when i began professionally touring outside of what once was my local stomping grounds in brooklyn, i felt an obligation to cut together a highlight reel during this awkward time between christmas and the new year. i’d made my passion project into a successful DJ business, and i wanted to share in my adventures while, of course, simultaneously advertising my expanding tour history to prospective talent-buyers, promoters and record labels. this all felt very normal and actually, quite expected of me - by my manager, my agents, the people who bought tickets to see me at all those parties and festivals.
this end of year “recap” video usually comprised of big crowd shots, clips of me at the airport or boarding planes, golf cart rides between stages, fireworks, glimpses of me enjoying myself in the DJ booth. i always tried to pepper in some of the less exciting moments - my lone reflection in an elevator, a brief catchup at home with my cat, lighting my last cigarette in a hotel parking lot.
i’ve had the same bio on my website since 2019 - it’s a quote from a DJ MAG article “18 emerging acts you need to hear this january” written by niamh o’ connor. this short writeup was one of the rare instances (i’ve only experienced this exactly three times in my career) when a music journalist not only expressed what i was doing better than i could, but their words ended up functioning as a creative compass for me during future moments of confusion or doubt.
it reads:
“Quiet moments” inspire QRTR, an artist who aims to “shake things up” after lulling her listener into a pulsating groove. It seems ironic to think that peaceful snatches of time are the foundations of QRTR’s productions, which fuse low-slung, downtempo melodies with the infectious energy of house pumpers. In a previous life, QRTR’s studies in film opened her ears to a vast number of sound libraries, which are tastefully woven into each of her tracks. QRTR merges multiple electronic styles with an underlying beat of house-tinged energy, guiding her dancefloor through a myriad of previously unknown sounds. Think art house film composer meets basement rave.
FOR FANS OF: Tiga, Daphni, Floating Points
just a couple years later, much to my surprise, all those “quiet moments” that seemed to inspire me were suddenly few and far between. they had been replaced by club sound systems, plane engines, a tiktok feed. and please understand that i like noise! i love living in big cities, going to parties with the bass so loud i can feel it in my lungs, sometimes i even enjoy a really rowdy green room with DJs and promoters nearly screaming over each other clawing for a moment of connection with another person sandwiched between drinks, bumps and zoned out dance-floor focus.
2025 gave me the most quiet i’d experienced since that DJ MAG article was posted six years ago. it was my first year without an agent (somehow still toured all over the states and am very grateful for that). it was my first year prioritizing my live show, as opposed to DJ sets and radio mixes. it was my first year putting in the hours and mental gymnastics to deeply understand what it is that i want out of this music project and my professional career.
the quiet of this year has morphed into so many new ideas that are forking into several paths ahead of me. i took my time, so that i may now approach these forks in the road with discernment.
i have a big to-do list that will carry over into 2026, loose threads i intend to wrap up neatly. i accomplished many things this year, but some of the personal milestones that feel most important don’t adapt well to a list… how do you list out learning how to season your life with the salt you tasted at rock bottom? hm ok that wasn’t so hard, i’ll make a damn list (this one’s for ME, it’s NOT what you think (i think)):
released my third album [ONDAS]
performed my own music live [@ making time in philly]
launched a new sublabel + party series [JOINT FUNCTION]
threw collaborative parties in philly, los angeles, georgia, seattle
spun two of my favorite DJ mixes to date [@ the lot radio]
received my first full-screen end credit in a film [netflix’s selena y los dinos]
learned how to season my life with the salt i tasted at rock bottom
…
blocked a few DJs online
i’m only human!
the list of tasks (that i keep willingly assigning to myself) is far from done and i don’t think it will ever be “done.” my work in music and film/tv give me so much purpose and motivation in this life. i am increasingly thankful for it, and this past year brought me an immense amount of clarity in terms of the conditions i need to sustain the inspiration that keeps me trekking through this incredible winding path.
i hope you find some cup-filling quiet whenever you need it between all the (sometimes extremely beautiful??) noise.
see you in 2026. :)
