It is finally the day that we have our first interview with a real female DJ & Producer and thank god she has the gift and proved herself big time in a formerly man’s world…Opening up for Kraftwerk with Laurent Garnier is something that most artists can only dream about but Xenia Beliayeva had the dream come true in 1997… Xenia is not an easy to enjoy sweet snack, neither as a producer nor as a DJ plus she can sing ,I think there is no end to her talents as she’s also taken her part in the management and promotion side of the things for labels as Playhouse, Klang Elektronik, Mute, Lone Records and Ladomat for many years.

Beliayeva flirts with industrial noise but thanks to her unique voice everything remains in emotion that even long standing cult figures of electronic music such as Nitzer Ebb singer Douglas McCarthy draw on Beliayeva’s mixing skills for the current single for the Fixmer/McCarthy project.

What have been up to lately and what can we expect from you over the next couple of months?
I did a little break, restructured my network, took some time for myself. We bought a little old sailing boat , most of my free time i´ ve spend there this summer. lying around, watching the time goes buy, the sea and the birds. fishing, but I´m always afraid to catch a fish, I just want to fish, but don’t catch one , funny - or ? At the moment I´m working on my album and a monthly radio show for Kiss FM in Ukraine. I did a remix for Fixmer & Mc Carthy´s “ Look To Me” which is coming out next month on Planete Rouge and also three solo singles which will hit the stores soon.
“You Better “ with an Andreas Henneberg + Gino & Snake Plissken Rmx on Notorious Elektro .
Kak Ty / Momentan – Different Recordings ( this is one of my favourites, as both tracks are lovesongs , my heart really belongs to and on “ Kak Ty” I sing in russian (debüt) .
Reihe 5 / Marga – Planete Rouge

What makes a party good & bad?
I guess it´s different for every DJ, I have a good party when I get connected with the crowd, if that is working, I can easily close my eyes on many other things! Bad is when the technical side is not working, broken needles, wrong equipment, limiters where I have to watch any lamps…

Is a DJ a star today? Or does he have to be more than just a DJ?
It ´s not enough to be just a DJ…I hear many DJ´s every month, many resident DJ´s are even better as the headliners, their music selection and skills are great, but they miss character and karma to get into the spot!

Do you sample, use old records, listen to them, or how does your producing process go?
I don’t have a real structure ,I try to use my gut instincts… most of the time, I have a part of the lyrics before the music and the vocal statement makes it easier to find a sound to start with. On some days I just don’t know what to do and some ideas coming up by switching the sounds and hanging around. I spin some records as well to get influenced. When I found a track close to my taste and the current moment…i start using this track as a base…rebuilding it with my own sounds, adding new elements and my voice to it…at the end it´s a totally different arrangement and my own track. It works a bit like recycling.

Which is more appealing to you while djing - to dig out a relatively old track, or play the newest release?
I´m not a newest release player, I have some timeless records and some new ones in my set, don’t think that a good track is loosing quality just because it is out for some months or even years. it´ s all about the balance.

Is it the technique that is important? Or the selection or the looks or the moves?
the combination is important…you can have a real good DJ mixing perfectly one record after the other, with few emotions, just in beat…after one hour you get bored …or you can have somebody playing good records, but moving totally out of the groove. a DJ who is moving his body out of the groove, is really not sexy- believe me!!!…but if you have somebody playing good records, smiling, looking into the crowd, moving with the groove, then a mixing mistake does not hurt, but the all around feeling will be better!

Who is rocking your boat these days and who are your top tips for 2008? /What DJ’s and producers are doing it for you these days?
I ´ve bought all Marascia releases in a row, he is my man this year!

What is the magic hangover cure?
I prevent the hangover, by drinking one alcoholic drink, one water, one alcoholic drink, one water and so on…it works perfect for me!

What non dance music do you listen to in say your car CD or on the stereo in the kitchen?
13 & God, People Press Play, Two Lone Swordsman, Mum, Mice Parade, Adrian Orange, Jose Gonzales…

How do you handle obsessive groupies? (The hot ones)
I just answer friendly, as long as the questions are factual or not too personal or say thank you for the compliments.
If they are really hot, I donate them a drink or a CD.

Then how do you handle obsessive groupies? (The ugly ones)
I don’t have ugly groupies, everybody who likes my music, seems sympathetic for me first, at least because I assume that he has style!

And then how do you handle obsessive groupies? (The guys)
Ha- Ha ! Sending pretty clear signals and observe limits is normally enough!

What’s your best tip for getting money out of dodgy promoters?
If we don’t know a promoter and something seems suspect, then he has to prepay the fee!

Which is your personal favourite track that you’ve produced & why?
I love chocolate. I was ill, exhausted and confused on the day we´ve record the track… it has a special feeling and my illness gave the voice a glamorized effect, I cant repeat that key now. I got a running joke with my producer… he always ask me before I go into the studio if I could get ill

What’s your all time favourite tune?
Pierres Phantasy Club - Got The Bug

If you had to do something different what do you think you would end up doing?
Art & Movies!

How would you want to die?
Without pain, just fall asleep and don’t wake up!

Do you believe a good life is attainable? Or is it something that is out of our control i.e. subject to luck etc.
I think it is attainable and I can control it!

What attracts you most?
Mind games and good food!

Who was your hero as a child?
Tscheburaschka!

What do you do for fun?
Watching Heros or Dexter, meeting friends, sport, music!

If you had only six months to live, what would you do first?
I don’t want to think about that, but I guess I will do it like Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicolson in the The Bucket List!

What are you most proud of in your life?
That I got the possibility to live it my way!

Who do you admire most?
My closest people!

If you had to pick one car, which would it be?
First I have to pick up a driving license!

If you could pick anyone dead or alive to have lunch with, who would it be?
Jim Morrison, Kofi Annan and Björk!

What is the meaning of life?
To search for more meaning!

If you could have one super human power what would you choose?
Mindreading!

Your favourite movie of all time?
Blade Runner!

Favourite Rapper
Grandmaster Flash!

If you could time travel, what would be your first stop?
I would travel to the big bang!

What was your last thought?
Where I would travel to!

Define yourself in 3 words
Lost, shady and lucky!

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
I’m happy where I am!

Click Here to download Xenia Beliayeva’s Top 10

Xenia Beliayeva-Slow Dance @ Tribe 27.04.08 (Sao Paulo )