MIJA

My music is inspired by where I am and what I'm feeling at the time. Traveling and meeting new people is also incredibly inspiring to me.

Depending on what's happening in the world, what music is coming out, what city I'm in, I do some research on a place I'm going to, get a feel for it, and maybe do something that would be special for that city.

I have to constantly be doing something; otherwise, I don't feel like I'm reaching the level that I should be.

I'm honestly just trying to surround myself with talented people that I look up to/feel like I can learn from.

I want to tour less and make more art.

As humans, we are constantly learning and changing and evolving, and I think that is so beautiful.

I realized you can be the dopest producer technically, but if the songs don't give you emotion, it doesn't matter.

It's taken a while for me to figure out my sound. It's tough, coming from DJing, because you know how things are supposed to sound, but you also don't want to be formulaic about it.

I tend to think that every new song I make is better than the last one.

I started as a rave promoter when I was 17 years old; then I started DJing at 19.

You can't just play a house set for four hours at the Sheraton. You have to be creative and throw in some jazz, some Latin music, and really mix it up.

I'm always pushing myself.

I wasn't good at writing big banger tracks because that wasn't in my heart.

Moving to L.A., I got really into hip-hop and trap music and basically a lot of the sounds you would maybe normally see in a festival, but for whatever reason, I was so involved in vinyl and house at the time, I didn't even know that I liked trap.

I don't ever take anything for granted. I know... people would kill for the opportunity to play on festival stages and whatnot.

I grew up really fast.

I love mixing house and disco with anything bass.

My fans are so open-minded and trust that whatever I'm doing, in whatever moment of time, is the most accurate form of expression that I have to offer them. There are no expectations - only a journey which we all share together.

Middle and high school sucked.

L.A. is such a melting pot.

Music is my greatest love. It is also my first love. But I love a lot of things, including painting, drawing, writing, designing, and more.

I don't think that I've ever really been interested in many other things aside from music and making art in general.

The Internet has given us an unlimited platform of knowledge and inspiration. Sometimes the most efficient way to create a new sound is to cross between genres and experiment with noises/tempos that wouldn't normally go together.

My career was prematurely launched. I didn't have a plan.

The TekLife crew are super dope.