Turkish DJ Elif Returns to Miami for an Intimate Set at Mode

Raised in the party capital of Istanbul, Elif was inspired by the capital city's nightlife and love for music. Traveling to Barcelona to establish herself in the Catalonian city's ever-evolving nightlife scene was the natural next step for her career.

"Growing up in Istanbul, we had really good clubs where I could watch world-class DJs perform. Barcelona is a great city for a DJ, in my opinion. It has a nice airport with good connections, it's close to Ibiza, it's not very expensive, and we have good weather most of the time," Elif shares with New Times. "After Istanbul's chaos, it's a very chill and easy city for me that makes my life easier. There are some amazing artists living in Barcelona as well, and conversations and collaborations with those artists can be considered as influences in my style of music."

Since the move, Elif has found success playing at festivals and nightclubs around the world. The last time she was in Miami, she played at the Ground alongside LP Giobbi. She returns on Thursday, August 29, at Mode.

"I've never been to this venue but heard really good things about it, and as far as I have been following, it has been hosting good names," she says of Mode.

Thursday's set is an opportunity for her to showcase not only herself but also some of the other DJs on her record label, Marginalia, including Sebastian Duarte and Tenvin, who will go back-to-back before Elif takes over.

"Being able to showcase talent not only with our releases but also at events in front of crowds is very important to me. I'm grateful that the Ritual crew made this happen," she adds.

Despite having played clubs all over Europe, Elif is much more used to the intimate setting a venue like Mode provides.
"I prefer a stage that is not too far from the crowd," she says. "I usually prefer intimate settings and smaller stages to bigger ones, but lately, to my surprise, I played some main stage slots in some of the biggest festivals and clubs, like Core Tomorrowland Medellín, Zamna Brasil, or Piknic Électronik Montreal, and the vibe was as good as an intimate venue. So I am a bit more open to playing bigger stages now."

This summer, Elif avoided the continent-hopping schedule that many DJs follow, choosing instead to play shows mainly in Europe.

"The summer has been quite chill after my decision not to take long flights and change continents," she explains. "Since I started my career, I never made a decision as such, and having flown between continents every weekend for the past two years, it was a very refreshing decision. I stayed in the same time zone for three months. Taking short EU flights between shows this summer felt like taking a metro compared to the long overseas flights I have been taking back to back. I again decided to skip Burning Man as well. Even though the FOMO is huge, my body and sleep schedule is thankful."

With such a busy schedule, she can dedicate only so much time to her endeavors.

"I'm still learning how to say no, how to take time for important things, how to ask for help and build a support system, how to regulate the body, and more — it's an ongoing process," she says. Prioritizing sleep, staying drug-free, and practicing yoga have been key factors in consistently staying in good shape to play shows.

"I hope my label grows bigger so I can give better spotlight to my artists," Elif shares. "There are some legendary clubs and festivals that I'd love to play, and I'm secretly grateful they are not all happening at once so I can enjoy each one of them."

Ritual Presents Elif. With Just Me RC B2B ThirdEyePatient and Sebastian Duarte B2B Tenvin. 11 p.m. Thursday, August 29, at Mode, 2 S. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-942-7240; mode.miami. Tickets cost $24.25 via dice.fm; admissions is free before midnight.