EXCLUSIVE: Patricia Baloge x WOTN Guest Mix (Women in Music)

INTERVIEWSTHE BUZZ

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French-born DJ Patricia Baloge Finds Success in Brooklyn.

We return from a hectic summer schedule with our Women in Music series. This time, a special Guest Mix blending Western House and Afro sounds from rising talent Patricia Baloge.

Of Ghanian descent, Patricia Baloge was born in Montpellier, in the South of France. Being raised in a multi-cultural upbringing—France and Ghana—had a lasting effect on her genesis.

Patricia Baloge x WOTN Guest Mix

Tell us a little bit about your upbringing, and just how that led you to the sound you channel throughout your music now?

I grew up in the South of France raised by my mother in a Ghanaian household. My siblings living in Ghana, I was kind of an only child so music was always my refuge every time I needed to entertain myself. With music I could take control of how I wanted to feel, so the more genres I was exposed to, the better. Although I was in Europe, American music was as common as French music on the popular radio stations, so Rn’b and HipHop were definitely a part of my daily life. Growing up in an African home and having a bunch of friends from many places in the world had me spend my adolescence being equally exposed to Caribbean and African music, so I always kept an open ear and stayed curious to hear more new sounds. Once I moved to New York I got interested in House music and discovered Afro-House which completely blew my mind.

After everywhere you’ve traveled thus far, what brought you to Brooklyn?

New York was always a place I wanted to experience for its dynamism and the melting pot it offers. I always felt like this place would help me grow stronger within myself and I was right. Once in New York, it was inevitable that Brooklyn would become my home. I fell in love with its unapologetic creative rawness and how it’s forever evolving..

Tell us about your jewelry line ‘Madame Baloge’ – how does having that and building a career as a DJ play into the brand you are building for yourself?

Madame Baloge is a jewelry line that I started after college. Undertaking that adventure allowed me to understand that I had a creative flair and gave me the confidence to follow my heart when it comes to pursuing all my passions. Building a career in music alongside Madame Baloge is a challenge that I happily undertake. I realized early in this journey that whatever I learned on the music side could teach me something that I could add to Madame Baloge and vice versa.

What inspired you to dip into a career as a DJ? What do you hope to see come from it?

As an African girl in the world I always wanted to help re-shape the idea of what being African is. Later on, I realized that music was one of the best ways I could do that. My love for beautiful sounds and the idea of sharing them with the world is also what inspired me to dip into a career in music and as a DJ.

What was the inspiration behind your debut single ‘Desire’

Desire came to me at a time during which I felt that, as a woman I had to put myself first. We live in a world that has bombarded us directly and indirectly with the idea that in order to be “good” we must cater to others needs before we cater to our own. That idea can be so detrimental in a woman’s life that I felt I had to make a track about it. The sound of it has an Afro tropical feel with a little bit of Pop to it and Afro-House influences.

Speaking of Desires, what would you say your deepest desire is?

My deepest desire is to leave this Earth knowing that I expressed everything I needed to express without holding back.

The Brooklyn-based DJ is passionate about initiating a cultural conversation on the dance floor, allowing others to embrace their differences through love and the pure power of music.

Baloge believes “we’re here to put every possible expression of ourselves out in the world.”

Having built an unshakeable reputation over the years with her eclectic mixes and groovy blend of deep house and Afro sounds. Delving deeper into the world of production, Baloge’s debut single ‘Desire’ is out now via VNUS Records.

To add, the vocalist and producer’s bonafide passion for Afrohouse has inspired her to embark on a musical journey that infuses a plethora of musical styles and genres into one cohesive blend. With her ‘Mood Mix’ series garnering a solid online following.

Earlier this month, Patricia stepped up in the BBC 1Xtra guest mix hot seat. Listen, HERE.

Patricia Baloge: Soundcloud |Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

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