NEWSLETTER 2 – DJ ARTEMIS AND DJ NEO
Hello Music Fans,
More and more of you are voting for the Best Electronic DJ in Lebanon...the competition is getting ferocious ! For the ones who were in Beirut
last week, i hope that you did not miss the I-DJ event held at Depo Club, with 5 DJs from the Contest ! All pictures and infos can be found here,
watch out for the next gig ! There will be 3 live events in total to allow you to make yourself an idea of who really is the best DJ, live.
But enough small talk...here come two more contestant, interviewed for you : DJ Artemis and DJ Neo (scroll down for NEO). Stay tuned !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Artemis, an amazon behind the decks !
listen to her MixCloud / Soundcloud
Playing music has always been the only sanctuary to Rima Taha A.k.a. Artemis. Music can be a way to release yourself from the binds of the
world and leave everything else behind, and Rima has been able to offer this gift to the crowd destroying their ties, and refreshing their souls.
She started producing music, adding her very special twist and giving her personal identity to her music. Dedicated to her career, she is
preparing other shows for her crowd in Lebanon and all around the world.
Sacem DJ Awards: Hello Artemis, it is good to see a bit of femininity in this contest, and in the Lebanese scene, don’t you think?
Artemis: Hello, well yes of course it is, and actually female DJs are hard to come by in any city, particularly Beirut, we live in a man’s world here
and none of the female DJs have the chance to improve themselves. Being in a more-of-a man’s occupation is rather enticing and exciting and I
look forward to being in the competition. Who knows, we might turn it into a women’s world.
SDA: Your bear the name of the Greek deity of hunting…what do you hunt for on stage?
A: Well, while on stage i don’t seek to hunt, but rather to share my love and deliver good vibes to people. Artemis used to hunt using a sharp
arrow, now for me; my arrow is made of musical vibes that i throw while on stage.
SDA: What is your musical background?
A: I listened a lot to Pink Floyd, metal and hardcore; jazz, blues and instrumental music. I am also into Chill out / ambient, this music is blended
with positive energy and positive moods.
SDA: What makes your sound unique, if there is one magic ingredient?
A: I play what i feel. I express my best in music, and as Thomas Beecham once said “Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility
and leaves the memory with difficulty, Magical music never leaves the memory."
SDA: Artemis was also the Goddess of wilderness…would you call the Lebanese DJing scene wild? What made its reputation for you?
A: Everything about the electronic scene is actually wild, especially here in Lebanon. And by wild i mean it in a good way. Here in Lebanon there
are many music scenes and each one is different from the other. You have the underground scene in one hand and the commercial in another,
both of them has their own reputation, lovers, listeners and both are fruitful.
SDA: Tell us a bit about where you have been DJing in the past? Do you have a favorite place/venue?
A: I’ve been to several places in Lebanon, played at pubs when I started DJing, then after 2 years I got many offers to play at respected clubs
around Beirut city, I was part of many events as well; played the closing set for Kintar, Javier Medina and many others. I also traveled to Jordan
where I played at one of the most respected clubs there: “G-Club” in Amman. BO18 was and still is one of my favorite clubs and I hope I will play
there soon.
SDA: How do you decide what you’re going to play live? How do you prepare your set?
A: Sometimes solid preparation doesn’t create amazing results. Conditions on the dance floor change from minute to minute, so coming into a
set with a fully planned and rehearsed set could be a hit or a total flop. Without reading the crowd and responding to their needs in the
moment, it could lead to lose attention or at worst, clear the dance floor.
SDA: What's next in terms of gigs and releases? Is everything gathering steam for you?
A: Yeah, it’s all going well. I want to be on the road as much as possible. Production wise, the ideas and the creativity is there, but i am working
to get my studio done. I am working on my first album and hopefully it will be out by the end of this summer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------DJ Neo, a man dedicated to his great job
Listen to him on Soundcloud / Beattunes
"Its always been and always will be about Music. I believe in music as a sacrifice, when being behind the Decks in front of people is your best
feeling ever. I am one of those who consider music a career, a passion, a dream, a feeling of joy and happiness . In a word i consider myself a
clubber before a DJ" Neo
Sacem DJ Awards: Hello Neo, are you that guy from Matrix?
Neo: No doubt that i got some excitement to take the name of NEO from The Matrix , but my main reason is its meaning as Neo means "THE
ONE" , and it is simple to remember.
SDA: Do you also wear your Ray Ban sunglasses as the urban legend about DJs has it?
N: Djing is the only time where i don't wear my Ray Ban! (smiles) , and i believe that Music and reacting to the crowd must be the only trade for
a dj.
SDA: More seriously, why choosing Neo? What “new” do you bring to the local and international scene?
N: Even my mother calls me Neo! I guess every person who DJ as full time job should always seek something that makes him special or unique
from the others, personaly i look for the joy and satisfaction of the crowd through music. I have been following the international big names
through their shows and events to capture what makes them special, and untill now i believe i am quite successful.
SDA: What structured your sound in your musical past?
N: Electronic music production is one of the most growing industry, so one can imagine the quantity of productions and tracks being produced
daily. Following my favorite producers and genres on daily basis gives me the chance to have a wide music library and within it i choose what i
find suitable and most reachable to the crowd. Always look for this small hidden pattern in your set which is your secret weapon! And one of
the most important thing i have made clear is not taking the financial issues seriously. Fees are the last thing i discuss !!
SDA: In a word, how would you qualify your sound?
N: Happy.
SDA: You have radio shows, onlines, live performances…you are quite a hard worker, how do you manage to “renew” your sound between all
these performances?
N: Kiss Me Underground is my monthly show broadcasted on Beattunes and Tunnel.Fm for almost 2 years now, besides my yearly residency in
the club and the events i perform in on monthly basis. For my radio shows i dedicate my best of techno and progressive house tunes to make it
special to satisfy my fans, and since i regularly browse the new music productions, i believe i can always find what is new and fresh !
SDA: Is there one of your performances, being live or show, that you are particularly proud of? Any “magical moment” you could quote us?
N: Every event i do or participate in , is a subject of pride for me, because i have a message to deliver and it has to be perfect production wise.
But there is always a special moment for each one of us, and for me is the time i performed with Paul Van Dyke -even though i am not that much
into his style- From what i witnessed, he is the best performer in terms of technics and standing along a legend and just watching him DJ is a
great experience.
SDA: How do you decide what you’re going to play live? How do you prepare your set?
N: I never prepare what i want to play before my gig. I design a huge analyzed tracklist which i heard and checked before, and i only depend on
the crowd and my sense of being a dj. You have to be with the people and dance on your own beats.
SDA: What does your calendar look like for the summer to come?
N: I have a weekly residency in C Lounge , a rooftop club where i play until 1 am. PC party every first and last saturday of the month. A gig in
Qatar every other month. Twice a week at Le Suite on sundays. Circuite Festival on June 23rd and 24th...