RA Exchange

"I do activism as much as I can." The Peruvian DJ and producer talks about the human rights issues close to her heart, fighting for human rights and the incredible story behind her LP for Ninja Tune. Sofia Kourtesis is a Peruvian DJ and producer based in Berlin known for her buoyant, upbeat music that channels and transmutes sociopolitical activism and personal hardship. While she's put out a number of solo works, her EP Fresia Magdalena and her debut LP, Madres—both of which came out on Ninja Tune—have been received with exceptional critical acclaim and put her on the map as a headlining touring artist. Both speak to some of the discrimination Sofia has felt as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in South America, as well as how she's confronted difficult topics like family caregiving, illness and death.  In this RA Exchange recorded live at C2C Festival in Turin, she opened up about her mother's recent battle with cancer and the neurosurgeon who provided life-saving surgery (as a thank you, Kourtesis took him and his surgery team out to one of her shows in Berlin). She also discusses her commitment to human rights at length. For Kourtesis, music is a form of activism and healing; she uses it to talk about her Latin American community and the movements that are happening, to show the diverse range of demonstrations for equality, for the queer community and for abortion rights. In a touching final moment of our talk, she opens up about the homophobia that ultimately caused her to leave her school in Lima and then to depart from Peru to Europe altogether. She's been based in Germany since she was 17. Listen to the episode in full.

In a very special Exchange from 2010, we caught up with a true legend of music. Here's what we said at the time: Revered composer, producer and bandleader Quincy Jones may not have much to do with dance music in a literal context, but his fingerprints are all over it. The impact that his work has had on countless DJs and producers over the years hardly needs explaining. So when we were offered the chance to chat with Jones around a promotional tour for his brand new line of AKG headphones, we couldn't resist. In a brief conversation, RA Todd L. Burns took the opportunity to ignore the elephants in the room, and focused his sights on a broader view of the man's career, uncovering some interesting insights as to how Jones views his work as painting with sound and how his classical training helped him make conservatory musicians play funk. In this RA Exchange, the American music legend talks some of the parts of his career that simply don't get covered elsewhere.

"We need to give more people a seat at the table." The Australian DJ and producer talks about exclusivity in the music industry, neurodivergence and London's thriving lesbian scene. The London-based Australian artist Teneil Throssell (AKA HAAi) doesn't have a typical DJ story. She moved to London in the early 2010s as part of a now defunct psych rock band, and once it broke up, she thought her stint in the music industry was over. Unsure what to do with herself, she started mixing dance music records at the bar where she was working at the time, Ridley Road Market. The right person happened to "discover" her, offering her a spot supporting Jacques Greene at the London club Phonox. She went on to hold a residency there for two years, and the rest, as they say, is history. Throssell's career blew up almost immediately. For the last eight years that she's been DJing, she's toured internationally on a massive scale, sometimes going to six different countries in one week. She's also released a number of EPs and one LP on Mute Records, remixed Kylie Minogue and started two labels of her own: Coconut Beats and Radical New Theory, which she runs with her partner. Her style is eclectic, but fans of hers will know her for her upbeat, techno- and acid-inflected sound. In this RA Exchange, Throssell dives into some emotional and complex topics, like the criticism she received from RA for her early EP Systems Up, Windows Down; London's lesbian scene; her ADHD diagnosis; and climate activism in the electronic music industry. Listen to the episode in full.

"A system that's equal doesn't benefit the people that have the power." The Rhythm Section International founder talks about creating opportunities for Black artists and entrepreneurs, Caribbean conviviality and his abiding love for Peckham. Bradley Zero, the DJ and founder of the label Rhythm Section International, is known for his commitment to his community. Zero grew up in a rich Caribbean culture in Leeds, where he and his family gathered in friends' living rooms to listen to music and eat home-cooked food. In opening Jumbi—the bar and listening space in London's Southeast neighborhood, Peckham—Zero has attempted to recreate this lively Caribbean conviviality. The venue is filled with his own personal record collection and one turntable. His style (as reflected in his imprint) celebrates house, soul, disco, funk and various shades of music from the afro-Caribbean diaspora. In this RA Exchange, he talks about how the neighborhood has changed in the time he's been based there, how and when his career exploded from local pool hall gigs to an active global touring schedule and why he decided to study for an MBA. October is British Black History Month in the UK, and in this interview, Zero also discusses ways that he hopes to empower the Black British community to start their own businesses and assert power from the top echelons of the music industry. Rhythm Section International has started a touring series of free masterclasses called Future Proof, in which Zero and his team invite guests to teach hard skills on business and label management, how to cultivate a brand and much more. Listen to the episode in full.