Introduce yourself? Preferred pronouns? Where do you reside? 1 fun fact about yourself?
hi! Leesh here. they/them. currently living in Chicago. one fun fact about me? ich lerne Deutsch und ich liebe es so <3
How is everything going with you right now?
oh you knowww. Life! it’s a Trip isn’t it? emerging butterfly energy lately. changing my ways and riding the waves, doing what i can, loving more, taking care, digging deeper. emotional as ever and learning more about listening deeper, to myself, others, sounds and messages.
Any fun predictions for 2021?
i predict 2021 will continue to be a blossoming year.
How did you get your dj name?
Leesh is a nickname family and friends have been calling me for as long as i can remember. when i was trying to decide what DJ name to choose back then, a mentor told me that my name will be “chosen for me”. at the time i was going through such a massive self-discovery, so while doing that through sound i really wanted a name that wasn’t just ~my name~ but still really fit my energy. one that felt very much like “me” but also didn’t feel too mysterious, so when at a club or a Rave or whatever and someone says “Leesh” there’s already this personal connection there. always feels like a friend already and it makes me happy!
What change do we need in the dance scene post pandemic?
harm reduction ~ i have felt strongly about this topic during my entire Rave life, but even more so now post-pandemic. the sudden change of life that we all have experienced through 2020 i’m sure helped many of us see even deeper into some of our patterns (healthy & unhealthy) and how to be even more careful than we maybe already were. it definitely did for me. of course there have always been initiatives and organizations that have been doing their part to help build dancefloors from a harm reduction / social justice lens. but post-pandemic i think this energy needs to be utilized *fully* at *all* of the Raves. yes, let’s totally play together as psychonauts in the very fun pool we all know so well, but let’s do it safely. let’s gather up all the supplies and ingredients to take better care of each other and of ourselves. Rave is mindfulness, connection, community, insight, passion unfolding. and if we aren’t completely taking care of one another (and ourselves), then what is it? sustainability is key and health is important. DIY baby!
Who currently inspires you music-wise?
Optimo, Skee Mask, Elena Colombi, Lee Gamble, Job Jobse, Courtesy, Richard Greenan ~ to name a few…but on & on.
What other activities have you dipped into with a break from DJing?
i’m getting back into cross-stitching which i’ve been doing (on and off) since i was a kid. also, my little family of plants has grown exponentially. watering, pruning, repotting, and giving them love has been massively healing in many ways.
Favorite thing to cook currently?
how much time/text space do you have?! cooking is a passion for me hehe! been cooking up a storm lately from dumplings to carpaccio. most frequently, my partner and i have been getting really wild with pizza. my favorite so far was a white garlic/parmesan sauce pizza with shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and green onions.
Let’s play a pipipi game… I give you a situation & you give me a track
Lost in the forest with only 1 track in your head on loop
At the grocery store in the produce aisle on 2 hours of sleep
The sound of summer in your neighborhood on blast
s/o Humboldt Park
** Igloo party!!?! Lol ice cold tracks only
Tranquility (Force of Nature Remix) – Aquasky
Line-up for the first official party out of the pandemic?
wow. extremely difficult.
let’s make it one of those longgg Raves.
((in order))
DJ Fart in the Club
Ex-Terrestrial b2b Adam Pits
Batu
Lee Gamble b2b Elena Colombi
Josey Rebelle
Optimo
Job Jobse
If you had to describe yourself as an inanimate object, what would it be and why?
a prism ~ because i am always doing my best to transform light into rainbows.
Favorite weird drug/mind altering experience?
so many ~ but one involved an impromptu at-home ravey moment in a 6-hour bathtub space exploring experience. the combination of everything resulted in me saying, “i think i just entered the Matrix”. 3 consecutive visuals at 3 different times, all the same but all different. travelling through my grid. ask me about it sometime at the next Rave as i refrain from typing an Erowid vault experience.
What is your most recent favorite DJ mix and why?
over the weekend, listened to Closet Yi’s Crack mix in the car on a much-needed, first trip out of Chicago and into nature in a very long time. so beautiful.
What was your first gig? How did it go?
my first gig was this underground queer warehouse party called Sole Rehab in Rochester, NY 2017 at the tail end of an already ravey weekend (typical!). i was living in Buffalo at the time, and had just decided i was going to move to Chicago. was going through quite a transformative moment in my life. one of the promoters gave me a piece of orange tourmaline as a gift right before i went on ~ it represents new beginnings. i have brought it to every gig with me ever since. i was so nervous i couldn’t really talk to anyone an hour before my set. but i played my heart out and i still love every track i played. a lovely start to a wild DJ journey.
Describe your favorite thing to drink and how it makes you feel?
i really, really love beverages. so this is hard to choose. so here are 3 that you’ll *always* find in my cooler:
- water: seriously. i love it so much and it feels ecstatic. anytime, anywhere, always. H20 for LIFE.
- prosecco: makes me feel exactly as it is ~ bubbly and crisp and bright.
- Cool Blue Gatorade: it makes me feel like a cute, sweet bursting juicy blue raspberry. i love that this fantasy fruit doesn’t even exist. how silly.
What are your plans for Daisychain in 2021 and beyond?
still watering Daisychain on the regular of course, and excited for all the mixes to come for the rest of the year. going to Europe (for the very first time :’) !) in July and i’m super excited to hopefully meet some wonderful new people and grow that connection deeper and wider.
Why do you think it’s important to share music?
DJs, friends, and family have literally changed my entire life by sharing music. and when i’ve been lucky enough to figure out what *that track* was when i had a ~moment~, it’s so much more than a track. it’s a piece of experience. we share, we care.
What would you like to see in the future for the dance community?
more DIY raving, always. and if we’re in the clubs, venues that aren’t compromising values for the sake of capitalism, racism or harmful societal norms. it’s not good for anyone.