IN THE PRESENT | MIA MORETTI

We're excited that this month's issue is covered by DJ/Producer, songwriter, and poet, Mia Moretti. She sits at the intersectionality of music, nightlife, art, design, and fashion. She began her career spinning vinyl in LA before moving here to NYC in the LES. She has amassed a curated record collection that serves as the driving force behind her production. We have spent many nights listening to her play at our favorite clubs and events. Her approach to what she plays is due to her discerning taste, and is a foundation in performing at exclusive events in the halls of the Louvre, residences in Las Vegas, and composing runway shows for fashion designers. As an It Artist, we're always interested in seeing where she will pop up next, and what sounds she'll spin and produce.

Her ability to sample iconic house sounds from the US, while embracing strong women who are known to have something to say from all over the world, can be found in her debut single, You & Me; reworking the infectious South African disco bop Sweet Juju by Letta Mbulu; and collaborating with Colombia’s legendary Totó La Momposina on her highly anticipated debut dance EP, TAMBOR. We wanted to know more about how she fell in love with DJing, how she approaches her work, creating her tracks, and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We last saw you at Bungalow 8 and have enjoyed seeing you at a number of editor and special events. When did you first fall in love with music?

MIA MORETTI: When I was a kid my dad would play the guitar at the dinner table every night – they became my two greatest joys in life, food and music. It must be my way to keep him with me always.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a DJ and how did you get your start initially?

MM: I remember the exact moment. I was at a club in Los Angeles called AD and DJ AM was playing. He wasn't on the dance floor like I had always seen DJs before, he was up in a booth that looked like it was floating over the crowd. He was in complete control of the room. He looked like a composer orchestrating the perfect journey for everyone under him. I wanted to do that.

AM: How do you approach your set list when you're doing an event?

MM: I don’t prepare a set list for an event unless it’s something very specific like a fashion show that I am curating the music for. For most of the shows I do have an idea of what I think I might play, but when I arrive I try to let that go and use my feelings a bit more. I like to see who is there and try to understand what sort of mood they are in. I like to see if they are coming from work, or coming from another party, or if they look like they are ready to stay all night, or just passing through - all these things make my job so different every night. Like life, you can't go around planning it, most of the time you just have to be present in it. That’s when it gets fun.

AM: Do you have any routines that you do prior to playing a set to get in the right frame of mind?

MM: Mmm that's an interesting question I always think I want all my friends with me or a big group around, but the truth is I really just like a few moments of silence so I can pull myself together and do that thing you know “get in the zone” - for me that means I give myself a mental check in. "I'm good, I got this, let's go to work now." It's really important for me to shake whatever day is left over on me and go into the booth clean and clear headed.

AM: Do you have any routines that you do after playing your set to come down?

MM: I love to go out and hear other DJs. I can't go to bed because my ears are ringing, so I may as well go out and absorb some creativity while all the portals are open. Also, pizza.

“For most of the shows I do I have an idea of what I think I might play, but when I arrive I try to let that go and use my feelings a bit more. I like to see who is there and try to understand what sort of mood they are in... Like life, you can’t go around planning it, most of the time you just have to be present in it. That’s when it gets fun.”

— Mia Moretti

AM: Who are your musical inspirations?

MM: Strong females with strong voices. Artists with words they aren't afraid to use. All the women I sample, women that sing and pass down the traditional songs of their communities. Women that share those with us. Totó La Momposina, Petrona Martinez, Letta Mbulu, Crystal Waters. Those are the artists I sampled in the first 4 songs I produced. There are also many female voices in house music that were never credited, I am working on locating some of these lost voices, to make sure they get their credit, if it’s 30 years late.

AM: Where do you get inspiration to create your music as a DJ, producer, and songwriter?

MM: I've been a DJ for 20 years (!!!) I get all my inspiration in music. From collecting records, going to shows, traveling, meeting new people in every city I go, digging, trading, befriending local DJs, it's all there - the songs are already there, my job is 99% to find the right ones - the rest, anyone could do.

AM: We've been enjoying SWEET JUJU. We love the vibes of this song. Can you tell us about it and the vocal samples that were used?

MM: For my second release SWEET JUJU, I wanted to take it back to the origins of house: disco. In South Africa in the mid-80s musicians like Letta Mbulu were putting their own swing on the genre that had swept the globe. Mbulu’s music is funky, jazzy and brings everyone together. As a DJ, I have played Mbulu's record in many sets and always saw the crowd light up, so when I began this producing chapter of my career, I knew Sweet Juju was gonna be something I sampled. I hope this new single is as much an anthem of rhythm, love, joy, and "gettin' your man!" as it was in 1983.

AM: In addition to being a DJ, you're also a poet. Why do you want to share your creativity in this way and can you tell us about your collection of poems, Low Touch Economy?

MM: During the pandemic I found it very difficult to DJ at home. It was probably something I was going through personally, but djing to no audience felt soulless, not feeling and bouncing off of energy in the room made it nearly impossible for me to be creative and have fun with records. I stopped djing entirely for almost a year. I still craved connection to people, so I started writing poetry and sharing it online. I decided to gather all the little notes and pieces of scrap paper that I had random poems on from over the years and compile them into a book. I was listening to a business podcast that must have just shuffled into my rotation and the person speaking used the term

“Low Touch Economy” to describe the future of businesses. At this point, it being mid lockdown, I was pretty fragile like most of us, and I just sat there with that thought in my head horrified. I knew that would be the title of my poetry book because I wanted my poems to be that touch we all need. I ended up writing four volumes of poetry in the end. All four volumes of Low Touch Economy were letter pressed on 100% cotton paper and made here in Los Angeles.

AM: How would you describe your personal style?

MM: I don't take fashion very seriously even though it might seem that way. I don't overthink it, if it feels good when you put it on - go for it. That’s all that matters.

“[As to musical inspirations] Strong females with strong voices. Artists with words they aren’t afraid to use. All the women I sample, women that sing and pass down the traditional songs of their communities. Women that share those with us... There are also many female voices in house music that were never credited, I am working on locating some of these lost voices, to make sure they get their credit, if it’s 30 years late.”

— Mia Moretti

AM: As someone that travels all over the globe, how do you find ways to make your environment feel like you're at home?

MM: Oh that isn't hard, every corner of the world has a bottle of wine. That’s just about all I need to feel at home.

AM: When you're not traveling or working on a project, how do you take time for yourself?

MM: Whenever I get home from a trip I go to the Korean Spa. I steam, sauna and cold plunge - I also love the himalayan sea salt room, it has the same relaxation properties as spending a day at the beach. The jade floor is also so nice. I'm pretty good at pampering myself, I have no qualms about going for a massage two or three days in a row.

AM: In terms of working out, meditation, etc how do you stay in shape?

MM: I have no self discipline and will only work out if I go to a personal trainer, so I go to my trainer Armando in Glendale. He stretches me out and massages me for the first half of the session, which is the only way he can get me to do anything. In general I prefer to exercise in my day to day life, I walk whenever possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator, carry shit all the time and just try to move around a bit. Dancing counts, too.

AM: If we were at your home for a dinner party, what music would you have to set the mood and what would you serve as we know you enjoy cooking?

MM: I have a beautiful Thorens turntable that I rarely get to enjoy, mostly because I'm too lazy or tired to get up and flip a record when I'm home alone, so when I have guests over, I always put something from my vinyl collection on, or I'll have a guest choose. I did quite a dig when I was recording in Colombia, so there is a beautiful Bullerengue selection that sets a perfect tone for a dinner party. I love to go to the Armenian market in Valley Village and get homemade lavash and spreads, if I'm having friends over it's usually 2 or 3, then 5 or 6, then 10 to 12, so I'll roast a big pan of vegetables, maybe grill some fish and put out loads of bowls with all the side dishes.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be?

MM: I want someone to dance to my music, feel the earth under their feet and remember where they came from.

IG @miamoretti

PHOTO CREDITS | Andrew Arthur

Read the SEP ISSUE #43 of Athleisure Mag and see IN THE PRESENT | Mia Moretti in mag.

AS I AM: THE LIFE & TIME$ OF DJ AM

'AS I AM: THE LIFE AND TIME$ OF DJ AM' looks at the meteoric rise of Adam Goldstein aka - DJ AM. He was  a talented DJ and changed the game by increasing the payscale, establishing the field in the celebrity world and more. While he created a platform, he never forgot his friends and those that he felt made him better as a professional. He truly believed his mantra of "starving the ego, to feed the soul." But behind the fame, he was a man that coped with his own issues rooted in his sense of self and escaping deep unresolved portions of his life. 

In addition to telling the story of DJ AM from birth to death and his love of music as a genre, this film has a number of interviews with luminaries in the industry whom he worked with: Mark Ronson, Samantha Ronson, Steve Aoki, Paul Oakenfold, Diplo, and A-Trak to name a few. 

Throughout the film, you hear from DJ AM himself talking about his influences, his performances and thoughts on the DJ world at large. More importantly, you see how he amassed his empire as a seven-figure DJ which, included collaborations, appearances in films, co-founding a DJ management firm, Deckstar (co-owned by Steve Aoki) and his work in DJ Hero.

We sat down with producer/director Kevin Kerslake (who has produced a number of music videos that include Nirvana, Joan Jett, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stone Temple Pilots; documentaries, live productions, mini-series and more) to find out about the monumental task of creating this documentary, what he aimed to achieve by releasing this film and the greater message at large that he wants to provide to DJ culture, fans and others that are struggling with demons.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to take this project on?

KEVIN KERSLAKE: It's funny - Adam lived the life of 10 men in half the time that those men get. He died at such a young age and there was a lot of story to tell. And as you know, in a film, you don't have a lot of time either. But there are so many aspects of his life that are alluring from a film/story standpoint. Historically, he changed the game in music and culturally. All of those various components are enticing and would be to any filmmaker.

But the thing that pushed me over the edge was that we have lost some really incredible people over the years to this deadly cocktail of fame, celebrity and substance abuse. Andrea, AM's mom, had reached out to me a year before, and  at the time I said no as I was concerned that since she reached out to me then I wouldn't be able to tell the full story and the truth. Ultimately, I lost a friend and it felt like we couldn't keep having this story happening. I went to AM's mom and said that we have the power to help stop that streak of great artists that are lost to the world. I let her know that I was on-board as long as we told the story and the truth from the inside and the outside. As long as I could tell the story and get final cut without having to sugar coat it, then I was on board to tell the story. AM lived such an explosive life that I think the personal life of someone is what turned the corner for me. 

AM: How close were you to AM when he was alive? 

KK: My interaction with him was purely professional as I did all the film and video for Insomniac. Adam played their events so our encounters were strictly backstage and I never hung out with them. I actually think that although I knew his past and certain facts of his life - it was in your face (tabloids, journalism and as a figure in the music world), that objectivity that I had is probably what made the film more legitimate in a way. Even people who knew him didn't know certain aspects of his life because he didn't share it with them or they didn't care to know/ask. The logical aspect of this, in terms of doing research and being able to go into it without a personal agenda, is pretty critical for any filmmaker I think. 

Even when there are stories that I have been asked to tell, I know my own limitations when I have known the artist. It's like talking about your own family member. You get blind to certain truths that are important to share.

AM: There is so much information when you're watching the film as a lot comes from him, how long did it take in terms of pre-, production, and post?

KK: To the day, it almost took 4 years to make! The first thing we did was to go through his laptops and desktop. There was so much material that we estimated that in the end we had over 100,000 stills, 10,000 video clips, 100's of mixes, letters and text messages that he had saved. In a sense, there was no pre-pro we just put things together. Documentaries are made in the edit. They don't follow the normal production pro- cess. You just start putting things together. Early on, we were given an audio element that was critical to the story. It was the Share that he did on his 11th sober birthday.

AM: Seeing that audio run through the film really struck us, we didn't think that people could have access to things that are said in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

KK: Adam put a recorder in his pocket and he did a Share at the meeting. He really tells his story. This film is really DJ AM from the inside- out. He narrates his own autobiography and like you, I thought that this might be (due to anonymity in AA) crossing a threshold. But in further research, I found that there was an entire network of Shares that were available. People who were unable to attend meetings but needed the inspiration that they provided could access them from downloads online to get the assistance that they need.

AM: In addition to his Share, the meditation video was another dynamic element in the narrative.

KK: It's funny, when you see these relics of what he used to bring him peace, they are very evocative of his state of mind. It showed what he yearned for that he didn't have living a life on the road or in the city.

AM: Documentaries pay homage to the person but, you see DJ AM providing tributes to a number of his friends within the DJ world is that something that you planned?

KK: What that said to me was, that he cherished his relationships and was a man for others. He was selfless in that regard. It tells you a lot about someone when you know who their heroes are. DJ Jazzy Jeff was really a central figure in his life. Just as a fan and someone who just has a great heart and is so solid.

AM: What do you think of what AM would think of the state of music now for DJs and doors that he opened?

KK: There is some speculation involved of course, but I think that people are pretty dialed into him within the scope of the music industry. He would be one of the biggest DJs on the planet still and would have gotten into production. He would have followed where that world was going when DJs started to produce more. Who knows where the Travis Barker and AM collab would have gone. Would they have added more people in the band?  Would it have been more of a visual spectacle? That's more speculation too. 

I think that what impressed me about Adam is, he was just a fan of music and I think that his ability to see the virtues of all sorts of genres, the power of music and how it was able to bring people together and move people. I think that would have continued on. The dark underbelly of that is what DJs are doing. A lot of sets are preprogrammed and maybe he would have been able to highlight some of the weakest aspects of where DJ culture is going and to arrest its slide into a bit of a robotic sense.

AM: What were your goals in creating this movie and how did that correlate to the expectations of those within the DJ culture and fans at large?

KK: This film exceeded my expectations, to be honest. My intention was to dive in and tell the truth and the whole story of AM, his musical impact and import as well as the story of his personal life. Once we got into certain periods of his life and found out there was an episode or circumstance that he had to plow through - they entailed a lot more adversity than what I was aware of and even his family and friends. Once we uncovered his secret stuff, the story took on great dimension and in the end you have a real sense that you know him and that you have lost a friend. It's someone that should still be here walking amongst us. 

When you do a film, it involves a lot of things. Obviously, it includes story, structure, tone, laughs, tears and all of that. I think that my intention was to hit all of those different corners in AM's universe, but to do it in a style that had a certain fidelity to what he did musically. The film is a mashup in its own right and could pinball all  over the map with a velocity that he spun. I feel that the film does that and with what I am seeing in terms of the reaction to the film, it's super rewarding.

AM: As the person who dedicated 4 years to the film - what do you do after this - take time off or go into the next project?

KK: Throughout my career, I have been fairly promiscuous with style. I can go from a miniseries to a music video to a documentary to a commercial to still photography. This is the longest time that I have been on a single project. It's also the most difficult job I have ever done politically, emotionally, financially - it brought everyone (especially me) to their knees. 

In the past few years, we started putting the finishing touches on it to get it out to the world. I have been working on various projects as well. Releasing a film entails a lot of work as well and it's not like I am not working on it anymore. Now that we made it, it's making people aware that they can see it and share it with friends. This is less a commercial venture than extending Adam's legacy forward and it takes work and we're still working hard on getting it out there.

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If you have yet to see AS I AM: THE LIFE AND TIME$ of DJ AM, visit their site to see where it airs in your city as additional theaters will be added throughout the summer. 

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ATHLEISURE MAG'S JUNE ISSUE IS OUT!

And we're live! The June issue is ready and we're so excited to unveil that we have Vicky Jeudy from Orange is the New Black on the cover! She plays Janae Watson in this Netflix show which goes live on June 17th and we enjoyed shooting with her. This issue also has a number of celebrity fitness trainers including Ky Evans and Tony Horton. We also have an indepth interview with Kevin Kerslake Director/Executive Producer of AS I AM: The Life and Time$ of DJ AM. Make sure to flip through the digital issue now!

Read more from the Jun Issue