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Music

In Studio with Danika Vanderlinden

In Studio with Danika Vanderlinden

In the pulsating heart of Mexico City's music scene, you'll find Danica Vanderlinden, better known to many as Vanderlinden. Danika is deeply immersed as a DJ, music producer, and audio engineer, driven by a lifelong passion for music.

Photography by Chad Balkum

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Danika's journey into DJing wasn't just about spinning tracks; it was a gateway to self-expression and connection. What started as a means to support herself blossomed into a profound love affair with crafting sonic landscapes that resonate with listeners on a visceral level. Whether it's blending beats at a club or producing tracks in the studio, each moment is a testament to the transformative power of music in her life.

I'm Danica Vanderlinden, but most people know me as Vanderlinden. I'm 27 years old, and I'm a DJ, music producer, and audio engineer from Mexico. I got into DJing when I was about 15 years old. I've always loved music. I taught myself to play the piano and later discovered that I could work by selecting and mixing my favorite music for people to listen to and dance to.

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I taught myself to DJ to work as one. I was living on my own at a young age and needed money. So I thought, why not earn my own money doing something fun and sharing with others what I love? I also like painting, acting, writing, and taking pictures. It started as a hobby until I decided to show my paintings to the world.

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So I worked on doing two expos selling my paintings. It went amazingly well, and I'm still working on new pieces. You can check them out in my catalog. My music, my DJ sets, and my paintings are mostly inspired by my life experiences - what I hate, what I love, and what I have learned. My struggles as well as their teachings and my personal growth as an artist

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My art is constantly changing as I mature, and it matures with me. Three skills I consider necessary are:

1. strict practice

2. including your art in your daily routine

3. staying true to yourself, what you like, and what you want to convey to others.

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My advice to someone who's beginning to DJ is to know that there are no limits in the music you want to mix. Explore all the genres you like and mix them without boundaries. Explore music, don't confine yourself to a specific genre. Practice a lot. Don't give up when it gets a little tough. Practice by yourself as well as with others. Be empathetic in your music choices. Try to connect with whoever is listening to what you are communicating through your music selection & always carry your USB. You never know when you might have a chance to make people dance. Music is needed everywhere.

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The sound of my DJ sets is eclectic, universal, and unique. I call my technique Open Format because I always try to mix any genre for any venue with variety and an intelligent way of selecting tracks. I just want to share all the music I like with others without confining myself to a specific genre.

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