Bloody Mary (Photo: Katja Ruge)

FOR THE LATEST INSTALLMENT OF OUR „ELECTRIC LIGHTS – WOMEN IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC“ SERIES, WE MET UP WITH THE DJ AND PRODUCER BLOODY MARY.

Which music was the first to touch you? What made it so special and standing to you?
Bloody Mary:  When I was a kid, I was influenced by my mother as she was working at the national radio station in France. She listened to a lot of the contemporary music of that time. I guess it was so special to me because I was young and these were some of the first sounds I was exposed to. Still to this day, the music from the 80’s really resonates with me.

Have there been people whose contribution to the development of your musical identity was of special importance?
As I answered to the previous question, my mum played an important role in my musical development. Without her influence, I’m not sure my musical journey would have started in the same way.

Are you able to share the process of evolving your identity with us?
Everything happened organically. I took all my influences over the years and turned them into my own musical identity, whether in my own productions, through the music I play in my DJ sets, or through what I choose to release on my label. Inspiration can come from many places and this all makes me who I am today.

What do you hope to find in music? 
For me, music represents happiness and freedom. This is why I’m so passionate about music production and DJing. Creating and sharing music is the ultimate joy for me. Even when the music is melancholic, there’s always a sense of light in there somewhere. Music relaxes me and I can’t imagine my life without it.

What do you prefer, the seclusive working process in a studio or the live presentation of your music in front of the audience?
And why so?
You can’t compare the two. The time in the studio is for me, it’s quite personal.
The moment my music leaves the studio, it’s not mine anymore. It’s like a record, I share it, and this is what I do when I perform live, I’m giving my music to the audience. I like both, and they are both special in their own way.

What is your ideal place to listen to music?
Anywhere really. There’s different music for different occasions, you can always find the right track for a specific moment. My life is all about music so I enjoy listening to it anywhere.

Bloody Mary (Photo: Katja Ruge)

What do you think sets your “voice” or creative expression apart from other’s?
I think we all have our own unique voice. There are so many steps during the creative process – from writing, processing and mixing – that everyone’s “voice” will sound different at the end. I do what sounds good to me, and I hope it resonates with others when it’s released.

What empowers you or helps you to overcome obstacles and challenges in your work?
My work involves many different aspects as I’m a producer, label owner, live act and DJ. Each one of these roles can at times present different obstacles and challenges. Over the years I’ve learnt it’s good to be patient when it comes to solving problems.

Your most beautiful experience focused on your music?
Taking part in the “sync” panel at ADE. I was tasked with having to create the sound design for an advertisement for Volkswagen. This gave me more confidence with my work as a producer. It’s the moment I realised I can work outside the dancefloor / club sound and make music which appeals to a different audience. From that moment, my perspective of music production changed.

Which music did you buy most recently that carries a lot of meaning for you?
Every time I buy a vinyl, it means a lot to me. To be honest, I don’t give the same importance to a digital file as I do to records. The time spent in record stores actually digging in person is really enjoyable, and it’s this whole process that I still value to this day.

Where did you buy it and what makes it special to you?
My last purchase was earlier this month in Rotterdam at the Pinkman store where I bought a bunch of records. I also made an order on Bandcamp directly from some labels. It’s important to support our local record stores and Bandcamp is also a great way to support labels and artists directly.

What’s a secret guilty pleasure, an idiosyncrasy of yours or something that would surprise people about you?
I don’t know how surprising it is, but I adore chocolate! I try not to eat it too often, but I do enjoy it as a little treat from time to time.

What would be a fantasy venue or event to dj or play live at?
One of the only places I’ve never been, and which I’ve been fascinated by since I was a young kid, is Egypt. I’ve read so much about it and would love to perform a live set at the pyramids, that would be the show of my life. I would love to visit the country and learn more about the culture there.

What is your favorite app/technology/instrument to create sounds with?
My 303. I’m addicted to the sound! I thought I might get over it one day but it’s never really left me.

This interview with Bloody Mary is part of the ongoing photo-project “Electric Lights – Women in Electronic Music” by Hamburg based photographer Katja Ruge and Kaput co-publisher Thomas Venker focused on the role of women in electronic music.
Each photoshoot is accompanied by a short interview, based on a personalised questionnaire. The interviews will be published on the kaput website on a monthly basis, before finding their way into a book.

Bloody Mary (Photo: Katja Ruge)