Interview With Natasha Nova: DJ, Producer, Dreamer

You may have seen her making the crowd go wild at the newest brunch party in NYC at the Hudson Terrace on Sundays, heard her smooth beats on several Fridays at Greenhouse, or attended a fabulous private event with just the right music to create the atmosphere… and if you have not seen her yet, you probably will soon! A fusion of natural beauty, witty sense of humor and overflow of creativity define the passionate Natasha Nova, who has been able to capture her innovations through the years best through music- mixing beats at some of the world’s most coveted venues. 

Now a resident of New York, but born in St. Petersburg, Russia and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel Natasha's passion for music started when she was just 6 years old. A DJ in the making, she would physically cut tapes and glue them back together with her mother's nail polish to combine songs and beats into a flow of her liking. She continued to learn about the art of mixing in Tel Aviv, perfecting her skills at the city's hot spots.

How long have you been in NY? I moved to New York about 5 years ago from Israel to study at Circle in the Square and after a week of being here, I knew that this is my home. I had to start working immediately so I could support myself, and was fortunate to get my first job as a DJ very quickly at Table 50.

How did you get started in DJing? For as long as I could remember, music was my passion. My mom was always really into collecting cassette tapes, so when she would buy them I would sneak them out so that I could cut the tape and glue it back together with her nail polish to make my own selections. Once my perfect mix was compiled, I would bring it into my kindergarten and play it for my friends so that they could all dance and have a good time to it!

Eventually, as I got older and was a student I started working as a bartender at one of the best House Music clubs in Israel called "Haoman 17" in Jerusalem, which is where I got exposed to electronic/house music. I was fascinated with the new sound and started collecting music from all over the world, giving it to the DJ's so that they could play it at the clubs. One day, a very good friend of mine –Nadav, who is currently a DJ in New York as well- told me that I have a very good taste in music and should start DJing myself. That was when I really began trying to learn how to mix and seeking out gigs. I first started playing at a small lounge in Tel Aviv, where eventually I got booked on a weekly basis, so my boyfriend at the time bought me a set of turntables to practice at home. Slowly, I started feeling more confident about my skills and began to seek out bigger venues to play at.

How would you describe your music style? I think life experiences and places I live greatly affect my music style, so the fact that I have lived in 3 drastically different places throughout my life has had a huge influence on my music. St. Petersburg, Tel Aviv and New York have all been amazing personality builders for me, so I think my music reflects that. The sound I find myself connected to most is electronic house music, because it has all the elements from all the different genres in it. Overall I would describe my music style as vocal techno electro house music!

Where do you get your inspiration? My biggest inspiration is the people around me that are truly passionate about what they do, what they create, and what they love or dream about. Whether a person is a painter, musician, film maker, fashion designer or a businessman, all passionate people inspire and stimulate me. These people inspire me to keep going and creating my own thing and never stop dreaming.

What are your favorite things about DJing? I find that music is the best method of communication; it is an international language. Personally, as someone who grew up in 3 countries, I have often felt that language can sometimes be a barrier that gets in the way of communication, but through music I have always been able to express myself. I don’t think I could ever verbally explain myself the same way I would by just playing one song that can tell so much more. Music is very powerful and the fact that I can take the audience on a musical journey, make them forget about their daily activities, and make them feel good feels like magic to me.

Other than DJing, what are your hobbies/passions? I am fascinated with film- to me, it has a similar effect that music does but through moving images. During the day, I actually take film classes at NYU and am working on my first short film which will hopefully be made into a feature. The film is an espionage comedy and much of the story is inspired by a real life story about my father.

What is your favorite city to play in? I love to play in New York, because this city attracts so many interesting people from all over the world. It almost feels like you are playing worldwide while still feeling at home. Last year I played in Monte Carlo for a friend's birthday party and that was an amazing experience. Growing up, I always thought that Monte Carlo was extremely fabulous, and the playground for the rich and famous, so it was amazing that now I can play for my friends there; South of France in general is an amazingly fun place during the summer.

How would you describe your fashion style and who are your favorite designers? Hmm.. I love to constantly reinvent myself and create new styles, but always like to leave a classic and elegant touch to it. I have too many favorite designers, but if I had to mention some names I would say: Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino, Custo Barcelona, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Ralph Lauren.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Well, that will depend on my individual performance and on the opportunities I'm presented with, but ideally I hope to have a few albums released with my original production, my feature film to be distributed worldwide and will have many awards nominations! Of course, I always see myself continuing to create and think innovatively, while at the same time (*most importantly*) being surrounded by my family and friends ;-)

Within months of moving to New York, Natasha's music style became known as the perfect complement to any luxurious venue and brand. From events in New York to L.A., Sundance, and the French Riviera she became the go-to DJ with the look and sound perfect for brands like Maserati, Porsche, Bvlgari, Ralph Lauren, Russian Standard Vodka, Parasuco, 944 Magazine, Diesel, and Carbon just to name a few.

You can check out more of Natasha at www.NatashaNova.com