Keeping the children fed, today sees Techno DJ and Producer, Nicole Moudaber drop her latest EP. Entitled ‘What Was / What Is‘ , the double A-side drops just days after her latest triumphant turn, hosting her club night IntheMood in Brooklyn New York. Loverboy catches up with Nicole to talk the spectrums of techno, living in Spain and her collaborations with Skin.
Nicole you are fresh from hosting your InTheMood event in Brooklyn! What made you choose the BK?
Brooklyn is no stranger to me, I’ve been throwing parties here for more than five years now. MoodRAW was the first of the warehouse series I started in New York back in 2015, my open to close at Output and Brooklyn Mirage were truly memorable experiences etched in our minds and hearts. People send me constant reminders as to how it changed their lives emotionally, some even got married on my dance floor! From all walks of life, gay, straight, trans and anything in between, that’s IntheMood and it was SPECTACULAR. We brought it home where it belongs.
Was this your first major gig since before peak Covid?
The first InTheMood was in Los Angeles back in July, but the first comeback for me was during lockdown back in February. I managed to escape Alcatraz – aka London – and went to Bali for a couple of months. I played three parties there with 2000 people, I LIVED. I was aching to see humans again after all this time, yearning to feel the heat again, words can’t describe how healing it was for me on every level and everyone who joined us at Savaya Bali. I returned to the States back in May, my first show was in Austin, and I was very tense! InTheMood NYC and Orlando were beyond mega, it feels so good to be back enjoying each other again, dancing, laughing and being silly. One thing this whole Covid experience taught us is we can’t live without each other.
Totally. As well as these major live events, you’ve also been working on a new EP coming out this week! The tracks are named ‘What Was’ and ‘What Is’. Were these related to life during lockdown and afterwards?
I guess it is related somehow now that you’ve mentioned it. Our emotional being has changed, there’s a shift happening in our collective consciousness, the great awakening is taking place as we know it. What was important to us two years ago is meaningless now. I name my tracks according to my feelings, so you may be right, I must’ve connected the dots unconsciously here.
‘What Is’ feels like the warmer of the two pieces. The more optimistic one. What is your feeling towards each one of them, now they have both been completed?
‘What Is’ turned out to be my transition track into a techno mood during my sets, it sits in between all the deeper spectrums of techno, it works like magic when I gradually pick up the pace in my sets. ‘What Was’ is so fierce, she’s got character, darling!
Haha, that she does! I know you began life in Beirut, but due to the situation there, you moved to the UK although recently you have begun to play Beirut again twenty years late. Is this EP connected to the situation when you left and when you returned?
The situation is terrible in Beirut at the moment, an economic disaster is an understatement, Covid didn’t help either. It’s a real shame to watch a country ruled by corruption fall on its knees, it breaks my heart to be honest. The EP wasn’t related to it as such, it has more to do with my state of mind and given the world situation in general.
I’m a big fan of the Lebanese band, Mashrou’ Leila, and they continue to experience problems with Beirut. I wondered how much of a change you have seen, towards the Arts, since you left and since you began to return. (Also would we ever see a Mashrou Leila collaboration?)
Very possibly! We have been in touch a few times actually, I’m sure we will find a way to collaborate in some capacity. I experienced the same problems as them twenty years ago. I was alone without social media support when I was thrown in jail for a deposition, being a woman in this environment is very tricky. I can just say I totally relate as I’ve been there.
If that collab happens, we want our 10% for manifesting it! Ahaha…On the topic of collaborations, you and Skin surprised people when you collaborated on your excellent 2015 EP, Breed. How did you and Skin first meet and what did you learn from collaborating with each other?
We met in Ibiza actually, we have loads of friends in common. One day we happened to be on a flight back from Lisbon to London and we chatted extensively about creative, art, music and life. I love working with Skin, her voice is just divine, it reaches the depth of every person who’s got sensibilities. She played my InTheMood party in New York a couple of weeks ago and I’ll share a secret with you Loverboy, we’re working on a new track as we speak.
We look forward to hearing that! You built your own house in Ibiza. We are based in Barcelona after moving here from London. How do you feel Ibiza and Barcelona differ in terms of electronic music? Will we be seeing each other at Sonar next year?
GURL!! Building the house in Ibiza is another talk show! I can tell you stories honey! Mamma mia I’ll never forget this experience in my life, I know every industrial warehouse on the island, I’m a plumber, electrician and my God I can polish floors, chrome and wood. And on top of that I was so fit doing all this manual work.
Barcelona has a different culture than Ibiza but someone like me from the Mediterranean can see that our DNA is the same in that region. We have different colours but we are built exactly the same. I’m not sure about Sonar, I wish we can plan our lives like we used to, things are changing every minute as you can see! I am planning to be in Ibiza next summer, I miss my beautiful island. I won’t be going to clubs unless I’m playing but you can find me roaming on a boat somewhere.
When it comes to your looks, you have such an iconic style. How did this image come to be? Who were your style icons as a kid and how has your style developed?
Thank you! I don’t follow anyone’s style really, I wear comfortable with an edge. Following trends makes you a follower, not a trend-setter and I like to think of myself as a leader, I refuse to copy, follow anything or anyone, it’s not who I am. Growing up I LOVED Thierry Mugler, Claude Montana, Azzedine Alaia, Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons, I can go on forever. Style is an attitude, you can’t buy it either, you have it or you don’t and if you don’t, learn to be yourself. That’s style to me.
Tell us about your favourite gigs that you have played for queer audiences. Do you think the idea of Gay or Straight clubs applies so much to Dance music?
Honestly my audience is very mixed, I see more and more at my shows – the fashion freaks, the trans, the gangsters and the nerds. I love the diversity as we’re all one melting pot under the spell of love. Like-minded people, we attract each other from all over the globe, we are on the same frequency. I’m sure I don’t appeal to many out there and that is totally fine with me, I care about MY people, MY Tribe and that’s how we roll in my camp. We are very passionate about life, we are righteous, we stand our grounds and protect the weak. We get on the same frequency organically and naturally, the others will be bumped off, there’s no space for negativity, prejudice, racism, sexism or any low frequency in my camp. I don’t have a favourite gig as such, they’re all unique in their own way.
Lastly we are named after the biggest selling single of 2001, so we always ask, what is your favourite Mariah Carey track?
‘Dreamlover’ brings back so many memories, she is the queen, her voice is insane. This woman has an extra chord no one can reach and it’s very hard to choose from her catalogue. 😉
‘What Was’ / ‘What Is’ are both out now.
