How Atmsphre Went from Playing at a Bat Mitzvah to Festivals and Clubs
Natalia Barulich and Esther Anaya are not your average DJs or in the former’s case, another model slash something.
Given that the DJ and EDM world has a bad rap for being male-dominated, Braulich and Anaya are here to spice things up under their newest act as Atmsphre.
Backed by former American Idol judge Randy Jackson as their manager, Atmsphre are ready to take over the nation with red hot gigs in Miami (at Ultra), Vegas (at Surrender) and if you are going to be invited to the Guess party at Coachella, watch this space for those badass babes.
The girls and I chat about how they went into deejaying, why they don’t see other DJs as their competition and who they want to play in their dream festival.
How did you two meet and why have you chosen to pursue deejaying?
We met at a pool party 7 years ago and became friends. We always wanted to work together musically but were focused on our own endeavors. We coincidentally bumped into each other in summer 2016 and decided to form our duo project. Music has been both of our passions since a very young age and ever since the rise of EDM and the DJ industry, we knew we wanted to be a part of it. But not as just your typical DJs. We wanted to incorporate our skills as musicians and live performers to make our project unique.
As DJs, what is your secret to having the perfect playlist?
We cater to the crowd and the energy we receive. We’re very open minded during our set, always trying new things and make sure to engage with the audience, keeping the atmosphere high.
If you have to pick a song to play on repeat, what will it be?
“In My Mind.” Classic EDM anthem.
So many DJs are either solo acts or groups. Where did you find your name and how did that reflect your personality?
We decided on the name Atmsphre the night we reconnected because our first musical collaboration together was 7 years ago at a bat mitzvah (lol) as the atmosphere performers during cocktail hour. We love the name and it perfectly reflect us as a duo because we control the atmosphere during our show through our music.
Since the DJ scene is male-dominated, were there any moments when you feel the pressure to compete against them?
The DJ scene is male-dominated, yes, and there is always pressure to keep up with the boys. However, it’s not a competition for us. We have our own style and we love getting inspiration from other DJs but at the end of the day, our biggest competitor is ourselves. We want to empower women and show them that girls too can be in this industry and dominate.
Natalia, you are a dancer and a model. Who motivates you to dabble in both fields and how do they overlap?
My biggest motivation when I was little was Britney Spears. I have always been a performer and knew entertainment was the industry I wanted to be in. Dance applies to modeling through movement and being aware of your body in front of the camera. Having been a ballerina for 15 years, I am fully aware of myself and posing, so it really all comes naturally.
Esther, I see that you have incorporated your violin skills into the music. Why have you decided to build your career in music?
I have been passionate about music since I was born. I grew up in a musical family who inspired me to build my career in music. It’s what makes me happy and when I perform I feel at home. I know this is what I’m meant to do.
What are your secrets to being confident?
Don’t listen to negativity or take anything personal. Know your worth, believe in yourself and if you don’t believe, how could you convince others to?
As Coachella is coming up, which year was the best and what was your favorite moment from attending it?
To be completely honest, we’ve never had the opportunity to attend Coachella as we’ve never been in town during it or had other obligations. We always said though, the day we will attend is the day we are performing at it. Which is this year! We will be playing a few shows at some great events which we are really excited about.
If you have to create your own festival, who do you want to feature in your lineup?
Currently, we are in Miami for WMC and going to Ultra this weekend. The lineup is absolutely incredible and features some of our all time favorite artists including Alesso, Zedd, Nicky Romero, Steve Aoki, Diplo, KSHMR, and Adventure Club. Next year, we plan to be performing this festival. Stay tuned! 😉