You recognize that good friend you’ve? The one who has tremendous attention-grabbing type you might by no means pull off, nice vitality, and is tremendous cool? Yeah, in order that’s principally TOKiMONSTA, née Jennifer Lee, besides along with being identified for her trend sense, she’s additionally a DJ. And never identical to, a scorching woman who takes a number of Instagrams behind a sales space and presses play on a playlist now and again type of DJ, both (if that had been the case, I’d not be right here scripting this proper now). She’s labored with the likes of Anderson.Paak, ZHU, and was nominated for a 2018 Grammy. She’s performed all kinds of venues, from Coachella phases to intimate rooftops in Brooklyn, at all times bringing the identical enthusiastic vitality, and her units are at all times upbeat and enjoyable—there’s by no means a gradual second and the time flies.
However that’s to not say she hasn’t endured her justifiable share of obstacles. As a lady in music, it’s by no means straightforward. She does say she doesn’t assume she’s encountered “excessive problem” however provides that might be on account of her resilient nature. And boy, communicate of resilient. In 2015, she was identified with Moyamoya, a uncommon mind illness that left her briefly unable to talk or produce music. After present process mind surgical procedure, TOKi went on to launch Lune Rouge in 2017, which earned her a Grammy nomination for greatest dance/digital album. The nomination makes her the primary Asian-American producer and the primary lady to earn a nomination in that class, plus it was named considered one of Billboard’s Prime 40 Biggest Dance Albums of the Decade. Discuss a comeback.
Some individuals may really feel the strain to comply with up an album of such acclaim, and Lee does admit, “I’m terrified and excited,” to launch her third album, Oasis Nocturno, out March 20. Regardless of any trepidation, Lee says she didn’t go into the album with the categorical function of topping the final. When requested what her targets had been when creating Oasis Nocturno, TOKiMONSTA mentioned, “I didn’t actually have any targets. I attempt to create based mostly on how I really feel.”
Whereas her music is, to make use of the skilled time period, f*cking superior, mixing completely different genres and subgenres like hip-hop, dubstep, and home, TOKi says the toughest a part of making Oasis Nocturno was not something like discovering inspiration, or determining find out how to greatest mix her completely different beats, however truly the alternative: “Narrowing down which songs find yourself on the album (so I don’t go overboard with a 50 tune album)” was a prime problem, as was the extra technical side of blending it. Though many individuals within the trade are inclined to get engineers to combine their tracks, she says, “I just like the possession of figuring out I’m doing it myself. I at all times really feel like I’m turning into Russell Crowe in A Stunning Thoughts.” The result’s a melodic and cohesive undertaking that infuses complicated vocals into Lee’s easy psychedelic manufacturing.
Forward of the album launch, on January 14 TOKiMONSTA dropped “Fried For The Night time” feat. EARTHGANG, the second single off the brand new album, which is type of just like the tune that describes while you exit on a Friday evening after a full work week—or as she places it, “everybody has a second the place they really feel fried and burnt, however what about these moments you’re feeling fried and turnt?” So she linked up with Atlanta-based hip-hop duo EARTHGANG to supply a tune that’s “devoted to these psychedelic moments the place our actuality opens up a brand new standpoint.” Can’t relate, however I can relate to the trippy home celebration visuals.
On the heels of Oasis Nocturno come Coachella performances, a set at Holy Ship! Wrecked on January 24 in Punta Cana, and a headlining spring tour with 16 North American stops. Whether or not it’s enjoying for large crowds at festivals or cozier venues, TOKi loves connecting along with her followers. “Festivals really feel like the whole crowd is one entity and venues really feel like you possibly can join to every particular person there,” she says, however she loves the vitality at each. It might seem to be she’s accomplished all of it, and she or he principally has, however one aim she does have is to work with Bjorn and Missy Elliott, who she says could be her dream collab.
Merely put, in case you’re not already #woke, TOKiMONSTA is one to observe. It’s been a hell of a experience for her to this point, and 2020 goes to be a hell of a 12 months for her.
Photographs: Bethany Vargas