Susanna Kim
From standing in her Cologne living room in her pyjamas trying to figure out how to blend music, to becoming a highly in-demand DJ in Berlin. Curiosity and a chance encounter with a fashion designer, led to her being asked to make a mix for a Berlin Fashion Week show. Soon after, invitations to DJ at events started flowing in. The rest, as they say, is history!
Susanna, how did your DJ career kick off?
In retrospect it looks like I made very intentional decisions in my life, but I actually didn't. What I was always trying to do was to exclude things that I don’t like and then just let my life carry me along. To be frank, I just wanted to learn how to DJ out of curiosity. I never wanted to DJ in front of people in the first place. My intrinsic motivation got me here — I just wanted to understand how to create music. At one point, I asked a friend of mine in Cologne to explain to me how to blend music. From there on I bought some equipment to just try it out for fun. It was just me, standing in my living room in my PJ’s trying to figure things out and I didn’t understand a thing. I really wish I had a mentor or just someone I could’ve shared this with.
What role did Berlin play in your DJ journey?
Well, it all actually got started in Berlin. One thing that happened was I got invited to play at a friend’s event and ended up connecting with a fashion designer. Two weeks later he asked me to make a mix for his opening show at Berlin Fashion Week. I was so nervous and super excited at the same time that I decided to give it a go. After that, invitations to DJ at events followed.
What an inspiring story! So what makes this city so special for you?
Berlin is huge and yet it can be so small at the same time — it's funny how often you run into the same people. Another thing is you can have everything you want, nearly 24/7. But the best part of Berlin is that you don't have to take part in everything if you don't want to. Plus there’s the nature aspect of it. Just in and outside of Berlin there are so many lakes! Unfortunately, this summer I haven’t had time to visit even one. Berlin is a few different worlds mixed into one city.
Who is your Woman Author of Achievement and why?
My mother who worked full-time as a nurse, and together with my father, raised three children in a small town in a completely foreign country. When it comes to music, it would have been great to have a woman role model growing up. I think I would have found this path earlier had that been the case. I was always curious about DJing, but it took me years to come to the conclusion that I could just try it and see what happens.
Which episode on the WAA Podcast left an impression on you?
I started listening to several, but the one I stuck with was the one with Fee Beyer (E.14). I liked the fact that she founded her own SportsTech company. It was only a small detail, but I remember her saying something about studies on female athletes and how women train best during their menstrual cycle — it was super interesting!