TAMTA ft SALOME: Redefining georgian identity on the dancefloor

What happens when heritage collides with hyper-modernity when tradition is sampled, remixed, and turned loose on a strobe-lit dancefloor? In the case of Tamta and SALOME's explosive collaboration on the KHORUMI remix, the result is a rare and fearless act of cultural reinvention, a testament to their courage and creativity.

Pop icon Tamta, known for her boundary-pushing artistry, and Berlin-based electro provocateur SALOME, a resident of queer institution Herrensauna, have teamed up to offer a visceral reinterpretation of KHORUMI. This track first appeared on Tamta's experimental EP THE VILLAIN, and later found its place in her full-length concept album, THE VILLAIN HEROINE. This remix, a fusion of traditional Georgian elements with modern electronic and pop, serves as a bold statement of cultural reinvention and a celebration of Georgia's rich musical heritage.

For Tamta, “KHORUMI” is much more than a song; it's a tribute to her Georgian roots. The title references a traditional war dance performed by men in tight military formation —a ritual charged with discipline, unity, and survival. Translating that legacy into electronic pop was a radical act.

"'KHORUMI' is a symbol of strength, resilience, and pride for me," Tamta tells us.

"Moving from Georgia to Greece, I've always carried those roots with me. Reworking it into electronic and pop was about blending my past with my present, creating a bridge between tradition and innovation. With my amazing producer TEO.x3, we turned something deeply rooted in local tradition into a universal language."

SALOME approached the remix as both homage and disruption. Known for her dark, physical, high-voltage sets at festivals such as Dekmantel, Sonar, Dour, and Monegros, as well as clubs like Fold, Basement, and NITSA, she infused her trademark rawness into Tamta's vocals and melody. Her innovative use of vocal manipulation and rhythmic transformation sets this remix apart in the electronic and pop music landscape.

"I treated her voice like an instrument, chopping, pitching, stretching it. The idea was to flip that traditional atmosphere into something rhythmic and physical. Less about words, more about feeling it in your body. That's where my sound lives."

This collaboration marks a decisive moment: two Georgian artists from different worlds, pop and techno, mainstream and underground, collaborating to reshape national identity on their own terms, showcasing the unity in diversity.

"Georgia's musical heritage is extraordinary; from polyphonic harmonies to sacred chants, our culture stirs the soul. What makes me proud is that it's two women leading this evolution. Georgian women have always been survivors, shapers of culture. This remix is about embracing where we come from and pushing those boundaries outward, into something universal."

SALOME adds:

"When Tamta reached out, I was excited, not just because I admire her, but because I saw it as a chance to experiment with contrast. My sound is heavy and clubby, and her track was already rooted in tradition. I wouldn't say the remix defines Georgian identity, but it reflects how open and diverse it's becoming. We're making space for both roots and innovation."

Photographer – Rachel Israela

The KHORUMI remix follows another bold reinterpretation earlier this year by Die Arkitekt, a techno producer known for his work with RuPaul's drag icon Charity Kase. That version stripped the track down into a minimalist, industrial skeleton, proving how far the core idea of KHORUMI can stretch.

"Having other artists remix my songs is creatively energizing," Tamta says.

"It's inspiring to hear how they can reinterpret my work and tell an entirely new story. What's even more powerful is the inspiration I get in return."

Photographer – Petros Aronis

The remix arrives on the heels of Tamta's full-length concept album THE VILLAIN HEROINE, released June 17, 2025, via her independent label Kiki Music Group, distributed by Minos EMI / Universal Music. The project brings together two previously released EPs, THE VILLAIN and THE HEROINE, into one cohesive sonic diptych, now enhanced with two bonus tracks and a reimagined version of her early hit DEN TELIONI ETSI I AGAPI.

The album tells a dual narrative exploring the blurred lines between empowerment and vulnerability, strength and softness, good and evil.

"This LP is as personal as it gets," Tamta says.

"It's not about two sides, it's about being human. Some days I feel like a hero; others, I need to be bold and fierce. The turning point was realizing that real strength comes from accepting your whole self: your contradictions, your chaos, your softness. That's the message of this album."

Musically, the project draws from a diverse array of influences, including hyperpop, J-pop, left-field electronic, and rave-inspired textures, while incorporating her native Greek and Georgian languages throughout. Tracks like "ANAKATA", "CHROME HEARTS ft. Saske", and "MONOTONIA ft. LILA" showcase her ability to blend the experimental with the irresistible.

Tamta credits much of the album's realization to Kiki Music Group, a platform she created not just for herself, but for other bold artists.

"Kiki is becoming a space for unconventional voices," she explains.

"It gives me the freedom to explore and take risks. This album wouldn't have existed in a traditional label system; it needed space to breathe."

The album has earned praise from BBC Radio London, Notion, Metal, Wonderland, SICKY Mag, Kaltblut, EDM Nomad, Daily Express, and Antidote Magazine, where KHORUMI was spotlighted next to tracks by Sevdaliza, Tyla, and Damiano David.

Tamta's recent evolution has also brought her deeper into queer nightlife. Since 2023, she's headlined a sold-out residency at SMUT Athens, an underground club that channels Berghain energy through the lens of Mediterranean hedonism.

"Since the early days of my career, the queer community has welcomed me with open arms," she says.

"Supporting queer nightlife is about creating safe, expressive spaces where everyone can be themselves. We're here to inspire others to embrace who they are and challenge norms."

SALOME, meanwhile, is an icon in queer electronic circles, not only for her fiery sets at Herrensauna, but for the freedom she champions through her sound.

"Even though I identify as straight, queerness is part of the world I exist in," she shares.

"It's in the people around me, in the energy of my sets. I never set out to make something 'queer', but that boldness, that spirit of rebellion and uniqueness, always finds its way into the music."

Tamta and SALOME’s collaboration on KHORUMI doesn’t ask for attention, it commands it. There’s no pandering to nostalgia or clean-cut cultural symbolism here. Instead, the track digs into something more uncomfortable and real: what it means to carry history into a space that’s intended for release, movement, and chaos. Tamta honors her roots not by preserving them in amber, but by letting them evolve and transform. And SALOME, with her instinct for distortion and tension, doesn’t translate the track for the club—she detonates it there.

THE VILLAIN HEROINE carries the same urgency. It doesn’t resolve contradictions or wrap identity in a polished narrative. It just lays everything bare, messy, sharp, soft, angry, joyful. Tamta isn’t trying to be palatable; she’s trying to be honest. That’s what makes the album hit harder than any algorithm-approved pop project. Together, she and SALOME aren’t offering answers—they’re giving us the noise, the rhythm, and the friction that comes with owning your story without asking permission.