Aleksandra

Aleksandra has peaked on the coveted beatport charts for her production, “Sibling Rivalry” which she co-produced with her brother Jake Chec. She’s opened for the likes of Steve Porter, Alex Kenji and Hatiras. She has been on the same bill as Sasha, Erick Morillo, Hernan Cattaneo, John Acquaviva, Benny Benassi, Paco Osuna, Christopher Lawrence, ATB and Ferry Corsten.

Sameer and Jacquelina caught up with Aleksandra to interview her for Trance Podium.

Hello Aleksandra, thank you for taking the time to sit down with us! How are you doing today?

Pretty good thanks! Super busy as usual, hardly any downtime these days. Boo-urns.

How long have you been playing for and where did you get your start in the business?

I have been playing for over 7 years now. I started when I was 16. I would visit my older brother in Toronto I would play around on his turntables and I quickly got addicted. So I decided to invest in my own set up at home and it all snowballed from that.

AleksandraWhat made you want to use your first name as your guise and have you ever gone by any other name?

Originally when I was choosing what to go by, it was narrowed down to my first name Aleksandra and an alias Reckless Girl. I initially went with Reckless Girl because back in 2002 the trend was to use a more of a creative nickname. I actually surveyed a lot of my friends and acquaintances (Max Graham being one of those people) on their opinion and Reckless Girl won. I decided to go by Aleksandra about 3 years ago because using one’s actual name became ‘favored’ in the scene. I contemplated the change sooner but was reluctant due to the complicated/tedious factors involved with the whole transition process. I thought about combining a form of Aleksandra with an adjective or noun to follow, but decided that Aleksandra was a strong (and long) enough name to be solo. Plus I didn’t want to pick some other word that would be lame down the road haha.

Describe your sound to us and where it's inspired from.

Currently I would describe my sound as chunky, rollin’, phat tech house along with techno and house. I’m very bass-line driven so that’s usually what I look for in tracks. Melodies and tasteful vocals are also things I pursue. I would say it’s inspired from the crowd and my fans and wanting to make them dance and enjoy themselves. I always cater to the crowd/city I am playing at so it’s not unlikely that you will see me rockin’ a techno set to an underground crowd in Toronto, or a more house-driven upbeat set to a more conventional crowd/venue.

You've opened for Steve Porter, Alex Kenji and Hatiras. What sort of feeling and emotion do you exude before hopping on the ones and twos with heavy weights like this around you? Do you ever feel pressured or nervous?

Well first off, it’s an honor and delight to play with any well-established DJ like the ones listed above. I wouldn’t say I feel pressured, but I definitely get a little nervous beforehand but that’s because I want to make sure I entertain the crowd and keep their feet moving.

What venue within Toronto do you feel most at home in when you're behind the ones and twos?

The Gallery and Acid Lounge inside The Guvernment just feel right :). Obviously Comfort Zone is amazing too.

AleksandraMany females are breaking through in the Electronic Dance Music scene. The industry at times to a lady can be overwhelming and hard to break through. What advice would you give our female readers who aspire to be DJs in the scene we have?

Stay true to yourselves. Avoid playing the ‘sex card’ too often or too intensely at the expense of not being taken seriously. Pay your dues, keep practicing and focus on your talent. Play out when you’ve fine tuned your skills because the crowd doesn’t care if you’re a noob (and they shouldn’t); so be on top of your game.

I remember starting out and receiving some good advice to wait 2 years before playing out that way you will be more prepared and have a better understanding everything. Also your skills will be tighter so you will more likely impress and/or receive respect from the crowd and start out on a high note.

Actually, I remember when I started spinning, I did not care to play out at all, my main focus was just on the art itself. I think if one primarily concentrates on the ‘glitz and glamour’ of it all it’s easy to lose yourself. Having a strong foundation will keep you grounded and level-headed.

Do you remember your first gig? Where was it and how did it feel?

Oh ya! It was in Waterloo at the Revolution Nightclub in the Purple Room. It was incredible and I ended up playing there quite frequently (plus it was close to Stratford where I lived at the time and went to high school :P ). I still play there sometimes and I love it because I definitely feel connected to it in a way; plus the crowd brings a very cool vibe.

Finish this sentence: Torontos Electronic Dance Music scene to me is....

Motivating, competitive and constantly growing.

With 2010 around the corner do you have anything you're working on that you'd like to divulge?

Hmm… all I’ll say is “travel” ;) … (and more studio time!)

LINK to article: http://www.trancepodium.com/articles/interviews/aleksandra_interview_442_37.html

- Trance Podium

WHO Being bogged down with fourth-year university commitments, a part-time job as a teaching assistant during the school year, and a full-time summer job at a local radio station hasn’t stopped up-and-coming Toronto DJ Aleksandra from spinning her way to the top. In the six years the high-scoring student has been DJing, she’s played all the major cities across Ontario and landed a coveted residency inside the Acid Lounge at the Guvernment. Also making her way onto more bills at Footwork with her increasingly tech-influenced house sets, Aleksandra is becoming well-known for her party programming, smooth transitions and on-deck creativity. Formerly tagged Reckless Girl, Aleksandra always had an interest in music. Both her parents are professional musicians with master’s degrees in music, so it was only natural she pursue it in some way. She bought turntables when she was 16, but had no intention of playing out — until one night in 2002 at Revolution Nightclub’s Purple Room in Waterloo, which snowballed into numerous repeat offers for gigs. Like any upstart, so much of getting known relies on stellar self-promotion. So when Aleksandra isn’t gigging, promoting or updating her website, she’s squeezing in studio time with her brother Jake Chec to produce their first track, aptly titled “Sibling Rivalry.”

WHAT “It depends on the venue, city and time slot,” says Aleksandra. “My range includes deep house, fun, vocal house, electro and tech house. I am best known for my dirty electro house style, but am expanding more into tech house. “

WHERE July 26 with Steve Porter at Footwork (425 Adelaide W.)

FAVOURITE RECORD OF ALL TIME “That’s a tough one. It’s a toss up between Rachel Star’s ‘Til There Was You (Gabriel and Dresden Remix)’ and The Beginerz’s ‘Reckless Girl.’”

FAVOURITE RECORD RIGHT NOW “Steve Angello & Sebastian Ingrosso, ‘555,’ which can be found on my recent mix Identity Crisis Vol. 2.”

FAVOURITE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW “Sadly, I am on Facebook the most but that’s because I am constantly updating my group and uploading new photos, flyers and videos. When I need a music fix, I head to www.executivemix.com for the latest DJ mixes.”

WHAT IS YOUR MOST SURREAL DJING EXPERIENCE? “My upcoming gig with Steve Porter is pretty surreal to me since he is in my Top 5 list of influential DJs. Also, I’d have to say when I invited my parents to come to one of my gigs — they even came up into the DJ booth! And a few weeks ago, at the Acid Lounge inside The Guvernment, a guy threw a $10 bill on the mixer. He messaged me on Facebook a few days later explaining it was a ‘tip’ and wrote: ‘One of the best tech house DJ's I’ve ever heard. You made my night for sure.’”

DIGITAL OR ANALOG? “Definitely digital. Much easier for my wimpy self to lug around.”

WHAT IS VITAL TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE? “The internet, green tea and brushing my teeth at least 3-4 times. I also spend most of my free time dealing with the business side of DJing which includes updating my website, www.djaleksandra.com, buying new music, marketing and promotions, programming mixes, artwork, etc. I wish I could devote more time.”

WHAT GLOBAL ISSUE CONCERNS YOU MOST RIGHT NOW? “Definitely global warming and climate change. The strange, severe weather patterns we are getting in Toronto are starting to freak me out — what’s 10 years from now going to be like?”

WHAT IS THE LAST GREAT FILM YOU SAW? “I am not the biggest movie buff, but Season 6 of Curb Your Enthusiasm had me rolling on the floor with laughter — the best comedic writing in years, or ever?”

WHAT ACTOR WOULD PLAY YOU IN A BIOPIC? “The charismatic (and not to mention, Canadian) Rachel McAdams.”

WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? “DJing for Dummies. Just kidding. When I get time to read, it has to be my textbooks, catching up on the loads of reading we get. Everything from marketing to international exporting to finance to sociology… very exciting, I know.”

http://www.eyeweekly.com/clubs/djspotlight/article/34216

- Eye Weekly

What music did you listen to when you were younger?

How young are we talking? As far back as I remember hmm… Well growing up, English was my second language and my parents’ third (maybe fourth) so music sort of helped me learn and associate with the language. I loved Michael Jackson (but who didn’t?); the Bad album was popular at the time. I also looooved Queen and also recall having a bit of an obsession with the song “Kokomo” by the Beach Boys when I was 5 or 6, haha.

How did you first get into the electronic music business?

Seven years ago, so when I was 16, I bought turntables and began mixing on a regular basis. My older brother Jake Chec had been spinning for a number of years so he would let me play on his Techs when I would visit him in Toronto. I immediately got hooked which lead to the purchase of the decks. Prior to that, he was already feeding me house tracks and mixes so I was already familiar and in love with the music.

Do you remember where you were the first time you heard house music?

Hmm, I guess like I just mentioned above, it was from my brother introducing it to me while he was in high school, so that means I was in grade school! Wow, time flies!

Are there other DJs you admire?

Danny Howells and Steve Porter – not only for their production, talent and sets, but more so for their incredibly humble, professional and down to earth personalities. I also think Manzone & Strong are incredible DJs and entrepreneurs doing great things for the Toronto scene.

How do you balance being a student and DJing?

It’s definitely not easy, especially with the Teaching Assistant position. It got so busy that I decided to graduate a year later to make my work load manageable (plus, who wants to graduate at the peak of a recession?).

Can you recall a particularly memorable set/night?

Three come to mind. A recent set I played at The Gallery inside The Guvernment which dates June 6, 2009. I had the peak slot, place was rammed, and I just remember having soooo much fun. The set was actually recorded and can be downloaded from my website www.djaleksandra.com for those who want a listen. Second, FREEDOM 2009 at The Guvernment when I spun in the Orange Room; the party and vibe was just wild and it was on my birthday so I had some party hats, woo :P. Also opening for Alex Kenji at the Boom Boom Room in Windsor… actually, that was the night before Freedom! Good weekend! =D

Who would you like to collaborate with?

Regarding the local scene I would say playing a set with Joee Cons would be great because I think our music styles and personalities really complement each other and we could deliver something rockin’! I would also love to get into the studio with Butch, Milton Channels, John Dahlback or Umek; that would be unbelievable.

What do you think the future holds for electronic music in Toronto?

Definitely growth – more partiers, more DJs, etc. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some locals like Carlo Lio go international with all the success he’s been having with his tracks, yay Carlo!

Where would you like to spin in the future?

Um, WMC or Ibiza would be pretty sweet =).

What are you listening to right now?

The soundtrack for Summer 2009 – Pouring Rain. No, I’m actually listening to an edit of my next track “Just a Feeling.”

What do you like to do when you’re not djing?

Hmm this question is making me think… What do I do in my downtime… ha, it’s funny, I guess I sit at the computer and do dj-related things: hunt for tracks, promotion, release mixes, update my website, and play with production, maybe mix a little bit.

What are you future plans?

To keep playing out and to get deeper into the production realm. I will also be graduating this Spring so I guess that’s worth mentioning too :P.

http://alternavox.net/boombox/decks-aleksandra/

- Alternavox