Nefertiti is no stranger to Jaeger’s DJ booth. You’ll often find her at the start of a weekend setting the spirit of the party with her delectable selections, which fold in African influences into contemporary dance music dialects. She’s often playing at some of our more eclectic nights like Oslo World where she will travel between styles like Amapiano, Gqom, Afrobeats and Kwaito, music with a palpable physical energy.
She brings much of the same to this edition of the Jaeger Mix for a set that favours a more subdued mood for the early weekday audience. While we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing Nefertiti in action these past years, we’ve never had the occasion to delve into her musical past, present and future. Let’s find out more.
Hello Nefertiti. We’re so happy to finally get the chance to ask you some questions, after you’ve been such a regular fixture at Jaeger over the last few years. Yet we know very little of your history, so can we start with an introduction?
Hello Jæger! My name is Mona Idil Husseindottir. I am a music and wine loving Somalier. What more can I say?
What is your first memory of hearing a piece of music?
I was 4 years old, sitting in a car with my mother and father listening to Fairuz, a Lebanese artist.
What were your family listening to at home growing up and how has it informed what you do in the DJ booth today?
The Beatles. Lol. JK! A lot of different music from the SWANA region.
At what point did an interest in music start developing into thoughts of sharing it with others?
Not sure what you are asking exactly, but I think my reply is that I started djing in 2009….
Have you ever studied- or made any efforts to make your own music, and if it’s always just been about DJing for you, what is DJing to you in terms of a creative outlet?
I stick with the decks.
Your music seems to travel the width and breadth of the African continent. What do you particularly look for in the music you play and do you feel a responsibility in representing music from Africa?
I wouldn’t limit my musical selections to only the African continent, and I feel no responsibility other than sharing some good vibes with the people in front of me.
Alongside those vast references there is always this electronic component anchoring the music you play. What is your relationship with electronic music, and what draws you to those unnatural sounds?
I don’t think of music in terms of electronic or not, I think about the rhythms and vibes in the tracks I play rather than how they were made.
Let’s talk about your Jaeger mix. Was there any specific idea or sonic concept you wanted to relay for this one?
Yes, it was! The mix is filled with Palestinian and Lebanese music, trying to send out some love and support to those who are suffering in the Palestinian area today
How would you say it represents what you usually do as a DJ on any given night?
It is exactly what I always do as a DJ. I share music and vibes with love and generosity.
Was there anything on this particular night that pulled you in a different direction than what you would normally do?
The wholy spirit in the sky gave me the sign!
We really enjoyed listening back to this mix. When you listen back to a recorded mix like this what do you usually take away from it, and what do you hope others will take from it?
Exactly that! I hope people will enjoy it.