[EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] DJ Soda Talks Passion for Music, Personal Style, Inspiration, and More!

Internationally renowned DJ Soda is undeniably never a bore as she transforms into a life-of-the-party vixen everytime she performs, bringing the vibrancy of Seoul nightlife everywhere she goes. She has hit a shedload of big clubs in various Asian cities, not to mention that she headlined the Korea World DJ Festival only two years after her debut in 2013.

In 2017, she performed at the S20 Songkran Music Festival in Thailand, which is considered one of the biggest music festivals in the world.

We at KpopStarz recently had the honor to interview the hip-hop babe DJ Soda, where she shared her thoughts about her music, future activities, who she wants to collaborate with, what inspires her, and yes, even Star Wars!

1. How did you get into EDM? What inspired you to be a DJ?

I have listened to hip-hop starting from a young age and have thoroughly enjoyed it since.

Listening to hip-hop was a form of rebellion against the conservative ideals of my parents. In college, I was a musical major, and there I discovered turntables, where I began DJing as a hobby. Listening to music has always been a therapeutic experience, and I have always wanted to share that with others - DJing becoming a source of motivation! This motivation became a full commitment. The positive feedback and comments surrounding my music have been the highlight of my career and I'm so glad and thankful for the support.

First of all, I would like to mention how surreal it is to have this opportunity to perform with other K-Pop artists. To be able to participate in the final act in this event is an honor and privilege in itself. I plan to perform my newest and unreleased tracks, so I hope you all are excited and look forward to them!

3. So there was this clip revealing your upcoming collab with Lost Chameleon and Ahin of MOMOLAND, and it instantly circulated on the web. How was the experience collaborating with these artists?

I have had the privilege to collaborate with Lost Chameleon multiple times and grew close to him over the years and Ah-In of Momoland is one of my best friends who I often see. However, as Lost Chameleon lives in Greece, unfortunately, we have only met once in real life.

In Greece, (similar to Korea) has mandatory military service - before serving in the military, Lost Chameleon, during his service, and even after his service, we were able to work on this collaboration. I was really happy to work on this collaboration with my friends and I had a lot of fun. My friends are incredibly talented and this collaboration was definitely a learning process from these musical geniuses.

4. Do you have other artists in mind you'd love to work with in the future?

One artist I would love to have the opportunity to work with is Doja Cat. I love her fresh and charismatic voice. To my knowledge, she hasn't collaborated with any DJ artists, and I would love to be the first DJ to collaborate with her.

5. What's the story of your music video for "Shooting Star"? Could you tell us the inspiration behind it? How was the experience filming it?

The story of "Shooting Star" narrates a personal story of SODA's life that came out from a burnout moment. In this period, she was exhausted and stuck in this hole of sadness - only to find happiness in life again through music. I will say there was one scene in the music video where I'm DJing and dancing in the pool, and for that scene, we sacrificed actual DJing equipment and dunked it in water. HAHA.

It was my first time filming in water, and was actually quite difficult. It was really cold and I ended up getting the bad flu afterward - but after previewing and finalizing the music video, it was all worth it and I'm really happy with the results!

6. You're known for your bob and blonde look, but do you have plans to sport a new hairstyle in the future? What's your personal style?

My facial features are on the strong side, so personally, I think that having black hair makes me look a bit intimidating. I've been told that my blonde hair actually makes me look more inviting. That's why when doing makeup, I match my eyebrows to a lighter color to create a "friendly" vibe.

I've been maintaining blonde hair for almost 7 years now, thankfully I tend to have thicker and fuller hair. To this day, my hair is on the healthier side, so hopefully, I can have my blonde bob until I become a grandma. I hope I don't have to continue to dye my hair as a grandma, right? Haha.

7. We learned that you're an anime and Star Wars fan (and you cosplay, too!). Who's your favorite fictional character or hero and why?

My favorite Star Wars character is BB8. I think BB8 is so cute! I love the color orange and the number 8 - and coincidentally, BB8 is Orange and is shaped like the number 8~

Out of all the Droids that come out in Star Wars, BB8 is the fastest and whatever is happening in any scene BB8 attached to the hip to its favorite - my ideal type is someone who is attached to the hip like BB8. Haha

8. What's in store for DJ Soda? Could you give us a hint at your future activities, perhaps a new single?

In the future, I think you can expect to see me on different platforms not exclusive to just DJing. I am planning to collaborate with many other awesome DJs as well and hope everyone looks forward to those as well.

9. Message to your fans?

People often tell me that I motivate them to pursue their DJ career dreams. I'm so grateful and thankful that I can bring positive energy to others with my music!

Thanks to all my lovely fans who always trust me, wait for me, and support me!

Catch DJ Soda's performance at Joy Ruckus Club x Sessions' "KPop SuperFest" on June 20 KST!