Feb 06 2025 82 mins 1
Starlight Thursdays Episode 251, Welcome FOUTS to the series! We did a little interview to get better acquainted.
How long have you been DJing?
I began mixing in fall of 2023 and performed for others for the first time during New Years at the end of that year.
Why did you get into it?
My partner, kaPOWski, is a DJ. I have always been a music nerd, and watching over their shoulder I couldn’t help but be intrigued. I have such a specific memory of a night that some friends and I spent up at Hyalite, where we dragged all of the sound equipment up to one of the forest service cabins. That is the first time I remember actually trying to mix. It was fast-paced and exciting and such an alluring combination of feeling the music and paying attention to the more technical aspects of the rhythms. I was hooked. Starting to DJ also felt like the natural next step as I consumed more live-mixed music at events and started being able to recognize artists by their sound. I couldn’t not try it for myself. I feel so much more connected to tracks that I love when I get to mix them myself.
What events have you played?
I have mostly played at Burning Man and regional burns, with some local community events thrown in. It was an honor to be asked to play the first Sound Haven event in Helena this past November—the queer dance party initiative put together by Hnnh Beets, among others.
Where do you live ?
Bozeman, MT
Where are you from originally?
I was born in Maine and lived there until I was 14. I then lived in Miami, FL until I graduated high school.
What inspires you to DJ?
I spend a lot of time listening to sets by my favorite producers and DJs. Oftentimes this is background music for me, but I love that moment of becoming instantly aware when a track comes on that I connect with. The Shazam comes out and I add it to my giant playlist of tracks that I might download and play in the future. Going through this curated list, I love being able to vividly remember the first time I heard the song. When music moves me like that, I want to get my hands on it, connecting the waveform on the deck to the narrative structure of the track, feeling out where I can play with effects and make transitions. It is an intensely satisfying process for me from start to finish.
What inspires you about electronic music culture?
I am deeply inspired by the origins of this music. From Chicago’s underground warehouse scene where pioneering black artists inspired by disco started mixing old standards and creating electronic tracks, house music has always been a refuge for those not accepted by mainstream society to come together and dance. Queer and black joy is inherently embedded in this culture. Initiatives like FEMME HOUSE and Beatport’s 2020 Pride series continue to do the work to elevate voices that are unfortunately not yet centralized in the zeitgeist. Anytime I am on stage, I feel honored to be a tiny part of this work—to show up exactly the way that I am and to be able to move those listening along with me.
What genres are in your mix?
Mostly progressive house with a bit of techno and tech house thrown in.
Can you tell us a few words about your mix?
I really wanted to create a good work mix for my friends—something to bounce to at a desk during those long hours. I was able to work in some tracks that I love but struggle to play for a dance party with those long bridges. I really enjoy the combination of the melodic aspects of this set alongside driving beats and unexpected noise elements.
Anything else you want us to know?
I am continually uplifted by the acceptance and love I have found among the community of Montana DJs. I love how many of us are queer and femme and continuing to push the envelope in the way we show up. It has been so rewarding to learn and be encouraged by my peers on this journey!
For more Fouts check out
https://soundcloud.com/djfouts
Come see her perform live b2b with her partner kaPOWski at Valid Times Day Feb14 - 2025
How long have you been DJing?
I began mixing in fall of 2023 and performed for others for the first time during New Years at the end of that year.
Why did you get into it?
My partner, kaPOWski, is a DJ. I have always been a music nerd, and watching over their shoulder I couldn’t help but be intrigued. I have such a specific memory of a night that some friends and I spent up at Hyalite, where we dragged all of the sound equipment up to one of the forest service cabins. That is the first time I remember actually trying to mix. It was fast-paced and exciting and such an alluring combination of feeling the music and paying attention to the more technical aspects of the rhythms. I was hooked. Starting to DJ also felt like the natural next step as I consumed more live-mixed music at events and started being able to recognize artists by their sound. I couldn’t not try it for myself. I feel so much more connected to tracks that I love when I get to mix them myself.
What events have you played?
I have mostly played at Burning Man and regional burns, with some local community events thrown in. It was an honor to be asked to play the first Sound Haven event in Helena this past November—the queer dance party initiative put together by Hnnh Beets, among others.
Where do you live ?
Bozeman, MT
Where are you from originally?
I was born in Maine and lived there until I was 14. I then lived in Miami, FL until I graduated high school.
What inspires you to DJ?
I spend a lot of time listening to sets by my favorite producers and DJs. Oftentimes this is background music for me, but I love that moment of becoming instantly aware when a track comes on that I connect with. The Shazam comes out and I add it to my giant playlist of tracks that I might download and play in the future. Going through this curated list, I love being able to vividly remember the first time I heard the song. When music moves me like that, I want to get my hands on it, connecting the waveform on the deck to the narrative structure of the track, feeling out where I can play with effects and make transitions. It is an intensely satisfying process for me from start to finish.
What inspires you about electronic music culture?
I am deeply inspired by the origins of this music. From Chicago’s underground warehouse scene where pioneering black artists inspired by disco started mixing old standards and creating electronic tracks, house music has always been a refuge for those not accepted by mainstream society to come together and dance. Queer and black joy is inherently embedded in this culture. Initiatives like FEMME HOUSE and Beatport’s 2020 Pride series continue to do the work to elevate voices that are unfortunately not yet centralized in the zeitgeist. Anytime I am on stage, I feel honored to be a tiny part of this work—to show up exactly the way that I am and to be able to move those listening along with me.
What genres are in your mix?
Mostly progressive house with a bit of techno and tech house thrown in.
Can you tell us a few words about your mix?
I really wanted to create a good work mix for my friends—something to bounce to at a desk during those long hours. I was able to work in some tracks that I love but struggle to play for a dance party with those long bridges. I really enjoy the combination of the melodic aspects of this set alongside driving beats and unexpected noise elements.
Anything else you want us to know?
I am continually uplifted by the acceptance and love I have found among the community of Montana DJs. I love how many of us are queer and femme and continuing to push the envelope in the way we show up. It has been so rewarding to learn and be encouraged by my peers on this journey!
For more Fouts check out
https://soundcloud.com/djfouts
Come see her perform live b2b with her partner kaPOWski at Valid Times Day Feb14 - 2025
