Berlin-based techno sensation Simina Grigoriu shared recently her brand new remix of Tao Andra single titled “Quiet Woman”. We had an opportunity to chat with her and ask about her style, favorite places to perform in Berlin, running her very own label Kuukou Recordings, and many more!
Hey, Simina Grigoriu! Welcome to CelebMix! For those from our audience who are not familiar with you, could you introduce yourself?
Hi! Thanks for having me! Here I am in a nutshell. Born in Romania, grew up in Canada and been in Berlin for 14 years. I am a DJ, producer, wife and mom and my biggest hits are our two little girls, Isabella and Rosie. I am a circus clown juggling motherhood and my craft while flying around the world and prioritising my time as I see fit. It’s a gong show but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
For how long have you been making music? How did your artistic journey start?
I started producing music in Toronto while working a corporate job. Producing was my every weekend adventure. I would sit around my apartment and learn Ableton by trail and error and when I moved to Berlin in 2008, I took my chances and dove right into techno full time. I am very lucky to have turned my passion into my career. The luxury is not lost on me. I love what I do and I appreciate my life every day.
How would you describe your sound?
Sexy Techno. Peak-time beats with melodic feels. What good is a track if there is no feeling underneath it all? You can four-to-the-floor all you want but we need appeal to the heart as much as to the drum-driven rhythm that make those booties shake.
If you could sum up your style in 3 words, what would you choose?
See above!
You are about to release a brand new remix of Tao Andra’s “Quiet Woman”. Could you tell us more about this work? What inspired you to create it?
Alexandra is a very good friend of mine. My Romania sister from another mister. I am so proud of what she’s achieved and I am honoured to have her on my label. I’ve also produced another remix for her coming out soon on Kaligo Records called “Close”. So my inspiration is actually HER! She is incredible and we need more women like this in our industry!
You are based in Berlin, and we believe you have played on the best stages in the city. What’s your favorite club or festival to play in Berlin?
AHHHH! I despise this question because there are SO many amazing clubs and festivals and this is in no small part due to the vastly diverse and incredibly energetic audience ever-present in Berlin. I love my fans and I would not exist without them. I love playing at Watergate, Ritter Butzke and Sisyphos, to name a few. Berlin is always a great vibe.
Are you currently a resident anywhere? Where can we see your gigs?
Nope—no residency for me. I have a family and I hand pick my gigs. I’ve been doing this long enough to have learned about work/life balance and my commitment is split between both. As for the gigs, RA, FB and my website is where you’ll find upcoming bookings.
You are not only a DJ, and producer, but you also run your label Kuukou. Could you tell us a little bit about that? What are some exciting artists we should check out?
Oooohhh.. we have SO much coming down the pipeline. We now have Dok & Martin on our regular roster as well as DESNA and Torsten Kanzler. Clif Jack is also awesome and our buddy Irregular Synth, both from Italy, have upcoming releases on Kuukou. I also love Noemi Black, Filterheadz and Anna Reusch. So many to choose from!
What artists inspire you to record your music? Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
Jeff Mills, Model 500, Richie Hawtin, Sam Paganini, Adam Beyer, Luca Agnelli, Matador, Nicole Moudaber, Monika Kruse and SO many more.
Please tell us about any exciting news or plans you have for 2023!
I have a ton of new releases on Kuukou, OFF, and many more in the works. It’s too soon to announce but there is so much coming down the pipeline in 2023. I’ll be on the Rave The Planet main float on July 8 as well as a bunch of top line festivals this summer. Stay tuned!