ketia Curates: Queer Sounds Euro-wide
Ketia by @nonaduch
ketia, DJ, activist, and all-round sweetest pea, joined our resident roster in January this year—a dream come true then and still today. Lisbon-born and Berlin-based, ketia's unique ear for music and community-centered ethos has ascended their career. This summer alone, they've lit up Horst, Unfold, Whole, RSO, Basement, and more of the most significant queer happenings worldwide.
When we asked them to deepen their connection with Joyride by curating for the Joyride mix series, highlighting their favorite queer artists across Europe, it was an easy yes—ketia is all about building community.
Ahead of the first mix from Rotterdam’s DJ Shahmaran, we caught up with Ketia to talk about their artists picks, their take on queer club scenes across Europe, and advice for emerging artists on the cusp of their sonic journey.
Hi ketia! <3
You’ve selected 3 artists from the queer community to be featured in the Joyride mix series. Can you tell us why you chose these 3 particular djs?
I tried to pick queerdos and sweeties from different pockets of the electronic music scene around Europe. Each of them have inspired me in different but meaningful ways. Their sound varies greatly but the 3 of them share the deep dedication in finding and playing music that challenges what is expected on the dancefloor.
The artists are from across Europe and of course you’re based in Berlin - how do you think we could benefit from connecting with other scenes and artists internationally?
As I get to travel more and more around Europe (and the world) I start to notice how singular and stagnant some scenes in some countries can get/be. This means that party goers are expecting a very specific kind of sound and can be closed off to hearing something else. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that but there’s so much music that can be shared in the context of clubbing and more.
So even though international bookings tend to be used as a confirmation to current sonic trends in the global scene, I think bringing international artists can be used to break that continuum and help local scenes hear music they wouldn’t have otherwise, hopefully inspiring people to explore and diverge from the norm.
It was definitely a turning point for me getting to see Eris Drew, Juliana Huxtable, CEM, Tsuzing and many more in my hometown when I was just starting. They made the possibilities on a dancefloor much wider and wilder than I knew before.
How would you describe the queer nightlife in the cities that these djs are based in? Are there any parties based there you’d recommend?
sashatheft and I both come from Lisbon. It has changed a lot over the years. And it’s still a fairly recent scene but persistent. The financial situation is very dire and makes throwing raves almost impossible (we ourselves at kit ket and Kaptcha have basically stopped running events due to this). So I applaud the hardworking collectives pushing through it and still making sure the queers have somewhere to go party on the more regular side.
The other 2 cities I can only appreciate as an outsider. I didn’t get to rave myself in these places, only DJing.
DJ Shahmaran lives in Rotterdam where I got to play three times at what was one of my favourite clubs, POING. I felt very embraced in all parts of my sonic spectrum every time I played (as per usual in the Netherlands).
Lucky Lube lives in Copenhagen where I also got to play three times but every time a different venue and party. It felt very lively, kind and music focused. Each of these gigs ended up becoming references for me in how I want my DJ sets to sound <3
Why do you think it’s important to uplift emerging artists, particularly in the queer music space?
I know many beautiful artists capable of so much more than myself who only a few are aware they make music. People with very fresh and unique prespectives. And this is why I started a label with my co-glitches back in Lisbon. I had too many friends sending me great music that never got released. It is important to continue to uplift these artists with different sonic narratives to make sure they intercept the global scene and guarantee we don’t listen to the same thing over and over.
Is there a particular moment that stands out to you where you were given a platform as an emerging artist?
Honestly all of them. I have been trusted and seen by so many in the scene from the very beginning and I don’t take it for granted. Too many to list but definitely when Boiler Room, after seeing me warm up the mina Boiler room, offered me a Hard Dance edition for my kit ket party series with full curation freedom 1,5 years into DJing (I was 22). Or when Discwoman kindly accepted my request to contribute to their mix series. It connected my music to so many worldwide and broadened my reach in ways I never thought it could.
How do you think the queer music scene has changed or evolved since you started your career?
It’s quite a complex topic to pin down. What I can say is that the raw RAVE energy felt at the most underground raging queer events around Europe back then made huge ripples that can still be felt today. They shaped the current scene and its values. I mean mina in Lisbon, Herrensauna, Lecken and Radiant Love in Berlin, Spielraum in Amsterdam, Endurance and Group Therapy in Copenhagen, Maricxs in Barcelona, HotBox in London and so many more.
Most of these parties either grew immeasurably or stopped running. My point is that these were an answer to a much needed prayer from many queers at a time when they didn’t know each other or how to connect. When going out to the major clubs felt at least unsafe and mostly impossible. They pushed the boundaries of sound and gathering to the point of it becoming the desired standard.
I think what’s changed is that while it became the standard, it feels like every party wants to call itself queer and safe before it even has had its first edition. And I don’t think every party needs to be that to be a good party. What I think is that if you claim your event to be so, you should put in the hard work that the people behind the incredible events listed here put into creating a portal into a Utopia many of us believed impossible. It is no small feat. It takes a lot of work and care. And at best you succeed only for a few hours really. Despite the commodification and the misuse of the ‘queer’ and ‘safe’ labels, it is amazing to see how accessible it became in many scenes to have door selection, non gendered bathrooms, no pictures policy, awareness staff and more.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
If you’re a DJ I invite you to always challenge a crowd with your selection. It’s the way forward. And if you’re a raver, please come with an open heart and ear to the dancefloor. Never expect the same. Someone is trying to tell you something, even if you can’t understand it yet. All we gotta do is listen. Really listen <3
