheduled for 2023 and my goal is to have 23. I’m halfway there to start approaching mid year. I want to start playing more outside of Chicago as well as outside of the US. I am working with an amazing individual Hesh Donnerstag who is helping me revamp my brand and streamlining my goals so I can keep attaining them. My goal is to move back to Italy as I do have dual citizenship and want to be European based in the next couple years.
Finally, what advice do you have for aspiring DJs and producers who are just starting out in the industry?
I am going to come at this question as a queer female from Chicago and for those that seem to not have someone to look up to. Chicago has a great divide. It feels like we have been pocketed to a neighborhood here. The techno community as a whole here still faces diversity-related issues. It seems, in my opinion, to be getting worse instead of better. Today’s scene is dominated by white cisgender men, which as with house music, techno was invented by people of color. I feel very blessed that I can play all over the city at these bigger venues, but I can’t say the same for some of my other colleagues. Marginalized bodies need to have more positions of power within this community so there are spaces for us to exist. When marginalized bodies see LGBTQ+ and people of color on lineups, it is a rallying call to people that identify as such that they are welcome here. Same goes for being female. You see a female dj as a female, it’s empowering. There is still a ton of sexism in this industry and I still have to fight everyday to be seen and heard. We’ve come far, but have so much farther to go. I think that promoting diversity and intersectionality on lineups has benefits that extend to a space being welcoming and safe to be oneself and dance. As a queer woman, it’s been inspiring since I was a teenager to see queer people celebrating and doing amazing things. To those starting out, it’s not all fun and games. The more you go up the ladder, the more you’ll get things thrown at you. Keep pushing. Take constructive criticism and learn from it. Master your craft and keep learning and growing.