From her formative years in Morocco to a globe trotting DJ, Monile discusses her rich and varied past, present and future in music ahead of Oslo World x Helt Texas.
Moroccan artist and DJ, Monile has roots in all kinds of music. Between her parent’s traditional Berber influences; her classical training; an adolescence spent listening to Hip Hop and Soul; and her brother’s electronic music record collection, she’s established a wide and kaleidoscopic foundation in music.
For most of her adult life she’s channeled that into DJing where her sets conjure the same kind of exotic eclecticism, albeit repurposed in an electronic aesthetic. From Electro to Techno with penchant for the House, Monile has been in DJ booths across the world.
Over the past few years she made her first moves into production, with a host of VA’s and with her first solo effort arriving in 2025, she’s solidified a sound that’s versatile as her DJ sets, while remaining unambiguously focussed in a sound.
2025 has been a busy year for the artist and DJ, travelling the world, playing everywhere from Morocco to Hanoi and carving a distinct path in her career. She will arrive at Jaeger during Oslo World for Helt Texas, and we took the opportunity to get to know her and her music better ahead of the event.
We go from her rich and eclectic early influences to playing around the world, but we find her in a cozy den in the heart of New York.
Hello Monile and thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us. Where are you at the moment, and what music is currently playing in the background?
I’m sitting in a cozy café in Brooklyn Red Rover with smooth jazz playing in the background.
Can you tell us a little more about your formative years in Morocco, and the music that would generally fill your daily life growing up.
I grew up in a very eclectic musical household. As the youngest of three children, I absorbed everything that was playing around me. My parents filled the house and car with traditional Amazigh music (our roots) — Berber sounds indigenous to North Africa. I can still remember those long drives to our vacation home through the Atlas Mountains with that music setting the atmosphere.
Because of my classical piano training, I was also drawn to classical music early on – Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Chopin... In the next room, my sister, the most eclectic of us all at the time, would put on and sing with her beautiful voice: soul, pop, hip-hop, rap, rock, and R&B (from both US and France). From Tracy Chapman and Alanis Moriset to Wu-Tang Clan, MC Solar, Alicia Keys, Ben Harper, Laurin Hill, Aaliyah, Coldplay, David Bowie, Björk.. (we were MTV kids lol). She also played piano and enjoyed classical music. My brother, on the other hand, went through a rebellious phase listening to metal, grunge and hard rock (Nirvana, Metallica, Korn, Rage against the Machine, Slipknot..) Before eventually shifting towards electronic music in his clubbing years. He would invite me to his room to listen, or pick me up from school with his car, the trunk packed with a massive subwoofer, always blasting his latest tunes. As soon as I opened the door, he’d turn the volume up just a bit more, eager for me to hear what he’d been digging (since I couldn’t club yet lol). I loved it! That’s where it truly began for me. That genre caught my attention the most. It felt like a fusion of everything I had been listening to.
I started collecting music around the age of twelve, and I haven’t stopped since.
Yes, I’ve read your brother was a seminal influence in terms of electronic music. Do you remember some of those tracks he played in the car and what was informing his musical tastes at that time?
It all began with 80s and 90s dance music and electro-funk, before naturally shifting into trance, techno, house, and eventually tech house. Artists like Music Instructor, Flying Steps, Bumfunk MC, ATB, Darude, The Prodigy, Paul van Dyk, Tiësto, Paul Oakenfold, Armin van Buuren, Erick Morillo, Deep Dish, Denis Ferrer, and David Morales were the soundtrack to those early records.
From there, I followed my own path of exploration, diving into genres like goa and psytrance (Infected Mushroom quickly became a favourite), electro, breaks, acid house, techno, deep house, ghetto house, IDM, new wave, and progressive house... Influences ranged from Kraftwerk, Jeff Mills, Juan Atkins, Ron Hardy, Ritchie Hawtin (Plastikman), Aphex Twin, Drexciya, and Anthony Rother to Gui Boratto, early Daft Punk, Depeche Mode, Air, and St Germain, just to name a few.
As music evolved, so did my curiosity. My quest for new sounds and textures never truly stopped—and that’s precisely what keeps the journey exciting.
You mentioned your parents too, did they have any influence on your earliest musical tastes from what they were playing in the car?
At that time, they were immersed in a rich and diverse cultural and artistic atmosphere. My dad has always been more eclectic (I probably get that from him). He trained at the conservatory and was constantly surrounded by artists such as Ousman _Azkkaf and Ammori. His musical sensibility was deeply shaped by Oriental melodies, carried through the radio waves and the golden age of Egyptian cinema. He could listen to Oum Keltoum on a loop for days (literally lol), and he also loved Fairouz and Abdelwahab Doukkali, in that same lyrical, emotive vein.
Having spent years in Paris, and with French radio being so present at the time, French and Western music naturally became a large part of his repertoire. Céline Dion, Chantal Goya, Michel Sardou, Jacques Brel, Léo Ferré — and yes, even Cher — were constantly playing in the background.
From his Amazigh roots, he was drawn to the music of the Anti-Atlas and the Souss region (his homeland), especially Tachelhit genres such as Ahwach and artists like Haj Belaid, Demsiri, Rays Boubakr Anchad, Tihihit, Rquia Oult Teloua, Tabaamrant, and Ousmane, who at the time represented a more modern Amazigh pop sound.
Chaabi music, with the Chikhates and the raw power of lʿayta, stirred something deeper. “From Hammounia to Hajja El Hamdaouia, those voices were more than just songs; they were woven into the rhythm of our everyday life,” my dad would say.
Groups like Nass El Ghiwane and Jilaila were among the first to experiment by blending Western rhythms with traditional forms, a turning point. (They were our rockstars)
On the other side, my mom leaned more towards Middle Atlas Amazigh music (her origins): genres like Ahidus and Tamawayt (acapella poetry sung by incredibly deep and powerful voices). Her absolute icon was Hadda Ouakki, but she also loved artists such as Rouicha, whose legendary track “Ines Ines” has been remixed countless times, along with Bencer Oukhouya, Maghni Med, Najat Attabou, and Ahozzar.
There was a profound sense of poetry and emotional depth in the music my parents listened to, and I believe that has shaped my taste more than anything else.
At what point do you start developing your own tastes and what was it about that sound that appealed to you?
Around the age of 12, I would say, that moment in life when your personality starts taking shape in every way. That’s when I began developing my own tastes, exploring all kinds of music. Electronic music, especially, caught my ear at the time; it felt like a fusion of everything I loved. I started collecting music then (old tracks, new tracks) and I never stopped. That’s really where it all began for me.
You also have an education in classic piano and your musical scope extends into Hip Hop, Soul, Funk and Disco. How has that all informed what you do as a DJ and producer today?
I received classical training from a young age, and it’s still very present in my daily life. In fact, classical music is the first thing I put on when I wake up. It sets the right frequency for the day ahead. I also listen to it while working or at the end of a long, stressful day; it calms my nerves instantly. I believe there is a kind of magic in it, a way of connecting to that flow state the composers themselves tapped into while creating it.
Hip-hop was also a huge part of my youth. I spent years dancing; so electro, breaks, uk garage naturally followed, carrying that same groove and pulse. From there, my ear opened up to Trip Hop, Jazz, Indie Rock, world music… honestly, just good music in general, whatever the genre. All of these sounds live somewhere inside what I play and create today.
Before working on a new track, I often dig into older records, revisiting forgotten gems. Sometimes I sample small fragments, other times I borrow structures, chord progressions, or just emotional cues. It’s my way of staying connected to the roots of what moves me.
What came first, DJing or producing?
DJing came first. I touched a mixer for the first time at 19, love at first touch lol. It felt so natural and obvious. I still remember that moment as if it were yesterday. For years, I played just for fun and for friends back in Morocco, until one day I got the chance to perform in front of a real crowd, and actually get paid for it. From that moment on, I started taking it seriously. I was out there now, and being a perfectionist, I felt I had to do things properly.
Not long after, being an architect and a creative kid in general, I felt production calling me. It felt like a natural path. I was first introduced to it by a producer friend in 2017, and as soon as I moved to Spain at the end of that same year, I enrolled in a music production school. I haven’t stopped learning since.
What inspired or encouraged you onto the path of becoming a producer?
I’ve always been a creative person, drawing, writing, painting since a very young age. I eventually chose to become an architect, and that later helped me a lot in structuring my music creation process, both in DJing and production.
At some point, it became essential for me to express my own vision of music, drawing inspiration from the different sounds that surround me every day. I was drawn to the freedom of it. Music is truly limitless. You make your own rules, and once you share your piece, it no longer belongs to you but to the world, like any form of art. That feeling was incredibly liberating.
So far there have been a few releases via some VAs and there’s talk of your first solo outing soon. What experiences have you taken from those first releases that will feed into this first solo effort?
Each track reflects a different part or period of my journey as a producer. I learn something new every time I start a new project. I like to challenge myself, experiment with different techniques and production approaches in each piece. The more you learn, the better you become at things, right? I’ve always been a “forever student” kind of gal, lol.
It’s funny, when you look back, you can literally hear how your taste evolves over time. My solo work is eclectic, a curated mix of techniques and influences that have shaped my path.
With releases that touch on everything from House to Electro, what is it that has solidified in terms of your sound as an artist across these various releases?
Each one of them represents a side of my musical universe (pretty wide haha). I think there’s a type of storytelling and hypnotic depth you can recognize in all of them, even if the genres are different. I guess that comes from my amazigh musical roots. There’s also a common structure in the arrangements, probably influenced by my architect side, lol.
Moving from Morocco to Barcelona, what was the biggest shift in the way you approach your DJ sets after making the move?
Barcelona was undoubtedly a great school for me. I had amazing teachers and mentors over the years, and I also landed my first club residencies, which helped me understand the crowd and the dancefloor much better. Not only did I develop my skills as a DJ and producer, but I also grew as a person, and that’s what really makes your music more interesting and mature.
When I listen to my first podcast from back in Morocco, though, I don’t hear much difference in the structure, or the overall energy of the set. It’s actually quite similar to what I do in my sets and tracks today. I think we improve our skills over time, but our identity stays the same after all.
Do you still play regularly in Morocco and what is it about the scene there that is unique in your opinion?
I play a couple of times a year. Always a good excuse to spend time with my family and loved ones. The scene is thriving at the moment, with more and more events and festivals every year such as Moga Festival, Caprice Festival, Oasis Festival, Timelapse and promoters like Echo7000, Reload, Groover Club to name a few. I’m now starting to host my own parties TiZi, so stay tuned!
What makes Morocco truly special isn’t just the beautiful scenery. It’s the warmth of the people. The crowd makes every experience unique. With music so deeply rooted in our culture, you can create your own story there, and people will always be ready to join the ride.
Is there something that is informed by some regional eccentricities that’s unique to the way you DJ or make music?
I would say it’s the depth and hypnotic quality of my music. No matter the genre, I try to create a sound that draws listeners in, immersing them in the rhythm and atmosphere. Something that reflects both my roots and my personal journey as a producer.
What artists or tracks are you frequently packing in your DJ bag these days and what is it about those tracks that works at the moment?
My bag and sets are always evolving, shaped by the venue, the vibe, and whatever gems I’ve dug up that week. Every night is unpredictable. You never know what’s coming next, and honestly, neither do I. That’s part of the fun, and it keeps me in tune with the crowd.
We’re still some way off from your visit, but seeing as this is part of the “Oslo World,” what do you see yourself playing for this one?
Spending the last three weeks in the US, mostly in New York, really reignited my love for old-school house, Detroit techno, and ghetto house. Walking the streets, feeling the city’s energy. It all seeps into my sets. So don’t be surprised if you catch me dropping some of those sounds in Oslo!