SNS Meets dizzyco

SNS : For those discovering dizzyco and your work for the first time, how would you describe what you do and the people you've built around it?

Serge : dizzyco is a disco. It’s all about dance music and nothing else. I grew up on a mix of Lil Wayne and Daft Punk, and throughout the years I think there’s been a lot of cool artists that bridged the gap between those two worlds. That little gap is basically the space I want dizzyco to operate within.

SNS : Stockholm has long been associated with a particular musical legacy. What excites you most about the city's music scene today?

pbeatgirl : I love that there’s so many smaller acts flooding the scene right now. The city hasn’t felt this vibrant in a long long time, and it’s super fun to be a part of.

Serge : I agree, I think Stockholm (or Sweden in general) is among the most interesting cities to be a music fan today. I know that we’re known for making great pop music (which I very much agree with) but there’s also so much more. Besides having Robyn and Zara Larsson here, we have GREAT acts such as Raghd, pbeatgirl, Izza Gara etc. Too many to count and they are all pushing the sound forward while paying homage to their roots and background. Love to see it.

SNS : dizzyco is slowly growing into a plattform for discovering new sounds and emerging talent. What qualities are you looking for when you champion an artist or a creative project?

Serge : Honestly, how much they understand the vision of what I’m trying to communicate with the concept. As a designer, we usually start every project with setting the mood and vision board to get everyone aligned. I think that’s important to do sonically as well. Besides that I am very much looking for a passion for the craft. I think craft is everything, whether it’s music, design, knitting, woodworking. I love seeing people passionate about something.

SNS : Community is a word that comes up often when talking about music culture. What does community mean to you, and how do you create spaces where it can thrive?

Serge: It’s gonna sound very cheesy, but community is everything. Sometimes when I’m listening to a ‘smaller’ artist, I feel so unique as if I was their only fan in the world. Then they come and do a show and you’re placed in the room with so many people that enjoy the music you enjoy (and many times even more things in common). I think that feeling of meeting other people that you didn’t know you had so much in common with beats the feeling of being a ‘unique fan’. All great things are built off the backs of so many people, we would be nowhere without community.

pbeatgirl: Community to me means showing up and showing through. Supporting each other, actively participating in the scene and daring to show what kind of art that moves you. Basically, being human together.

SNS : How has Stockholm influenced your creative identity, and in what ways do you think the city is changing culturally? Serge: Stockholm is a cool place man, I haven't lived here for that long but I feel like if you want to push your craft and creativity, it’s important to be somewhere where there are people on the same movement, and you’ll definitely find it in Stockholm. Overall I think the city is becoming more diverse, it’s gotten to a point where we’ve gotten used to it. I see all kinds of events and happenings with such a wide variety of music and styles, and I think that’s really cool.

pbeatgirl : I’ve thought about this a lot recently. I think the long harsh winters are perfect for introspection and crafting your art. It’s a lot easier to listen to your inner voice when everything is quiet underneath the thick snow.

SNS : Building something independently comes with both challenges and opportunities. What have been some of the most important lessons you've learned along the way?

Serge : Biggest lesson is definitely don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s impossible to be the best at everything (not for a lack of trying haha) but there’s so many people out there that’s so talented. Also most of them just want to show off their talents, people want to show you what they’ve learnt and been doing for the last couple of years. That’s something to cherish.

SNS : What role do collaborations play in your creative process, and what makes a partnership feel authentic to you?

pbeatgirl : Building, supporting, challenging and appreciating. I think collaboration is a great way to get to know yourself and others at the same time. And absolutely vital for the art making process.

Serge : I think collaboration is great for all the areas I lack in. Someone is probably better at it and since I’m a very result oriented person, I’d rather have a good result than an OK result and the only positive thing being that I did it myself. But in order to make it feel authentic, it’s super important to have a shared vision. Usually I’d say the key to that is compromise but since dizzyco is my little baby, the vision needs to be aligned with dizzyco as a concept.

SNS : Looking ahead, what do you hope to contribute to Stockholm's cultural landscape over the next few years, and what should people be paying attention to next?

Serge : I’d say I’d love to add another community for dance music. It’s such a broad category but I think that people often think about the progressive house DJ mixes you heard in the early 2010s or at Spy Bar. Don’t get me wrong, I loved that era of dance music and I think that artists such as Avicii has influenced so many people, me included. But I do think we need to bring disco back, more four on the floor beats in fun, groovy and imaginative ways. Hopefully dizzyco accomplishes that.