Get to Know Kurei and Her Genre-Bending, Unapologetic Girl Power

Kurei stopped by to chat about the musical influence of femininity and Tumblr, her favorite incense, sober curiosity, a new custom design brand, and more.

Los Angeles-based DJ, producer, and Kyra Collective founding member Kurei has built a name for herself on the premise that industry insiders prodded her to avoid: genre-bending. Now, as genre-defiance inches towards becoming one of the hottest trends in dance music, she sits far ahead of the curve with her ethereal sound. You might find Kurei’s buoyant and infectious energy on full blast behind the decks somewhere in a ripe old dance club or an unfamiliar warehouse. Notably, this past weekend, she took over Detroit’s Tangent Gallery for her first-ever headline show.

Kurei also plays an integral role in LA’s Bass n Babes collective, empowering other women in dance music. She and Auracle, the other half of their unstoppable duo project Sugar & Spice, recently put on a girl-geared heater of a set for Bass n Babes’ Twitch stream for fire aid. Stay tuned for Kurei and Bunny G‘s b2b landing on heds later this month, as well as a super secret, special official remix that’s due up for release on February 13.

It’s safe to say that Kurei has carved a signature niche in dance music that is not only irresistible but also authentic to her aesthetic and feminist values. As this sonic rule-breaker and certified girl’s girl continues to unravel the vibes and vestiges that inform and inspire her sound today, we caught up with her for a chat. Listen to her exclusive mix and read on for the full conversation.

Stream EDMID Guest Mix 456 || Kurei on SoundCloud:

Hi Cece! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with EDM Identity, we are stoked to hear more about what you’ve been up to. Let’s get right into it! Your repertoire ranges in style from house, garage, liquid drum and bass, dubstep, and more. How (or when) did you develop a passion for so many different genres?

When I got into dance music, it was 2013, and I was hooked on the trap wave that was happening at the time. Then I discovered house music with labels like Dirtybird, This Ain’t Bristol, and Night Bass. At the same time, I was also listening to a lot of underground SoundCloud stuff from collectives like Team Supreme, Soulection, and Moving Castle. So, my taste was always diverse, and I wanted to express that in my project from day one. I’ve been told in my career I would see quicker success if I “picked a lane and stuck with it” but I simply can’t do that, I love so many different styles of music and that influence comes through everything I do.

Is there a genre, musical influence, or stylistic trend you are especially excited about right now?

I think the rise of UKG and Breaks in the US is absolutely one of my favorite things happening right now. I’ve loved both of these styles for some time now, and seeing them finally get love over here is so cool to see.

Your Bass n Babes Twitch set with Sugar & Spice had me connecting with my inner girly: singing along while simultaneously tearing up a bit. How do you approach the connection between femininity and music?

I express my femininity through my music. I listen to a lot of styles outside of the dance music world, and I love bringing in influences from different genres like pop, indie, and hip-hop. I was a big Tumblr girlie back in the day, and fusing that aesthetic and style into my productions and sets is one of my favorite ways to express myself in music.

Building off that, have you always felt that way, or has the connection evolved over time, with experience?

Yeah, that’s always been at the forefront of my style, but it’s shown up in different ways over time based on how I’m feeling and where I’m at in my life. Those that have been following me for a bit remember my slutty trap era, which, to me, was more about being sexy, confident, and unapologetic in a male-dominated industry. Lately, things have moved in a more melodic and ethereal vibe, which better reflects this stage of my life and career.

I noticed your story about being one month California sober. First of all, congratulations on that milestone. That’s huge! Was there a specific moment that made the choice a little easier?

Thank you! I honestly feel so much better than I have in a while. Being in the industry, it’s so easy to fall into patterns of consistent drinking and partying. My body has been craving a reset moment, and I felt like the new year was the perfect excuse to jump into it.

What else, if anything, would you like to share about your experimentation with sobriety, especially as an artist?

I usually have to trick myself into doing things I don’t necessarily want to do, so I made the past month a game or challenge in my head, and it helped me find the motivation to get started. Now I’m just seeing how long I can go for because I’ve been in such a better place physically and mentally.

I’ve seen some smelly sticks make an appearance in a few of your Instagram videos. Do you have a favorite incense or smudge, and why?

Oh my god, now I’m just wondering which videos. I love my incense and palo santo; they help me cleanse my space and relax. My current fav incense is this vanilla rose one from my local crystal shop, I literally go through like a box a week.

We’ve heard through the grapevine that you’ve been working on a merch line @madebykurei. What can you share about it? What sparked the idea of doing 1 of 1 drops?

Yes! I’m so excited to get these pieces out into the world! What I can say is that I’ll be dropping my first batch this month. I’ve had this plan in the works for a while now behind the scenes, and I wanted to wait until I had all the right parts in place to ensure this meets my expectations for my vision.

I’ve always been super into fashion, especially custom pieces, so I wanted to make sure my merch reflected that. I’ve done some designs for friends and myself outside of this and love the process of customizing pieces. @madebykurei isn’t just a merch line for my music brand but an extension of myself creatively through a new medium.

Is there anything else that you’d like to share?

I just want to give a little shout out to my friends and team and all the baddies at Kyra Collective and Bass n Babes. Forever grateful for my chosen family I get to create with.