Sensitivity, Kindness And Respect: KYRUH Is Healing Trauma Through Techno
I was wondering how you danced to music as a dancer, but you danced to different styles of music. What attracted you most to club music in particular?
I think there were things, like it was a sequel. I think because I grew up in a troubled home, I understand traumatized people and I've worked with traumatized people. I have worked with many vulnerable people and young people and continuity, consistency and routine are very important to get out of this trauma and not relive it. So there's a security in the music because you feel it in your body as it falls. It's very predictable, and I think vulnerable people need predictability, and I think cheering, while it might be crazy for some people, is very comfortable, like you're like you. I always wear the same jeans and the same t-shirt, it's my uniform when I go out. And even if the DJ has changed, the music remains the same. There is this comfort in the music. Also, because it's very rhythmic, it's very beautiful for dancing. Come back anyway and deal with vulnerable people, have a place where you feel there is no pressure to do or be anything... If you don't want to dance at a rave, there is lots of options. You can sit outside. If you don't want to talk to someone, you don't have to. There was so much comfort that I haven't experienced in any other scene. And I think it has a lot to do with the type of music and the songs that go together.
You mentioned that you used clubs to escape before the outbreak. Is it easy for you to express it?
Yeah, I think DJs saved me because I love rave and I love that comfort. I am aware that this comfort can easily become a problem for many due to drug use, staying up late and drinking alcohol. I was counting on this pre-pandemic comfort. I felt like I was living two lives. I worked as a day laborer and worked in science, public health and research. But I waited all day to see what would happen. I went to some kind of party almost every night and even if I didn't I would wait until Friday or Saturday when I could. Luckily, I didn't necessarily have a drug problem, but I had this addiction to being around people I didn't know. I was addicted to talking to strangers, it was my favorite thing, and I have this great love for humanity. A lot of this scene revolves around people from different backgrounds, and that fits my personality well. But I lost sight of why I was leaving, I didn't know why I was there and I was looking for something but I didn't really know what it was and I couldn't really find it.
When I started DJing after the pandemic, I remembered why I went out in the first place, and it was to dance, to create beautiful moments. And it was for the love of music. Jack helped me go from something that was getting unhealthy to something healthy, because now I see myself as someone who should be running the party. I take my DJing very seriously, it's more than music for me. I'm here to show people what the illusion looks like in a positive way. My public health history is as follows. It's about finding a healthy way to fit into people's lives, and it's no longer an escape trip. There is a purpose when I go out and my DJ sets are very deliberate. Now I don't go out anymore if I don't like it.
Where was he before, do I hang around?
Yeah, now that that's said, if I don't feel like I can bring positive energy or if I can't accept the people around me, then there's no reason for me to be there. Same with DJs, for me it doesn't start with the set. It starts before the sets and also after the sets. I now have a plan with many collections. Sometimes that means looking at people and seeing how they feel, sometimes not looking at people and seeing how you feel today. Or do you want to play these five songs and tell me where these five songs go? Or the final set of paths is constructed somehow. But in my mind, it starts at home and I try to get to a better place. Then I try to party before my set, I want to talk on the dance floor, I want people to be ready not just for my set, but for the night, and I want to have that positive impact on people . Then, of course, doing shows is very important. Then after being part of shows and raves, I am first a raver, but now I am a DJ and I am a little more in the spotlight. My mom would tell me when she was cleaning it, she would say, well, it's not perfect, but it's better than before. So I think about being in this position and I admire myself. I'd rather leave things than find them. And how I feel about the spaces I occupy, I want to have fun and have a good party.
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I know you've been in production recently. Ho are you doing
I had more fun with him than I thought because I think there was a lot of pressure to produce and he didn't want to do that with me. People say, "When will you be producing and when will you be releasing?" DJs have that pressure, especially when you're going up. But now that I've tried it, I really like it. I like to learn new things. I remember when I first started DJing how frustrated I got when you could sit still for hours and just couldn't do it. But that kind of frustration is really fun when you learn something new, and that's where I'm at. I don't really know where it's going, and it's exciting. When I started DJing, I never thought something like this would happen. I wanted to play a few gigs and I didn't know where it was going, I just knew I was having fun. And here we are, and that's how I see production. Like, let's have fun and see what happens.
Do you see yourself doing this in the long term for electronic music?
I mean, I think I always wanted to be part of the scene in some way. And I'm very open to change, and as long as the scene has me, I'll be there. I think I would like to take up this ministry again when I get older. Whether it's doing music workshops with young people or conferences or round tables... I have this trauma and I have an approach that I call Ravinga trauma-informed. We should treat people with sensitivity, kindness and respect, and you should treat hurt people. So try to be as simple as possible. I like to do both and I like to play shows and I want to keep doing that, but as I get older I want to give back to the community. I think that would be the most efficient way to finish.
A final thought?
I'm very attached to the techno scene, even though I love it and it attracts me, I feel like the scene has always been cold and stoic and when I started DJing I wanted to bring emotion and joy. You see people dancing to house music and funk music and they're smiling and happy and happy. I wanted to bring that energy, but playing music that I love, and it's kind of scary [laughs]. If I have a purpose for all of this, I think it's to bring happiness to something that has traditionally had an air of mystery and mysticism. It was a big deal because I'm quite a bubbly person. People come up to talk to me when I'm done shooting and they say, "Oh, I didn't think you'd be like this." And yes, yes, you can be both, play this music and still be happy.
How would you describe this mix of effects?
I wrote a poem to describe it. It's about kicking, driving.
We are the drum people
So if you see me
Excited and excited on the dance floor
The bent and cracked spine
Suppression of mourning
Do not pause or press
'Cause I'm here to hit it
KYRUH LYDO, DAIYAH, Massimiliano Pagliara, Tama Sumo and Lakuti will close Kelder's main venue for the first time on June 23.
Annabelle Ross is a freelance writer, follow her on Twitter
