"Rising DJs From Abroad" Showcase 09/09/2021
Ladies and gentlemen,
boys and girls,
children of all ages,
today we welcome Zenma - Munich’s own DJ & producer who was playing recently on our "Rising DJs From Abroad" Showcase.
My name is Martin aka Schulzendorf and I am very happy to share with you some secrets about our DJs.
Schulzendorf: When did you start DJing - and what or who were your early passions and influences?
Zenma: I started DJing fairly late. About 2 years ago, just when the Corona crisis started. Not the best timing but it was a good opportunity and plenty of time to dive into music. I had previously quit my regular job in January 2020 to take some time off and pursue other interests such as music.
I have always been fascinated with music, especially ethnic and folk tunes. I used to live in China in my early twenties and I had traveled to eastern parts of China, including Tibet.
My interest in electronic music started way later when I went to Festivals and then Burning Man in 2019. That’s when I discovered a real passion for downtempo and organic house music after hearing DJs such as Mira, Lee Burridge, Patrik Khach, Maga, etc. playing magical sets on high-quality audio systems.
".. my focus changed after visiting Burning Man where I met inspiring artists like Alvaro Suarez and Patrik Khach."
Schulzendorf: For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. How would you describe your own development as an artist and the transition towards your own style?
Zenma: At first, I was into Melodic Techno from famous DJs such as Tale of Us and Adriatique, which I still love. However, my focus changed after visiting Burning Man where I met inspiring artists like Alvaro Suarez and Patrik Khach. Olivier Koletzki and Rampa have also influenced my style.
Schulzendorf: What was your first set-up as DJ like? Which equipment do you enjoy using now?
Zenma: At my home studio, I have a simple Pioneer XDJ RR set-up. I have played on other equipment, but Pioneer is still the most intuitive to me. More important for me is the quality of the sound system - Funktion One and VOID are my favorites.
Schulzendorf: How does playing music at home and presenting it in the club compare and relate?
Zenma: DJing is meant to be for dancers and needs the energy of a crowd, so to me it’s an unfair comparison 😊.
Schulzendorf: Which plans do you have for the future?
Zenma: To produce and release more music and to play at clubs and festivals, including hopefully burning man.
Thank you very much Zenma for your time and happy DJing!
Being fascinated with ethnic music since his early childhood Zenma started to merge modern electronic music with organic instruments and vocals to create deep tribal and organic house rhythms. His first EP Yucatan took inspiration from numerous trips to México and Asia.
As a DJ Zenma transmits his passion for organic house and downtempo music into his sets as he enjoys taking listeners as well as dancers on a rhythmic dance journey. He has played at various festivals and clubs in different countries while calling Munich (Germany) his creative base.
https://www.instagram.com/zenma.music/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/2kgmql7CAfRr5QqbhYrcIJ https://soundcloud.com/zenma_music