Some DJs mask up to add a veil of mystery to their electrifying sonic performances. Joining the likes of deadmau5, Marshmello and Daft Punk is rising star Moji, an Australian-born DJ who will be making his Singapore debut at Sentosa’s most riotously pink beach club, Tipsy Unicorn.
No stranger to some of the world’s hottest clubs and biggest festivals, Moji has already racked up huge success across charts globally, with original tracks and collaborations with the likes of Crystal Waters, Raven & Kreyn, and Kevu.
Get ready for an energetic barrage of cutting-edge beats, hard house and techno this Saturday (Mar 30). The Bali-based DJ will be in town for just one night only, though he plans to make the most of it, spinning all the way from 11pm till the next morning.
SG Magazine speaks to the 31-year-old up-and-comer ahead of his big Singapore debut.
How did the name Moji/your mask come about? What does it mean or represent, to you?
In 2017, a friend of mine who worked in the music industry as a booking agent in Melbourne came to me with a plan of starting a new masked DJ act. Together we brainstormed some ideas and came up with the idea of doing an Emoji helmet. This is obviously how we chose the name, we couldn’t use Emoji due to copyright restrictions so we just decided to drop the E and Moji was born. The helmet has undertaken three major transformations since its inception, and most recently, we rebranded the colours to black and red, which to me, represents a dark and fierce sound which is in line with the music I am creating.
Your music is described as “rave-inspired hard dance and techno” yet tracks like Es Ami show an eclectic side of your work. How would you define your sound?
It’s very hard to define dance music in one genre, I take inspiration from plenty of different styles of music but most commonly the harder styles of techno and ’90s sounding rave synths. “Es Ami” is a record I wrote in 2021. At that time I was in somewhat of a transition stage from commercial EDM genres like Big Room House to more underground styles like future rave and techno. “Es Ami” was kind of a blend between those two styles.
Which of your songs are you most proud of?
This one’s hard because I always seem to love the last track I made so most of my best work is yet to be released. However “Angel Eyes” and “Rebellion” are two of my favorite records to play at my shows.
Who are you listening to right now? Who or what have been the biggest influences on your music?
I don’t listen to a whole lot of music, to be honest. If I’m travelling or training, I’m usually listening to true crime or sports podcasts. However, the artists whose music I’m playing a lot lately are Holy Priest, Tane and Maddix. My biggest influences I think have been Hardwell and Will Sparks.
What separates a Moji performance from others?
Well, the helmet is the obvious thing that stands out; however I try hard to enhance the visual experience as best I can through time-mapped 3D visuals, back-up dancers and lots of interactive parts of the show to get the crowd involved as much as possible.
You are based in Bali. Why Bali, and how is the scene different there?
I moved to Bali in 2020 because prior to that, I was living in Melbourne and still touring regularly in Asia which was tough due to the long and expensive flights. I decided to move just to be closer to the cities I wanted to perform in regularly. I chose Bali because I had been there many times and I already felt comfortable there. Also, it’s just an amazing place to live.
What do you hope to achieve for your first performance in Singapore? Can you give us a clue about what we should expect at your upcoming performance in Tipsy Unicorn?
It’s my first show in Singapore which I’m really excited about. Singapore is one of my favorite cities in the world and I’m really happy to be playing a pool party-type show! You can expect to hear all of my recent trending remixes plus a lot of brand-new records that are not yet released. I also have some new merch to give away too!
What is your vision for the future of electronic music, and what part do you believe you’ll play in it?
I see electronic music exploding in Southeast Asia in a way that could be similar to North America. The fans here are amazing and seem to be very open-minded when it comes to genres and are willing to be educated. I think in another few years this can be one the best regions in the world for touring electronic artists to be performing. I guess I would just like to keep writing and performing music that I’m proud of and that helps people enjoy themselves. As long as I can do that, then no matter where my career ends up, I can be satisfied with what we achieved.
Meet the manFive lucky fans who have purchased a General Admission ticket from now to the fateful day will be picked to win exclusive backstage passes to meet the mysterious man in the flesh. Otherwise, guests who aren’t afraid of a little cold can also take part in an ice plunge challenge to stand a chance at winning a Soundboks Speaker worth $1,700, or Jagermiester Swags merchandise. |
Tipsy Unicorn is at 36 Siloso Beach Walk, #01-01, Sentosa Island, Singapore 099007.
