THE RL Q&A:ISABELLA MASSENET

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When were you first drawn to music?

The main musical experience of my childhood was choir, which I did from ages 9 to 18. That may sound cute and silly, but it was really amazing. It’s called the Capital Children’s Choir, and my music teacher would do these fun and unique arrangements that were unusual for a children’s choir. When I was 9, we sang a version of the song “Chinese” by Lily Allen, who was also discovered when she was in the choir. We would also do sessions at Abbey Road Studios; we would sit in the cafeteria and wait to do our parts. It was fascinating to see the full arrangements. Growing up, music was always something I loved and paid attention to, but it was not something I ever thought I would have the authority to call my thing.

What was your first DJ moment?

I started DJing at home, just for my family. I would plug my phone in so I could play Spotify in the car. My favorite thing was to entertain my parents this way. I first took over the car aux cord when I was 11 or 12. That’s when I started saying, “Guys, listen to this!” I remember driving around London blasting A Tribe Called Quest, and we all loved it. From then on, I started looking forward to car rides, because I thought it was such a fun way to listen to music and to share it with people. It was a very formative moment for me, and it’s what made me decide to pursue DJing eventually.

DRESSED & DISTRESSED

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What was your first DJ gig?

I went to UCLA, and at frat parties, I’d wonder how I could do an arrangement or mix differently. Once I moved to New York, I decided to give it a shot. I started DJing for friends’ parties, and it started to catch on quite quickly through word of mouth. I was just having so much fun and the next thing I knew, I was doing it professionally. I still can’t believe I’ve been able to turn this amazing, fun hobby into a job.

What’s the secret to getting a party started with music?

To start with something fun that makes everyone get up. Ever since I started playing music at friends’ dinner parties, I would think about what to play that would get everyone in the mood to run around and dance, something that would be a mix of fun, hilarious, and exciting. For example, my go-to initially was the Bee Gees. My technique has always been what sparks joy, and the rest of it is about reading the room and trying to feel the emotion—kind of a listening and response.

I’ll go to a place anyone could walk into, like a bar, and I’ll listen and think about what’s being played and take notice. Even if it’s a song I’ve heard a million times, I’ll think about what it is about this specific time and place that makes everyone gravitate towards this song.

WELL HEELED

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What other songs get people to dance?

I play a lot of Jamiroquai, like “Cosmic Girl.” “Space Cowboy” is huge. That one always gets people jumping up on the table. There is this song called “Do the Bus Stop” that’s remixed by Dave Lee. That was always the first song I would play when I first started DJing, and I still love it.

There’s a lot of disco in there …

In 2020, I became obsessed with disco. During lockdown, I watched Saturday Night Fever. At that point, there was no partying, there was no social direction. Disco is a genre that is very friendly, warm, and inviting—it’s like anyone can be part of it. It gave me this yearning to go and play it somewhere. I would play Donna Summer, the Bee Gees, lots of Studio 54 songs. I think people gravitated towards this fun, silly energy; we all collectively just really wanted to dance and let loose. Now it’s shifting, it’s a little more nuanced now. But that has been a massive influence for me.

How do you discover music without falling into the algorithm trap?

It’s getting a song recommendation from a friend, or it’s a song playing in a restaurant that I would Shazam, or a song in a movie. These moments will come once in a while—not all the time—but they go a really long way because then I can fully discover an artist or genre. The algorithm can be a fun tool if you find something new. It can take you into a whole new universe and you think why did you not show me this before? I find myself almost like a music anthropologist. I’ll go to a place anyone could walk into, like a bar, and I’ll listen and think about what’s being played and take notice. Even if it’s a song I’ve heard a million times, I’ll think about what it is about this specific time and place that makes everyone gravitate towards this song. I am always paying attention to how everyone is feeling.

EVERY-DAY TO NIGHT

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Growing up in a fashion family, how much were you interested in fashion?

My mom would talk about it a lot at home; it was very much a dinner table conversation. My mom’s career was growing as I was growing up, so the more successful she became, the more I got to watch from the side. She would come home from the shows with all of these ideas and tell my family and me or dinner guests what she thought. Maybe once a season as a little kid, she would bring me to a show, and I got to sit on her lap, and I loved it. I think it was one of the best parts of growing up. I was so inspired by the creativity, learning how seasons work, why things change so quickly, and what a specific designer means. And then, when I got older, my mom would lend me her clothes. I would go in her closet and just try on all of her clothes and run around by myself. Then, I’d put them back and do my homework.

Tell us about your record collection.

When I DJ, I mainly use a USB. I’m a digital girl, but I have started to really love collecting vinyl. I mainly play records at home, and a lot of what I collect is what I think will fill my space with amazing energy. Some highlights include Technotronic—a club classic from the ’90s. The Brothers Johnson’s album Look Out for #1; my favorite song is “Come Together.” Then there’s Garden of Love by Don Ray. I can’t help choosing an album if it says disco on it! Another is For the Birds: The Birdsong Project by Randall Poster, who worked with artists like Beck and Karen Elson on a compilation inspired by actual birdsong. I’m now slowly building my collection, and maybe one day I’ll start playing vinyl during my sets.

How else are you exploring music aside from the DJ scene?

I’m starting to do runway mixes. But I went to school for literature, and I was always really interested in film. While in school I started modeling, and I didn’t want to let go of that side of my life, in fashion, but I was also curious about other worlds that I didn’t have access to, like film. Now I’m starting to work for a music supervisor in film. It’s so fascinating to see what it takes to get a song in a movie. And it’s such a specific art form for shaping culture. One song on a soundtrack can be talked about for ages.

RETRO SPORT

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