MUMBAI: The blonde bombshell is back in India all set to make the people dance to her tunes. Registering herself as the only female DJ amongst the top 100 list, Claudia Cazacu gets articulate with Radioandmusic.com about her life as a DJ, the promo party and main Enchanted Valley Carnival that will take place in Aamby Valley in December.
When the organizers approached you for EVC, how did it feel? You are going to be back for the EVC in December. Are you going to try anything new and special for India, regarding your set?
It feels great because I love coming back to India. This is my fourth trip and every time I come back it is a new experience and I love it. I was so happy to know that I could come for the promo parties and return for the actual festival in December.
As for December, Every set for me is special. It will have some classics, some of my own productions and the latest releases at that time. After that it is whatever the crowd wants.
Which are the places you have visited in India in the last few trips?
I have been to Bangalore, Pune, Delhi, Agra and Chennai. I was lucky to see quite a few places. Every time I am here, it has been for short periods of time; 24-48hrs. I try to squeeze in everything because I like to go and visit places. Last time I came to India, I actually took a special tour to see Agra to see the Taj Mahal and it was unbelievable. It is one of my favorite places in the world, I have to say.
With all your travel, is there any country that is left untouched by Claudia’s footsteps?
There are a lot of places I haven’t been to so far. A territory that I haven’t experienced much is South America. I have only been to Buenos Aires and I would love to see more of that place.
Which country has been your favorite so far?
I don’t have a favorite. I probably have a Top 3 that are some of the places that I like more than the others.Like here, we call it Incredible India and you see things here that you don’t see anywhere else. Every place has significance and is special to me in one way or another. As for the top three, I love United States of America. My favorite place in Europe would be Amsterdam and Ibiza in the summer.
How did you get introduced to DJ-ing, especially when you were all set to be finance and banking professional? Tell us about your journey from then to now.
Well, I took this degree for banking and finance. Music has always been a part of my life but I always felt that there was always a piece of the puzzle missing. I used to go out to a lot of clubs in London and soon it became impossible for me not to become part of the scene because the scene had become a part of me. I just fell in love with it and I realized that my place was on the stage, so I bought a pair of decks and that is how it all started.
It is always hard to start something. But you have to work hard and make yourself known, so people pay attention to what you are doing, they probably start liking what you do and the rest just unfolds as it goes.
How big is your track-wallet that you will be using for your performance at Blue Frog?
It is time because it is a USB flash drive (laughs). We have to evolve with technology. And it is great because now I can carry 5000 tracks in one flash drive. I am just going to decide at the moment what I would like to play. I do have a rough idea about what my set is going to contain but you have to read the crowd and decide in the moment also.
Which DJ in India would you like to mix alongside?
What DJ… (laughs nervously). I have played along a few DJs in India in my recent trips and I had great fun. Like I mentioned before, everyone is an individual and has their own way of connecting to the crowds, of presenting their music. So, not a favorite but it is nice to discover new talent
Which has been your favorite gig so far, in the whole of your career?
It is more than one. For example, the Ibiza gigs are amazing because the island is incredible. I love the gig in Las Vegas at The Rain. For me, that party was absolutely crazy; I have never seen a light show like that. I love playing
at the festivals. I did SW4… Every gig is different in its own way.
Who is your favorite international DJ?
There are a lot of people that I really look up to, the real pioneers in the industry like; Carl Cox, John Digweed, James Zabiela, Tiesto, these people are amazing for me. They are such an inspiration and everything they touch turns to gold.
Where does your inspiration come from, when you are mixing in the club?
Well, when I am on that stage, I like to tell a story, I like to express my feelings through the music I present to the crowd. At the same time, I like to read the crowd to see what they would like to hear, this is the whole game. You have to read the crowd and play what they want.
As you know, in India, women face a lot of sexual harassment and eve-teasing problems. You are very hot, too hot to be a DJ. I am sure you get a lot of passes. How do you deal with it? And what advice will you give to other female DJ aspirants from India?
First of all I am sorry to hear what you just mentioned, but, for me, there is no male of female DJ. Everyone is equal. At the end of the day, we are here for the music, not to judge someone on their looks. As long as you work hard, you are good at what you do and you know how to present your assets to the entire world, you shouldn’t be judged on the basis of gender. I personally had no idea about this because I have never faced any problem of this sort throughout my career, being a woman. My advice will be-do what you do for the love of music, forget that you are a man or woman.
What are you plans for the remaining 2013? Anything fixed for 2014?
Gig-wise I have a full diary. From here I am doing the Big Festival in UK, then I am off to Amsterdam for a gig and then I will be coming back in December here. Hopefully the monsoon season will be over by then. I am very busy in the studio, I am working on a lot of tracks at the moment, and most of them are techno oriented because I love techno at the moment. There is the next track in the Quatrain series that is coming out. I am also working on a few collaborations and my Haute Couture compilations which come out at the end of every year. Also, there is ‘Running up that Hill’ Feat. Brian Molko will be coming out and we are just finalizing the release date.
EDM is speedily moving towards being pop culture. Your thoughts.
I think every artist does what they love most. They are all into different genres of music. I have seen crowds responding to all kinds of music from other genres as well. It is just different from one place to another.
What equipment do you use? What are your personal preferences for casual listening?
There is the USB, which makes it so easy for us to travel since we do not have to carry CDs or Vinyls. I use CDJ 2000, 2000 Nexus and the Mixer 800. I have my Mac. I also use Pioneer headphones. When I don’t work, I do not actually listen to music, so there is nothing like casual listening. I am in the studio every day in front of my monitor. So when I am on a break, I try not to listen to music, because I need a break for my ears. When I go to the Gym, and I am probably the only one in there who doesn’t have an iPod.
Your top tracks at the moment?
One would be Ritual by Adrian Hour which is my current favorite. One that is not so recent is Bill by Mario Basanov. I have been playing these everywhere.
What is your idea of “me-time”? What about your “happy place”?
“Me Time” would be going to the gym, or sitting in my pajamas on the couch, watching television and doing nothing. Also, I love walking my dog in the park. I do not get it so often but when I do, I make the most of it.My happy place it is a place that I create in my head every time I want to escape this world, but you are never going to know it because it is my special place (laughs) It is just a happy place, it is like my bubble.
Tell us about your tattoos.
One is on my hand which is the Egyptian symbol of life that is fused with the symbol of infinity, which makes infinite life. It just reminds me that life is awesome, every time I look at it. There is a tribal on my back, which is just a symbol. And then there is one down my spine which says Thoughts Become Things. I truly believe that
Previously, it was sex, drugs rock-n-roll. Now it has become Sex, drugs, DJs and trance music. What would you like to say about that?
It is a misconception that people associate electronic dance music with sex and drugs. I don’t think everyone who goes to the club is under the influence of drugs. You can just enjoy the music without even getting drunk. Well, I guess it is just a famous saying isn’t it (laughs)