ADE first-timer Mearzie sat with us at the KEF Pop-Up studio at the Nexus Lounge Amsterdam for her first-ever interview. We chatted about her experience at the Amsterdam Dance Event, her background as a trance superfan, and her collaboration with Nick Gunn and Chris Howard.
A Chicago native now living in DC, Mearzie has long been involved in electronic music, having grown up a superfan of all things house and classic trance. Influenced by artists like Armin Van Buren and Ben Bohmer, Mearzie’s music is original and exciting, with the DJ having released several new tracks this year, including “My Heart” and “Wish You Were Here.”
Mearzie tells us that her impression at ADE so far has been very welcoming, which is unsurprising given that the event is always full of familiar and friendly faces. A regular attendee at Miami Music Week, the DJ is glad to be able to cross the ocean and finally experience the event in person.
We ask Mearzie what her thoughts are on sound quality, especially when it comes to figuring out what sort of equipment to use: “The more you play, the more you hear,” she says, adding, “It’s so important to be able to hear all the parts, you have to justice to what you’re trying to achieve.”
It’s been an exciting journey to the decks for this DJ, who was introduced to spinning by her husband after he realized what a huge fan she was of electronic music. But it wasn’t always as easy as Mearzie now makes it seem—the DJ tells us it can often feel overwhelming to get a handle on equipment and settings.
“The humility is unexpected and welcome.”
Mearzie’s latest project is the afrobeat-influenced “My Heart’, a collaboration with legend Nick Gunn that features the beautiful vocal stylings of Chris Howard. The track is warm and blissful, the sort of song you’d want to play on a road trip, full of romance and a smooth trance beat.
Before Mearzie heads to her next ADE event, we ask her to play a quick game of our Nexus Take-5 Series, where we ask our guests a series of rapid-fire questions that range from funny and weird to just plain odd. We won’t get into everything the DJ reveals, but let’s say we’ll know exactly how to find her on the dance floor from now on.
To hear from Mearzie, including her thoughts on the state of trance today and her experience coming up in the music industry, make sure to check out the full-length and exclusive interview below.
