BIIA is an electronic music artist who shows an emotional curiosity that is so mirrored in her creative process.She creates a journey of self-expression that blends different approaches of techno. These are energetic and hard-hitting stories that can combine raw, hard, 90’s beats and peculiar sounds with different genres occasionally popping. Her productions express music without boundaries that oozes trippy elements with screaming kicks and sectionally her provocative and conceptual vocals. 

BIIA, disruptive and unappreciative of labels, is a talent that stays true to her artistic vision. BIIA sits down with SIX AM and discusses her journey from early exposure to electronic music, influences like Maceo Plex and Jeff Mills, evolving sound towards techno, and upcoming EP release, with a desire to explore different art forms within music.

 

Hello, thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Where in the world are you these days?

Hi! Thank you for chatting with me. I’m in Barcelona. I live here now. 

Before we talk about your current life, can you share a bit about your background and upbringing? How did your early life shape your musical tastes and interests? What was your first exposure to electronic music, and how did it resonate with you?

Around 14 I used to go to a store that sells DJ equipment and also has a music production studio. I would stay there for hours just contemplating and wondering what all those machines and buttons would do. And that sparked an interest that had been dormant for a while. Marinating in my mind. A few years later I started to go to electronic music clubs, where I also worked and this kind of music became my drug. I was addicted to it till the point I started to ask my dj friends to teach me how to play at the end of the night. I went to university where I studied business management and marketing but being a DJ and producing was what I really wanted to do.

 

What drew you specifically to techno, and how did you navigate through various sub-genres within electronic music before finding your niche?

It was a very smooth process. I started playing more house, dance, melodic music. And with time I felt my body was asking for a harder sound so I started to get a deeper interest in techno. I love a lot of genres but I really feel that techno is my thing.

Who were some of your early major musical influences, both within the techno scene and outside of it? How have they impacted your sound?

When I started to appreciate electronic music I listened a lot to Maceo Plex and Booka Shade and I can definitely detect the influence of their melodies in my music production nowadays. I love when there is a sense of a more deep feeling and nostalgia in the melodies. I used to watch a lot of Youtube videos of Jeff Mills who influenced the way I like to mix the music on my DJ sets. Also artists like Laurent Garnier, Joye Beltram, Chris Liberator have an effect on the way I select my tracks and how I like to build a DJ set and tell a story through it. 

Can you walk us through your creative process when producing music? Are there specific tools or techniques that are integral to your sound? What inspires you today? Are there particular themes, experiences, or trends in the world that find their way into your music?

Usually I listen to a specific sound or melody in a certain music that will inspire me to create something around that. It can be from all kinds of genres and from that I start adding more ingredients that I feel go well with the recipe. I like to create an imaginative scenario in my head where this music takes me and that makes it easier to build all the rest. Usually I always add a symbolic and subtly vocal voice about a thought or experience

 

How do you think your sound has evolved over the course of your career? Are there certain phases or milestones that stand out in your artistic development?

I still like the music I used to play and produce in the beginning when I started and it brings me a more abragent and rich music library and vision. However the harder and faster techno I play now is what makes me vibrate at the moment. But we are constantly changing beings. We can talk in a year and maybe I’ve differentiated my sound a bit again. 

Looking back, what are a couple of your favorite releases from your discography, and why do they hold a special place for you?

“Numbered Procreation” because it was the music that Shaun (Shlomo) listened to and that made him talk with my current agency about an opportunity from me there. And that made me open the market where I play, because before I played mainly in Portugal.
And “Don’t Get Lost in Heaven” which is the music I feel has more impact on people. Maybe because it was made with a lot of symbolism.

 

Could you share a few milestones in your career that you're particularly proud of, whether they were releases, gigs or otherwise?

All the small decisions we take daily help us to reach what we envision. So I’m happy for most of them because I am designing a path I’m proud of. 

 

Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming releases or projects you're currently working on?

Currently I’m working on my next EP that I hope to release in 2024.

 

If you could collaborate with any artist, living or deceased, who would it be and why?

There are so many. I think I would choose someone out of the techno scene so it could be a bit more different. Maybe someone more electronic, darkwave, goth-rock.

Techno scenes vary across the globe. Are there particular cities or regions that you find especially inspiring or influential?

I really like the south of Europe and more Scandinavian countries. Also, I’m really excited for my debut in South America. 

 

Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations as a techno artist? Are there specific achievements or milestones you're aiming for in the coming years?

I try not to think much about that. I like to go with what I feel it’s right or what I want to do at the moment. However, I don’t want to restrict myself to a techno artist. I would like to explore different kinds of art combined in music. 

 

What is a typical weekday like for you?

I try to have a healthy, chill life during the week so I can detox from the weekend and prepare for the next. It also helps me to be more focused on my work as a DJ and producer.

 

I hear a United States visit is coming up, can you tell our readers anything about when to expect it and what to expect?

I hope this year. I'm excited to experience the techno scene there. I feel there is a lot of potential and people are thirsty for it. Wait for me. 

 

Connect with BIIA: Soundcloud | Instagram | Spotify | Resident Advisor | Bandcamp