Dive Into the Mind of Genre-Bending Star KARMÅ

KARMÅ swung by to chat about her roots in the rave scene, her passion for production, her recent trip to Burning Man, and where she’s taking her project next!

A new generation of electronic artists is taking the scene by storm, and KARMÅ is one who has continued to carve out a larger slice of the pie. Before dance music flowed through her veins, she had honed her skills as a pianist and ballerina, leading to performances throughout Southern California. Flash forward to a fateful trip to EDC Las Vegas, which changed her life. She quickly found a passion for various styles of electronic music, all of which she draws inspiration from today.

Recent years have seen KARMÅ make a splash with dynamic releases that showcase her love for a wide range of genres, including trance, techno, drum and bass, and more. This includes some standout tunes over the past few months that include “PERFECT ANGEL BB” with K1TTEN, “RIGHT BACK” with Kingdom Six,” SPACE 4 U,” and a remarkable take on the classic track “AS THE RUSH COMES.” Each production puts this self-proclaimed Ableton Angel’s prowess on display, but also includes her vocals to flex her abilities as a singer-songwriter.

Yet releases are only one ingredient in KARMÅ’s recipe, as her performances have also been fantastic. Not only has she performed at festivals like EDC Las Vegas and Burning Man, but she’s also dominated the decks at nightclubs and underground events throughout California. Each set has been filled with soul-stirring tunes that make dancefloors move, and it’s clear this is just the start for this blossoming talent in the scene.

Looking to gain some added insight into her rise through the ranks of the scene, we caught up with KARMÅ to chat about her upbringing, what led to her deep passion for different styles, and more. Listen to her exclusive guest mix and read on for the full conversation!

Stream EDMID Guest Mix 477 || KARMÅ on SoundCloud:

Hi KARMÅ, thanks so much for sitting down to chat! Before we go too far, let’s take a quick trip back to your dance music roots. Who were some of the first electronic artists you were exposed to and fell in love with? When was the moment you realized you loved raving?

Thank you so much for having me! Super excited for this. I remember so clearly finding Flume’s remix of “Tennis Court,” back in 2014… little 14-year-old me, late at night on my headphones alone while everyone else in the house was sleeping… I must’ve listened to that track at least ten times in a row that night, and then I dove down the rabbit hole of electronic music on YouTube. That was just the very beginning of a long and winding road with electronic music of all kinds…

I remember so clearly getting dragged to EDC Las Vegas (very illegally, having three fake IDs taken away in just one weekend) when I was 17 by one of my best friends. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into, or the beautiful world that was about to open up for me! The best friend in question abandoned me on a side quest, and I was quite swiftly adopted by a group of ravers who asked me if I knew who Kaskade was. Shockingly, at the time, I didn’t, so they took me to his art car set, and I just remember being in a state of absolute bliss listening to all of his most classic songs for the first time in such a colorful environment.

I spent the drive home from EDC cranking his music on repeat, and then from there finding other artists in the dance music community. The rest is pretty much history, and I slowly found my way from progressive house over to trance and techno.

Jumping closer to the present, what led to your decision to start producing music and becoming the Ableton Angel you are today?

Within my first year as a raver, I got the itch that many of us get at one point or another… this thing I love so much was inspiring me to become a part of the experience. At first, that led me to explore my skills as a DJ, starting out on one of those tiny, screenless controllers. I kind of jumped around in the beginning, playing everything from bass house to tech house to trance and even trap. Four-on-the-floor beats wound up being the most inspiring to me, given my history as a dancer long before I ventured into the world of music.

As I was playing around with creating live remixes, there were quite often moments where I would wished I could create more complex mashups on the spot, and so i did a bit of research and found myself downloading ableton. This was back in 2018, and although I had a fair amount of musical knowledge from my previous piano compositions, the software proved rather difficult for me to grasp… I kept getting so frustrated, watching more YouTube tutorials, and then putting it away for months at a time.

The COVID quarantine wound up being the turning point of introspection that I really needed, and in 2022, I applied to a few music schools to see if I could get a scholarship of some sort. I was offered a scholarship, enrolled for a year, and the rest is pretty much history! Structured lessons and homework were crucial for my progression and my confidence in my production skills… I finally learned how to overcome my ADHD and really lock in with the focus necessary to complete musical projects I could be proud of.

A few weeks ago, you posted that you’re trying to bring the emotion of ‘90s and Y2K trance and techno back. What do you love most about that era of electronic music?

I absolutely love the DRAMA! There is so much nostalgic emotion in so many of the hypnotic chord progressions you hear in vintage trance and techno. I absolutely love that, and am super inspired to keep that level of emotion alive in the current dance music scene!

Are there any specific artists or labels you look to for inspiration when creating that sound?

Tiesto’s early releases, vintage Kaskade, and pretty much anything from Armada or Anjuna! I’ve been really enjoying finding inspiration in these sounds, and then flipping them to have a higher energy modern feel, suitable for the incredible sound systems so many of us have access to today!

In addition to DJing and producing, you’re also a singer-songwriter. Do you feel this gives you more flexibility, or even a leg up on other artists, when you’re working on tracks?

It gives me more flexibility and more ways to get inspired! I’m so happy to include vocals in so many of my tracks these days… I really had to get over my shyness and quite literally find my voice before I could get to this point. The first time I explored writing vocals and then actually sang in a studio was in the summer of 2023, and it’s really incredible that so much has happened since then!

You’ve been a frequent face at events throughout Southern California all summer long. What do you feel makes the scene here special compared to others you’ve experienced?

I really love SoCal because it’s where I was born and raised. I’ve been blessed enough to experience many other states and their respective scenes, and I really do love Chicago, New York, Miami, and Arizona, but SoCal will always have a very special place in my heart!

Burning Man seemed like a roller coaster for everyone this year. What were your personal highs and lows? Did your sets go well on the Playa?

I love that you mention it was a bit chaotic for everyone… somehow that seemed to be the case, but we all pulled through with big smiles nonetheless and did the very best we could! The rain was a struggle, my RV’s power never worked at all, and I ate absolute shit in the mud on my bike… but highlights were so so frequent as well.

I was a part of the fire dancer procession on Man Burn night this year, which was such an honor and an incredible experience. Dancing with fire on top of the Mayan Warrior is also such a blast! I was supposed to play three sets this year, but sadly, one of the art cars seems to have evaporated from the Playa… for six out of seven days, no DJ could find them! Both of the sets I was able to still make happen were truly incredible and so much fun. It was really so amazing to meet fans who trekked all across the Playa to come find me and my music!

What are your thoughts on the current state of the dance music scene and the fairly recent emergence of more bouncy genres?

I really love this bouncy trend that’s been making its way from Europe over to the US. The crowds for this kind of music are a blast, the music is fun and lighthearted… I’m all for it!

Your label, Kalypso Records, has been home to your latest releases like “As The Rush Comes” and “PERFECT ANGEL BB” with K1TTEN. Do you have plans for more tunes from yourself and others to come in the near future?

Yes absolutely! There’s not too much I can give away regarding the other artists I am working with currently… but I can say to watch this space over the upcoming year. Many, many exciting things are in the works, and I myself will have many more releases on my label, of course. I really do love retaining creative control over all aspects of my art, whether that be auditorily or visually.

Looking toward the future, where do you hope to take your project in the next five years? What’s your biggest goal/ambition?

I’m very excited to take my music and live sets to venues outside of the US soon. Bigger stages, bigger sounds, bigger crowds… the momentum is building and I’m so excited for what the coming years will bring!

Finally, just for fun, your bio says you collect swords, so I have to know which one is the most prized in your collection.

[Laughs] I do love swords. Fencing was one of the many unusual hobbies I had as a homeschooled oddball growing up. My current favorite would have to be my silver broadsword; the hilt and sheath are made out of dragons, which I am also always a huge fan of. Anything mythical and ethereal is totally my speed!