Mija

For Mija, music has always been about connection, evolution, and, lately, freedom. Her recent relocation to Berlin has breathed new life into her sound, sparking a journey of exploration and rediscovery. Moving away from her American roots in house and techno, Mija is now tapping into Berlin’s fast-paced, euro-trance-inspired energy—a shift that has been both thrilling and creatively invigorating.

In her latest release, Summer Groove, Mija distills this evolution, crafting a sound that balances her love for playful house with Berlin’s unmistakable edge. The track was born out of an impromptu writing camp with friends Justin Jay and Gusted.

“Last summer, we rented a flat in Berlin for the month of June and had our own writing camp,” she recalls with excitement.

We explored the city and made music until 7 am every day. Justin and I have roots in the American house/techno scene but have been inspired by the euro-trance movement happening in Berlin. We love making music that is playful, happy, and uplifting. During our month in Berlin, Justin got an opportunity to send demos to Club Heartbroken.

This sense of spontaneity and collective energy, Mija notes, is what makes Berlin so inspiring—a place where late nights and early mornings blur and creativity feels limitless.

Reflecting on the journey behind Summer Groove, Mija recounts the pivotal moment of its creation. While experimenting with beats, she ducked into a bedroom to record some scratch vocals. When she returned to her friends, they were electrified by what she’d come up with.

“About an hour later, I came back into the room to show what I’d come up with,” she shares.

“The room exploded.”

That same night, they premiered the track on Radio Rudina, where it quickly gained momentum. Within a week, Club Heartbroken picked it up for release.

Mija’s journey to embrace her own voice has also been significant. Her recent track, She Got It, marks another step toward a new chapter.

“After Summer Groove got signed, I was inspired to keep using my voice in my tracks,” she explains.

“I recorded the scratch vocals for She Got It on my phone… I was buzzing and ready to move my life across the world.”

These lyrics capture her anticipation and thrill of starting anew in Berlin.

The lyrics are exactly how I was feeling during that time. About a month later I was living Berlin and I found the voice memo. I produced the song pretty quickly and offered it to Hot Meal.

But not all of her recent releases are upbeat or lighthearted. Her track Nothin, part of BCCO’s DJ Hyperdrive VA, explores darker, more mischievous tones. Describing it as

“a silly antagonizing diss track,” she smiles, adding, “It’s a reminder to take life less seriously.”

Yet, she’s noticed a divide between her American and European listeners.

“Nobody in America wanted to sign this track,” she laughs.

“It wasn’t until I started sending it to EU labels that it caught some interest.” Nobody in America wanted to sign this track. I think it landed in the right place and is aligned with the culture and communities I’m currently exploring. I love sharing stages with DJ Hyperdrive and am excited to be included in the VA.”

For Mija, Europe feels like a place that embraces freedom in style and sound—where creativity isn’t confined by trends or expectations.

Indeed, moving to Berlin has marked a profound shift in Mija’s creative life. She explains how the city’s influence has expanded her perspective on music and performance.

“Whether it be the people I meet, the meals I’m eating, or the long aimless walks I take—I am experiencing so many new things for the first time,” she reflects.

Berlin’s vibrant underground scene has changed her sets as well, inspiring her to dig deeper and experiment with new sounds.

“What I love and impresses me the most about these clubs is that the audience reacts more when you play something they’ve never heard before,” she shares.

“There’s no expectation to ‘play the hits’—personal style is more valuable here. I feel like my sets in Europe have been resonating well. The crowds have been wonderful to me and the energy is top. So far the countries that I’ve felt most connected to are Germany, Netherlands, Austria, and Italy. But there are still so many places I haven’t been to yet that are on the calendar for next year.”

This renewed energy has also found a home in Never B Alone, Mija’s community-driven label. At Never B Alone, the artists vote on which tracks to release, fostering a sense of collaboration over competition.

“At Never B Alone, I am not the sole person seeking out music,” she explains.

“I wanted to create a label that is open to everyone and isn’t inherently dependent on one big artist or one type of sound.”

For Mija, the label is about making music accessible, allowing every artist a place to belong, and fostering an environment where creativity flows freely.

Returning to her musical roots, Mija reflects on the early genres that first sparked her love for DJing—genres that are now making their way back into her work.

“I grew up listening to UK Hardcore, Happy Hardcore, and Hard Dance. When I first started DJing 10+ years ago, I chose Disco because it was slower and easier for me to learn how to mix.”

Now, incorporating elements of these genres into her sets and productions feels like a natural evolution, that brings together her past and present in a powerful way.

Through all these transformations, Mija’s move to Berlin has brought her closer to a sound that feels truer to who she is.

“It’s like I’m living in this perfect world where I can take all influences, mix them with classic house grooves and techno. It feels like a full-circle moment.”

For Mija, Berlin has become more than just a home; it’s a source of boundless inspiration and creative freedom, pushing her to embrace new sounds and explore parts of herself that have lain dormant. With each new track and every collaboration, she invites her audience to join her on this journey—one where the lines between genre, place, and identity dissolve, leaving only the beat, the groove, and a world of possibilities.