EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW


For Mija, music has always been about connection, evolution, and, lately, freedom. Her recent relocation to Berlin has breathed new life into her sound, sparking a journey of exploration and rediscovery. Moving away from her American roots in house and techno, Mija is now tapping into Berlin’s fast-paced, euro-trance-ins- pired energy—a shift that has been both thrilling and creatively invigorating.


In her latest release, Summer Groove, Mija distills this evolution, crafting a sound that balances her love for playful house with Berlin’s unmistakable edge. The track was born out of an impromptu writing camp with friends Justin Jay and Gusted.


“Last summer, we rented a flat in Berlin for the month of June and had our own writing camp,” she recalls with excitement.


We explored the city and made music until 7 am every day. Justin and I have roots in the American house/te- chno scene but have been inspired by the euro-trance movement happening in Berlin. We love making music that is playful, happy, and uplifting. During our month in Berlin, Justin got an opportunity to send demos to Club Heartbroken.


This sense of spontaneity and collective energy, Mija notes, is what makes Berlin so inspiring—a place where late nights and early mornings blur and creativity feels limitless.


Reflecting on the journey behind Summer Groove, Mija recounts the pivotal moment of its creation. While ex- perimenting with beats, she ducked into a bedroom to record some scratch vocals. When she returned to her friends, they were electrified by what she’d come up with.


“About an hour later, I came back into the room to show what I’d come up with,” she shares.


“The room exploded.”


That same night, they premiered the track on Radio Rudina, where it quickly gained momentum. Within a week, Club Heartbroken picked it up for release.


Mija’s journey to embrace her own voice has also been significant. Her recent track, She Got It, marks another step toward a new chapter.


“After Summer Groove got signed, I was inspired to keep using my voice in my tracks,” she explains.


“I recorded the scratch vocals for She Got It on my pho- ne… I was buzzing and ready to move my life across the world.”


These lyrics capture her anticipation and thrill of star- ting anew in Berlin.


mixmagnl.com 45


“What I love and impresses me the most about these clubs is that the audience reacts more when you play something they’ve never heard before,” she shares.


“There’s no expectation to ‘play the hits’—personal style is more valuable here. I feel like my sets in Europe have been resonating well. The crowds have been wonderful to me and the energy is top. So far the countries that I’ve felt most connected to are Germany, Netherlands, Austria, and Italy. But there are still so many places I haven’t been to yet that are on the calendar for next year.”


The lyrics are exactly how I was feeling during that time. About a month later I was living Berlin and I found the voice memo. I produced the song pretty quickly and offered it to Hot Meal.


But not all of her recent releases are upbeat or ligh- thearted. Her track Nothin, part of BCCO’s DJ Hyper- drive VA, explores darker, more mischievous tones. Describing it as


“a silly antagonizing diss track,” she smiles, adding, “It’s a reminder to take life less seriously.”


Yet, she’s noticed a divide between her American and European listeners.


“Nobody in America wanted to sign this track,” she lau- ghs.


“It wasn’t until I started sending it to EU labels that it caught some interest.” Nobody in America wanted to sign this track. I think it landed in the right place and is aligned with the culture and communities I’m currently exploring. I love sharing stages with DJ Hyperdrive and am excited to be included in the VA.”


For Mija, Europe feels like a place that embraces free- dom in style and sound—where creativity isn’t confi- ned by trends or expectations.


Indeed, moving to Berlin has marked a profound shift in Mija’s creative life. She explains how the city’s in- fluence has expanded her perspective on music and performance.


“Whether it be the people I meet, the meals I’m eating, or the long aimless walks I take—I am experiencing so many new things for the first time,” she reflects.


Berlin’s vibrant underground scene has changed her sets as well, inspiring her to dig deeper and experiment with new sounds.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52