Welcome back to Fashion Rocks, a series that celebrates dapper musicians across the globe. This week we’re featuring Danish model and DJ Ida Daugaard. Ida has some amazing gigs coming up, such as spinning Nightmare on 23rd Street at The Gramercy Theatre, a venue that will host one of the biggest NYC LGBTQ Halloween parties produced by legendary DJ Whitney Day!
For the past 7 years, Ida has played at clubs and venues all over the world, including the biggest stages at:
South Africa tour – with Jennifer Cardini & Jacob Phono
Distortion & Roskilde Festival – Copenhagen
Fiese Remise – B2B with Dana Ruh – Berlin
Mysteryland Mainstage – Amsterdam
Golden Gate, Ipse & Katerblau – Berlin
Culture Box, Vega & Kb18 – Copenhagen
Wet for me – Moulin Rouge – Paris
Kunsthallen & Babel – Stockholm
Hoover & Zoo Friday – Milan
Africa Burn – Cape Town
Proposition – New York
Lightbox – London
Iboat – Bordeaux
Zukunft – Zurich
Ida has also DJ’d alongside heavy hitters such as Dana Ruh, &ME, Rampa, Lulu Rouge, Trentemoller, Jennifer Cardini, Kim Ann Foxmann, The Bug, Andre Galluzzi, Jens Bond, and many other reputable artists.
Currently Ida is in New York working for Wilhelmina Models & Clandestine Artists. Since we will soon get a taste of Ida’s extraordinary talents for Halloween, we thought there was no time better than now to delve more deeply into her music and fashion aesthetics and inspiration.
dapperQ: When did you start DJ’ing – and what or who were your early passions and influences?
Ida: In my late teenage years, I was very inspired by old rock like Joy Division, The Smiths, The Cure, Patti Smith; Kraftwerk and 80’s synth pop like Depeche Mode; as well as late 90’s names like Underworld.
In 2005, I attended my first rave: OPP (Other Peoples Property), an underground warehouse rave in the north of Denmark. Walking through the door, I fell in love with electronic music and everything around it. Ever since that day I have always had a profound love for the twisted dark dance floor. Being extremely passionate about electronic music, I decided to make a living out of it. In 2009, I moved to Copenhagen and bought a pioneer 800 CD player and taught myself to live-mix to perfection. I recorded live-sets in my living room and, after only a few weeks and some mixtapes online, I began a residency at Culture Box, Rust, KB18, and Vega – some of the most known electronic underground clubs in Copenhagen. In 2010, early in my career, I had already played alongside a number of international artists like Trentemøller, The Bug, &ME, Rampa, Dana Ruh, Andre Galluzi and many more.
Traveling around the world for years, I decided Berlin is the place to be. In 2014, I made the decision to move away from my base in Copenhagen. Soon after settling down in my musical Mecca (Berlin), I started playing regularly at my favourite clubs like Katerblau, Ritter Butzke, Ipse, Fiese Remise, and Golden Gate.
dapperQ: How has your work evolved?
Ida: I have developed a lot as a DJ since I moved to Berlin about two years ago. Electronic music is very appreciated among the people in Berlin, which has been inspiring for me. People are very positive, open-minded and interested in music; This has inspired me to wanna do all I can to give them the best DJ sets possible. Berlin also has the best artists from all over the world, playing almost everyday. I learn a lot from listening to DJs and artists that are better than myself.
Ida: My sets have two distinctive sounds: I got a dark, deep, and minimal sound and a chunkier upbeat Tech sound. I’m working on a third sound that is slow, melodic and deep. My Tesselate Mixtape is my first try in this genre.
dapperQ: The relationship with the audience is important for a DJ. How do you balance between giving the crowd what they want and staying true to your artistry? Do you believe in “reading an audience” – and how do you put it into practice?
Ida: Yes i do!!! I always read the audience! I never come with a prepared set. I ‘read’ the vibe, place and people and play what I believe would suit. I also like to follow the flow from the DJ/artist playing before me, when it’s possible. I’m very diverse, but at the same time I always stay true to ‘my sound’ and I think this is important as an artist. I would never play tracks that I don’t like myself.
dapperQ: Music and fashion have always been intertwined. Some of the biggest style icons have come from the music industry, from Gaga, Bowie, Madonna and Beyonce to Andre 3000, Joan Jett, Pharrell, and the Beatles. On the runway, the perfect song has the power to convey the aesthetic of a designer’s work. Alternatively, the perfect outfit or personal style has the power to convey the aesthetic of a musician’s work. How would you describe your personal style when it comes to fashion? Would you say it is influenced by your music? If so, how?
Ida: It differently does. I like alternative music and clothing. I love secondhand clothes and old music. I got two different styles like with my music: a colourful and an all black, simple and minimal style. I love wearing hats and lots of silver jewelry. Sometimes, I wear masculine loose old Levis denim clothes and other times I wear dresses, it depends on my mood.
dapperQ: Has your [fashion] style evolved over the years?
Ida: It hasn’t evolved a lot the last years. But, I remember it did when I came out as a lesbian about 100 years ago. I was very happy when I realised I was gay and I wanted everybody to see that I was. So, I became extremely masculine (or I did my best for it). I also remember I wanted to be accepted in the gay and queer scene in this little town Aarhus that I am from and it wasn’t easy as feminine looking blond girl with long hair.
dapperQ: Who are some of your fashion icons?
Ida: Freja Beha and Agyness Deyn
dapperQ: What is the one article of clothing you cannot live without?
Ida: My high-waste jeans, Tight black Acne or my old loose Levis from the 80’s I can’t decide
dapperQ: In addition to Whitney Day’s Halloween event, what can we expect next from you?
Ida: My own productions and eight hour DJ sets.
Follow Ida:
Facebook
SoundCloud
Inquiries:
For Dj booking request please contact;
Main booker; Berlin: [email protected]
North & South America:
[email protected]
Holland: [email protected]
For all other request contact [email protected]
