Anyone can exist, dance and love as they are with full freedom. - Jackie Queens

Desiree’s debut EP just came out on Bae Electronica, I’m very excited about that. It’s a pivotal release for the label because we’ve been part of her journey from the beginning. From a shesaid.so South Africa perspective, our chapter has a very special partnership with Rocking The Daisies to present the Oasis, a safe space for women and LGBTIA+ festival goers. We’re working extra hard on that right now and it’s one of the things I’m most proud of and excited about.

I looked back at the tracks I’d been listening to on repeat the past six months. Normally, I spend quite a bit of time thinking about mixes or mixtapes, thematically, as well as how to situate the listener in a particular time or place. In the beginning, that was the plan, but then I asked myself “what am I listening to?” I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few classic tunes on there, the Dear Friend DJ SPinna remix is an all-time favourite. Although it’s recently out, I’ve been listening to Desiree’s track for a while now, I love it so much, obviously lucky enough to get dibs on that!

In these different environments, I am inspired by the selflessness, collaborative spirit, and audacity of the people I interact with. Humility is a necessary quality for working with people of varying backgrounds. I continue to learn, not only about myself, but also about the world around me. Even if I won’t live to see the world in full colour, I’m inspired by possibilities. There is a glimpse of the future, no matter how fleeting, when there are small victories.