Emmavie and Gina Jeanz. They are my favourite producers right now. Both are extremely good at blending the classic with the contemporary. It’s R&B/so… - Jackie Queens

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!

From inequality, racism, sexism, and discrimination, the answer is endless. However, in light of COVID 19, I have been thinking a lot about the working conditions of people in the music industry, like artists, events staff, promoters, etc. Music workers have little to no rights or security and we operate in a deeply unequal and exploitative system. From that perspective, I’d like to see more attention paid to music workers rights and concerted efforts made by those who have power to change the environments we work in.

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.