Additional Information
A guest at Piknic Electronik on May 22nd as an opener for Deborah de Luca, Alexa Borzyk continues her ascent on the Montreal techno scene, and soon on the international scene. Why soon? Because her appearance at Parc-Jean-Drapeau was her last date before moving to Europe, to Berlin to be precise, for a year. Before settling down in the German capital, the DJ will have the chance to perform at Tomorrowland (Boom, Belgium) this summer, one of the biggest EDM festivals on the old continent.
With just a few days to go, PAN M 360 caught up with the Montreal producer to discuss her time at Piknic and the different facets of her career as an artist.
Photograph copyright : Kevin Millet
PAN M 360 : What was your experience at Piknic this year?
Alexa Borzyk : It was different from other years because I played a style that’s not what I’m used to, to adapt to the sound identity of the artists I was playing with. It was melodic techno, whereas I’m more on the techno side.
PAN M 360 : Does Piknic Electronik have any special significance for you?
Alexa Borzyk : Not only is this my third time DJing at Piknic, it’s also one of the first events I attended when I discovered the Montreal electronic scene.
PAN M 360 : Speaking of discovering the Montreal scene, have you always lived in Montreal?
Alexa Borzyk : I grew up in Montreal, having moved here when I was twelve. Before that, I spent my whole life in Quebec City.
PAN M 360 : Tell me about your musical background.
Alexa Borzyk : I started learning the violin at the age of 8, then I also played a bit of guitar when I was a teenager, around 15. I discovered electronic music around the age of 17 thanks to one of my best friends, who was a promoter in this field.
PAN M 360 : What inspired you to take the plunge and become a DJ and producer?
Alexa Borzyk : My friend was a promoter, but she was also a DJ and organized parties that I attended. That’s when I decided to teach myself how to mix. Production came a bit later. Before that, I was more involved in promoting and organizing techno events in Montreal. I’ve been active in production for about 3 years now.
PAN M 360 : Can you tell us more about the events you organized?
Alexa Borzyk : I organized my first event in 2018. It was a small party at the Blue Dog bar. Then I organized another event in collaboration with several collectives, called “Reflection”, which was a different concept in Montreal, it was done at Entrepôts Dominions in 2019, we invited Stéphanie Sykes for the occasion. Then I organized my second event at the end of 2019, with VTSS, at Livart, then I stopped.
PAN M 360 : Why didn’t you continue organizing events?
Alexa Borzyk : When I started out, I didn’t have much experience and I put a lot of pressure on myself, which was sometimes difficult to manage. When the pandemic hit, it also affected my priorities and what I really wanted to do. I had to deal with burnout and financial problems. I preferred to concentrate on production.
PAN M 360 : What about your work as a producer ?
Alexa Borzych : I spend a lot of my time at home producing. I work mainly digitally, with VSTs and samples on Ableton Live. I mainly produce techno, sometimes a bit of pop or hip-hop. I feel that to be creative I need to take a step aside and try to do something other than techno, it really feeds my creativity.
PAN M 360 : This summer you’ll be playing at Tomorrowland in Boom, Belgium, one of the biggest EDM festivals in Europe.
Alexa Borzych : Yes, it all started with the Coïncidence label, based in Belgium, to which I’m signed. I released my first EP, Under The Temple in 2022. I knew that Coïncidence had a stage at Tomorrowland, but I didn’t necessarily expect them to ask me to play there. It’s my first time playing outside Canada. I played Igloofest Québec and that’s the only time I’ve ever really left Montreal to play elsewhere.
PAN M 360 : You’re leaving Montreal to spend a year in Berlin. Do you think that leaving Montreal is a kind of obligatory step in developing a career?
Alexa Borzych : For me, honestly, I think it is. More generally, it’s also a way of encouraging people to realize their dreams. Elsewhere” is an asset, wherever you are in the world, in Montreal or not. For me, it’s a way of getting out of my bubble, of listening to what’s being done elsewhere, of discovering something else.
PAN M 360 : What are your plans for Europe?
Alexa Borzych : To look for a few more dates to play, but above all to take some time for myself and work on production.
PAN M 360 : Do you have any other releases in the pipeline?
Alexa Borzych : I’ve got a new EP called Fatale coming out on Coïncidence. It wasn’t planned, but it’s coming out on the day of my departure for Berlin, June 30th.
