Shy Margiela: Caught Under Your Spell

outinthe956
4 days ago
7 min read

Shy, Shy Margiela born in Edinburg raised in Mcallen makes their return to MCALLEN once again! Not alone, but with Amarji King @amarji_king. Making their way down from Houston. There's no better to describe the excitement rather than the words of my friend, Krista. Talking about the sound, the experimentation, Shy themselves, the friendship. but most importantly her anticipation for the day to come, this Friday. While I learned a bit about Shy through her, here's what Shy has to say to us.

This is, Shy Margiela @shymargiela

Now who is Shy Margiela? While the sounds produced speak volumes we want to know more about the artist behind it all. What could you share about yourself and your aim behind your sound and the identity it holds not only for yourself but the spaces you enter as they say "I’m a nightlife curator, producer, DJ, and dance floor diva. Before I became a DJ, I started stepping into the club at 17, there wasn’t a damn thing that could stop me from dancing under the lights! I’ve gravitated towards nightlife from a very young age because it’s where I first felt: love, community, and release. I’ve taken these experiences and channel them during all my sets. I also want to invoke what my inspirations make me feel on the dance floor through my own sets. I want to create my own interpretation of that same feeling for others whenever they’re with me under the strobe lights. I want people to harness energy, and utilize the dance floor as a ritualistic space for however long we’re together. I also strive to create community at the club whenever I’m playing. It’s an integral part of my identity, because at the end of the day who are we without community?" Shy mentions "interpretations" and it bring me to the descriptions in their Sound Cloud mixes. The vivid emotions in their words translated to what's to be heard before you. While listening it online, one can online imagine how it was on the dance floor. The breaths, the sways, the sweat, the lights, the fog, the vibration in our ears, and THE RELEASE. In terms of community, this is our one night to bright out "energies" at times even pent-up energies all together. What's been given to Shy at the age of 17 now giving it onto their community 10-fold. That's love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHsRn7qDxDQ

A list of collectives from Club Shugga, Kore and your own Series under Hard Drive. Which came first? How did one lead to another? Especially with Hard Drive, what would you say you wish to achieve and bring forth with your curations as they explain by stating "It all began with assisting my dear friend, Amarji King, with Club Shugga. At the time I was unofficially part of the team. After being inspired by this new, very queer, very BIPOC function in Houston, and also inspired by curators in nightlife such as Big Ace, HYPERFEMME, Idkryan; it really showed me that Houston’s dance floors, while intimate at times, are the safest/most freeing. It pushed me to contribute to the larger movement of the South by creating an additional space that fuels community, and creates spaces for black and brown artists to push their sound. Shortly after, I was invited by my peers Asyi and Uri to be part of Kore, which is a Latin based collective in Houston. With them we’ve been able to create an interesting overlap between club music and electronic sounds stemming from Latin America." Just knowing the taste we'd be receiving of this overlap. I can't wait!

Shy continues by saying "With Hard Drive, I want this party to challenge the dance floor. I want people to be comfortable dancing to unfamiliar genres, sounds, blending styles, and immersing themselves on the dance floor no matter what’s playing. My end goal is to see more of Houston’s dance floors playing obscure and dancier sounds every weekend. At the end of the day the dance floor only know what they’re familiar with, until you teach them." In terms of "challenging" the dance floor, I'd say this is what I love to hear. "Unfamiliar genres" bringing forth a sound unheard anywhere else. in your area. An experience within a safe space, an experience shared with others listening to a "new" blended style, immersing yourself on what the sound evokes out of you that very moment.. Speaking to Lil Duende (founder of Touching Infinite) they have played me a few vinyls from their collection, they always mention the importance of bringing these "unfamiliar sounds." It STICKS WITH YOU! You come out craving and wanting more!

Now a special friend of mine has shared you're from The Rio Grande Valley, correct? Now in Houston and coming down once again to Mcallen Tx! Playing in The Valley, what does this mean to you? To share the room with Rio Grande Valley, to entrance us, to make us SWEAT! "I was born in Edinburg and raised in McAllen.

Playing in the valley is so surreal and beautiful. My first set was so special because it had been a long since coming back home. I’m always excited to come back because I’m always surrounded by such an incredible community of friends, family, and new faces. There’s always something different about each visit and I grow more and more appreciative of the people who live here.

They have such a hunger for music and the arts. I feel it as a performer and that’s why there’s no place that compares to a stage in the RGV."

Listening to HOMOEROTIC, reading the description brought me back to a specific night a few years ago. What's funny is that the description perfectly captured my experience with the mix. My question to you is - Would you say there is a sense of storytelling that the artist, the DJ can encapsulate via their sounds? As Shy says "Always, I said earlier the dance floor can be ritualistic and even spiritual at times. With that our job is to control the energy of the dance floor and invoke emotions through music. We all have something we want to channel through our art. For me, I want any listener to feel where my mind is at whether it be when we’re together during a set or a recorded mix. I want people to leave the dance floor feeling a sense of stress relief." To listen to this, I can ONLY, ONLY imagine what it is experiencing your set, your mix within your domain. In Houston, your dance floor. I can only imagine, but with this. I can hear and I can feel. I was listening to this at home and it brought me back to a few years ago. An outing I shared with a friend that we typically look back on at times. It was a Touching Infinite event. The venue was behind a restaurant? Something different, something new. Walking in - it was blurry pink. A blurry pink I won't forget.

I'm always curious, what caught your interest in creating? curating? Hell, causing hundreds of people to move to your sound as Shy states "It all started with experiencing nightlife right from my laptop in my bedroom here in McAllen. I saw the amazing work people were doing in Austin, Houston, and NYC. It made me hungry to be in community with other queer people. I always knew from a young age I wanted to be an artist in music and have an impact that transcended beyond myself." Experiencing night life from your laptop, experiencing nightlife at 17, now giving others an experience of the nightlife once seen through your screen at home. That is truly transcending. Would that be a full circle? From viewer to becoming producer, nightlife curator, DJ, and dance floor diva.

Behind the decks, April 17th - what can we look forward to? A small tease. What should WE bring onto the dance floor for you as Shy exclaims "I’m creating a special, genre-bending, and ethereal mix that’s going to absolutely HYPNOTIZE the floor. It’s going to be witchy, weird, and high-energy. My only ask is everyone just dance and lose themselves to the music. Let the sounds take you on a journey." You read that? This Friday, April 17th. Don't miss what Shy is bringing onto the dance floor! >.<

Listening to LOOKING (listened to this at the office) you got me, "hypnotic" I forgot where I was at the time. What makes something "hypnotic" under your own terms. What entices, lures out the feeling of "feral" on the dance floor?" As the one producing these not just sounds, but experiences. One night experiences. As Shy shares "Hypnotic for me is capturing someone and keeping them in a trance with the music and letting the music control their body. I’ve had people tell me my mixes are like casting spells. I love to use a lot of drums, chants, and short loops in my sets to activate this. When my mixing reaches a climax that’s when I really see people drop all their anxieties and stress. That’s what makes it hypnotic because everyone suddenly forgets about the outside world and locks in on the dance floor." I was entranced listening to this at work. I was bobbing my head, eyes closed for just a mere moment. I had forgotten where I was until I opened my eyes and I was at my desk at work. Just for a mere moment I was "free." I was under your spell. As Shy mentioned earlier either in person or listening to the mixes online there is an aim of release from the individual.

https://on.soundcloud.com/ybjexc91mGVYBuIbnf < --- Listen to Looking here!

Do you remember your first night DJing in front of a crowd? How was that? How do you feel you've grown and shaped your sound since then? Shy exclaims "I’ll never forget my first time DJing for a large crowd at this bar in Houston called Grand Prize. It was such a scary moment for me because not only was it a larger crowd for me at the time, but I really wanted to play dance music that stayed true to myself while leaving space for them to enjoy themselves. The crowd enjoyed the set and from there I realized people will always enjoy music when there’s a story to tell. Since then I’ve grown so much as an artist, and my overall technique has evolved to where I no longer see genre or tracks. I see tools, blends, and even energies I want to channel." There is a story to tell, your story shared with me, those reading, listening, and on the dance floor. You dreamed of this of being "an artist in music and have an impact that transcended beyond myself." That story continues and will be shared with us, here back home. There may have been individuals who weren't able to witness or experience your trance, your spell a few months back. They're about to witness, Shy Margiela.