TSC Behind The Decks | ArKI
Hello Kiki, we are super excited to have you for our Behind The Decks Series. Can you first tell us, who is Kiki and who is ArKI (personal vs professional life)?
Well Hello guys.. Thank you for the invitation, it’s my pleasure! Hmm to be honest you won’t find any remarkable difference between Kiki and ArKI … I mean when I play, during my performance I am being so me..Romantic, spontaneous and always full of energy! Every corner of my body, my soul and my mind is so dedicated to what I do! Music, let’s say is my drug. The one and only! Through music I take the opportunity to express myself. So Kiki is ArKI and ArKI is Kiki!
How did your love for Electronic music start?
I was really young when i realized that this kind of music excites me… I remember my mom putting records on her turntable, which was my first one too as it passed to my hands! I was collecting all the “hot tunes” of each period and recording them on cassettes..and now I can say that have a big collection of them! When I was 19, my first radio show came accidentally to my life..That was the beginning..It was love at first sight :) I desperately wanted to join that world of electronic music, parties etc. so I started playing to some small bars in my hometown Thessaloniki. The more time passed the more I wanted to improve myself. And today here I am giving this interview to you and playing on Saturday the 17th at Reworks festival!
Would you move abroad to focus exclusively on being a DJ and if yes where?
Well this is something that I have on my mind for many years now … I am making my first steps at production. So when I will have something in my hands that it could help me do the next step (probably one EP), I think that everything will roll as I’ve already dream. Barcelona or Berlin are my favorite places to combine a super quality of life as DJ and as a normal person. But no specific plans yet, only dreams!
Dream venue to play at?
That’s a difficult question!I have a lot!! Let’s say that dream crowd is what matters to me!! Take me to an underground club,to a rooftop, to a huge stage, to a beach bar…I don’t care! I need a good booth, the proper atmosphere, the right vibes to exist and … let the music speak! For me this is the success no matter which the venue is …
Which event/s has an important meaning for you and why?
Those events that people is really connected with you are my favorites and are those that i cannot forget. What matters to me is to “touch” everyone at the dancefloor, either are 50 or 1000. Also to Dance with me and feel that energy that i have every time i play …
When and how did your cooperation with the Non Aesthetics crew begin, and has anything changed from then until now?
It’s been less than 3 years, when they approached me as I was playing at a local bar downtown! I started playing to some Non events and officially i became a member last Summer! Through this I had the opportunity to represent my real music profile as I play to big events.Warming up or being the “guest”. For sure everything changed in a good way only and i feel grateful for this.
Can you say if Greek DJs and particularly the Non Aesthetics crew are very well respected and treated with euphoria, because there aren’t so many festivals and club events happening, as per say Berlin, Amsterdam, London?
What I see is a big effort from all of us who really love that music, trying to maintain that scene in Greece and trying to bring as much new things as we can!Representing new projects, enriching the line up and people seems to recognize that and embraces us,in every event. For sure everything we do is with love and dedication. We feel lucky that we can represent our music and there are people who are here for this!
Was the music business and the clubbing scene in particular affected by the political and economical crisis in Greece?
Everything has been affected from crisis! But what I can see is that people need music in their lives. Music is something that makes you put aside all your problems and for sure is the pill for everything. So yes crisis has affected the scene, but not enough to harm it!
Where can you see Reworks going from here, and what is its future?
Reworks exists since 2005! Every year you can see a development that brings it today among to the best festivals worldwide. We are in to the top 10 of the best festivals for September and that makes clear that every year Reworks grows. This year very interesting things are happening through a new project called “We Are Europe”. Through it Reworks cooperates with 7 other festivals in Europe and work together on a common cultural vision. That means more stages, providing access to the public from 8 different countries, offering the opportunity to artists from the Greek stage to present and highlight their work to a wider audience. For me there is nothing more to be jealous from other festivals. It’s future for sure looks brilliant.
As part of the Non Aesthetics crew you are playing again this year Reworks. How do you feel playing this festival?
For me it’s my 3rd participation, and I feel very excited and grateful! I am part of one of the best music festivals in the world and that only makes me wish more and to improve my performance. It has given me the opportunity to represent my music profile..So yes I feel very lucky to play again and I hope this continues in the years to follow :)
How can you describe the reworks crowd and the greek crowd in particular?
Well every year I can see more and more people to be curious about that scene. Year by year I see new faces, younger people coming and enjoying that big event. I don’t know if and how much they are really into it, but for me its a success when after the festival I hear them saying that it was an unforgettable experience and that’s the reason that every year Reworks has more and more followers. Our “greek” music culture is far away from all this scene. Nevertheless I can for sure say that there are a lot of original house music lovers and I can see them. And yes Greek crowd knows how to party!
What would you wish the reworks crew and the music lovers?
Every September Thessaloniki celebrates.We all become one! Let this Reworks for one more year, to be full of smiles, dance till dawn and let the music blow our minds! Wish to all of us who will be there to have lots of fun and enjoy every minute of that fiesta!!
xx A
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Images copyrights The Non Rooftop.
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