CIQ takes a few minutes to discuss some of her musical influences…
“You know I was raised on classical music and I was playing violin and piano every day at nine years old, practicing an hour and a half every day. I was playing in a symphony orchestra when I was thirteen years old. After that I dropped music for awhile because I was more interested in travelling the world. After I turned fifteen I spent most of my summers working overseas on volunteer missions.
“I listened to New Order and Nirvana and wore Doc Martens like every other artist in Generation X. I went to a preppy school so we really stood out in a way. It was pretty normal for radio and artists to blend the sounds of electronic and new rock in Toronto area so I was not aware until much later that at that time electronic music did not have the same following that new rock did.
“No doubt the influence of living in Toronto with such a diverse cultural mix, studying modern music at York with everything from modern classical to technology to popular music, and my friends who were in alt rock bands, or great drummers or singers in urban gospel choirs had as much an influence on me at that time as everything else.
“I was always playing in different bands, especially when I was new in Toronto, and before that when I lived in USA for a couple years. I was always trying new blends and sounds working with different artists from all styles of music. I was really happy after I studied studio engineering because it gave me complete control over presentation of the sound.
“But a lot of my influence came from the technology itself, spending years experimenting with electronic keyboard sounds, practising music, and writing my own. Everyone in my family has always had musical talent and played several different musical instruments. It was sort of inevitable for me in a way. Everyone I know has some sort of unique genius. I just happened to be the one that considered music itself more than a hobby, an obsession really, I took it to a new level and somehow I became a producer.
“But my own sound, I like new stuff, fun stuff, different and unique sounds. I’m a keyboardist, I can play a lot of instruments, but its easier to stick to one right now. I just like to have fun. To do something creative that makes a difference. Anything quality goes, but I like fresh and unique sounds.”
CIQ also spent five years as an events promoter based in Toronto, booking artists and DJs from all genres, and promoting events in Canada and USA.
DJ CIQ ♥ 