A self-taught virtuoso, Berlin-based producer and performer Dmitrievna uncloaks new kind of cross-cultural merit in her otherworldly music. Informed by her mixed Czech and Ukrainian heritage, Dmitrievna creates new fusions of sound that have emerged from her diverse background. A clash of love for tempestuous 90’s techno, unceasing trance arpeggios, combined with a bit of a relentless curiosity, Dmitrievna produces striking electronic rave beats for underground clubs all over Europe.
Just three and a half years ago, before she ever began to dip her toes into the psychedelic realm of Eastern European House, Dmitrievna moved to Berlin without knowing too much about electronic music. Now, two years later and not quite a rookie anymore, Dmitrievna plans on taking her dark, hypnotic rhythms to the next level by embodying the physicality of her music through her intuitive, dance-focused sensibility.
DRØME: Tell us about your first performance in Berlin
Dmitrievna: I started performing in Berlin last year. I am just starting out so I can’t say that I was performing in a lot of spaces. It’s kind of complicated because Berlin is a place where there are always loads of parties, and they mostly focus on techno DJs. There’s no many place for performers who you would pay attention to and look at specifically, rather than just dance and lose yourself. There aren’t really regular places or a parties for performance arts, which is really weird to me.
DRØME: In terms of venues, what types of spaces do you feel comfortable performing in?
Dmitrievna: Berlin has more of a focus on electronic and dance music, concerts, especially at big venues, are more for people coming from abroad to perform. Personally, I am just focusing on making new music.There’s a place out there for me for sure!
DRØME: Your name is really intriguing; I’ve come to realize that it comes from your countries of origin. I was wondering, how does your Czech and Ukrainian heritage influence your creative process?
Dmitrievna: Dmitrievna is a name after my father and it would be my middle name in Ukraine. Since in the Czech Republic people don't use it, this name has and hasn't existed at the same time. So I figured it was cool to be called a name that I always theoretically had but never had it in practice. I think because I am a child from an immigrant family, it might have influenced me in the sense that I work towards perfection and want to be sure my results are good.
DRØME: I notice in your music that stomping beats are mainly what drive the rhythms forward, but I find your vocals and lyrics really interesting. Will you talk about that a little bit?
Dmitrievna: I started singing because I wasn't able to create a lead sound that would be interesting enough in instrumental music. I used to write poetry and focus on abstractions so no one who was reading it could understand what really it was about. My ideas and thoughts drift around. I haven't written many lyrics yet, but some of the one I've written focus on the experience with me who perceive me as a sexual object rather than an intellectual person. And self-love, that's a big theme for me right now. In the future I want to make a really unapologetic song that would empower me and hopefully others too.
DRØME: What’s your goal for this year?
Dmitrievna: My dream is to reshape Eastern European arts and music. People tend to see Slav culture and kind of make fun of it. I feel like there’s so much more to explore in terms of artistic styles. There are a lot of great folk traditions that I would like to somehow modernize along with the mythology and history that come with them. In the future, I would like to incorporate those East European elements into my music along with augmenting it with dance improvisation. I want to shoot a music video and start working on my first release.