We spoke to New York-based artist DESNA on her latest EP ‘Spiritual Warfare’, healing frequencies, and Frequency Made Music.
Since starting her career as a producer in 2017, DESNA has already begun to make her mark on the ever-expanding global techno scene. She has been a resident at Output club in New York and has played festivals such as GEM, Time Warp, and EDC. Releasing through her imprint Frequency Made Music as well as Simina Grigoriu’s Kuukou Records, DESNA is one of many artists within dance music such as Cera Khin, E/Tape, Lee Burridge, and Auntie Flo who are channelling the themes of wellness, mental health and spirituality through their art.
Wellness has had quite the synonymous relationship with dance music over the years. The first incarnation of this relationship came in the 90s via the chillout room which offered a respite from the intensity of the main room antics. Whilst the majority of clubs no longer offer such variety anymore, festivals such as Draaimolen have started to reintroduce them into thier programming.
Whilst the chillout room may not be as prominent within the club space nowadays, the promotion of mental wellbeing is. Nowadays, you can find holistic sound therapy experiences at festivals like Houghton, Glastonbury and others. Some promoters have even gone so far as to build their entire image around the wellness of their patrons, such as Gardens of Babylon and Intrinsic who have a focus on mental wellbeing at their core.
Whilst sound healing sessions and chillout rooms separate themselves from the rave, DESNA is looking to combine the two in a different way. By addressing themes in her music such as love, abundance, and spiritual warfare, its DESNA’s hope that people can dance their way to spiritual alignment.
How did you initially get into music, and when did you realise you wanted to do this as a profession?
I was a child singer. I sang for a rock band called Warrant on Columbia records when I was 10 years old and I also did some Italian opera stuff which ended once I became a teenager (interest shifted to dating and going out).
I played in band through middle school and high school but never thought music would be a practical profession. I dreamed of being a singer when I was young. I got into deejaying in NYC for fun and at queer parties and corporate events. I did events for Target, Residency at W Hotel Maldives, and opened for Justin Timberlake’s Suit and Tie album release which aired on CW network. The corporate stuff paid well, but I was told what to play vs having full creative freedom.
I loved underground music as a fan and wanted to play that music. I stopped doing corporate gigs and started playing at Output. Output had a sort of seriousness to it that when you played it was an honor. It was an underground institution and the best club in the world at that time. 2016- end of 2017. I gained popularity playing there so often that they even let me close their very last night open. It gave me confidence that I could try to take this up professionally.
What inspired you to have this focus on healing frequencies?
A few things. One, I am neurodivergent. I have battled ADHD & Anxiety most of my life. I have been using frequencies for these two things for years combined with meditation. The other main reason this idea took off was helping ease the pain and stress in my Mom’s house while my Step Father battled terminal illness. He wasn’t able to be on any more medication yet still in alot of discomfort.
My Mom kept asking me to make hour-long frequencies to play throughout the house for them. That birthed a question inside of me as to why these frequencies are only used in ambient or meditative music. Why can’t we benefit from these in faster music?
How do you conduct your research on these frequencies?
Binaural Beats and Solfeggio frequencies have been around for a long time. Some have real scientific backing while others have only suggestive literature on their benefits. The history around the use of sound healing and specific tones is in abundance though.
I don’t believe in a lot of the fluff claims around these hz BUT I think it’s safe to say sound itself as a therapy has already been proven to help many ailments and to narrow that down to specific acoustics and tones is almost here. Stanford University recently proved a way to create new heart tissue with sound acoustics.
Can you describe your creative process?
It starts with a theme (Abundance, Love, Spiritual Warfare, etc etc). From that theme I look at which frequencies would best suit my theme. I then create my bassline and harmonies with the specific frequency and then build my track around that.
Can you share some of your inspiration behind this EP?
Spiritual Warfare is a spiritual concept with the belief in the spiritual realm with good and evil (light and darkness) at war over our soul’s purpose. My fan base voted for the topic as I gave everyone plenty of themes.
Spiritual Warfare has to do with negative strongholds that affect our everyday life (keeping us in bondage). Strongholds can be any addiction in excess like food, porn, drugs etc, OR a strong negative emotion ruining our joy like anger, envy, low self-worth, fear, etc. The common ground here with strong scientific backing would be Unforgiveness linked to incurable disease. The topic isn’t really discussed in music so bringing it to light was worth it.
Can you describe your wellness routine for us?
Yes! I wake up and read my study Bible for 30 minutes. I meditate and pray for another 30 minutes. My prayer is more daily affirmations for protection, peace, discernment, and direction. I workout most days and cold plunge as well. This helps keep clarity throughout my day.
Wellness within dance music has almost become somewhat of a buzzword as of late and is associated by some communities as a trend. What would you say to those who may think the same about Frequency Made Music? Why does techno need FMM?
Why not :)))? I think every genre should use them because it’s a more intentional way to create any kind of music. Each frequency has its own purpose, and to begin a track with a purpose in place makes better music (in my opinion). It’s not so much that techno needs it, I just happen to be a techno leaning artist. But I would be doing it for any genre I was in.
There is something to these frequencies. They have helped me in many ways! And, while this is evolving, I keep witnessing this music turn into testimonials that went beyond the genre – helping someone in a deeper way is really the purpose behind it.
What’s next for DESNA?
Great question. I am focused on this concept being a concert. That is my main focus for now, and I will continue to release every other month until the show is ready. I have meetings with some festivals interested in the concept as well, so it’s all gradually coming together. I’m leaving room for God to work His magic on this inspired project. I feel it’s my purpose for now.