DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ - Interview

(I)

COSMOS.PRESS

Can you talk to us about your album art design. Across your discography, you have a similar art style/aesthetic. Why do you choose to represent yourself this way?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

I always loved pixel-art title screens from 90's VGA and SVGA games, and I was a big fan of Fred Deakin's portrait/self-portrait art but I didn't want to use vector graphics. Originally I was just doing some vaporwave styled art based on the tv-show (inspired by DJ Seinfeld's soundcloud art) but when I needed a cover for This Is For The Lovers, I decided to just create one from scratch.

That particular cover became the album cover and I just kept making more as I didn't know anyone who'd want to do it for me, haha!

(II)

COSMOS.PRESS

What relation does your name have to the television show 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch'?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

I was just looking for the worst DJ name that could ever go on a club poster, I tried some mock-ups with many different ideas, but this definitely stood out worse than any of the others!

(III)

COSMOS.PRESS

Tell us about your 2020 release titled, 'Charmed.' What was the inspiration behind this release?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

It really wasn't supposed to be a particularly special album, it was more like Enchanted II or Enchanted x2 (for the length) but I wanted it to be slightly significant as it was the final album in the Pentalogy. I always envisioned it as a double-tape cassette release to create a palindromic look in a box-set, but the length was kinda by accident!

I really had a tough time personally in the early months of 2020 and didn't mix any tracks, but just kept casually making them, and when I was improving mid-year I just started mixing everything for the album and couldn't believe how many tracks there were, haha!

(IV)

COSMOS.PRESS

31 tracks is massive for an album, but 'Charmed' doesn't overstay its welcome with such an impressive assortment of sounds! Did you have an internal debate about releasing a project of this length?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

Thank you! No, I never worry about length or track amounts at all, I think if an album sounds right and doesn't drag in any way, there should be no reason to let time be an issue. In the digital age, there are no limits and much of the old limitations of album lengths was derived from the hard limits of physical releases. I'm surprised just how many albums are still under 40 minutes, but I guess it depends on the project and genre, some may be better suited to shorter running times...

I never found it an issue, personally!

(V)

COSMOS.PRESS

Can you talk to us about your album art design. Across your discography, you have a similar art style/aesthetic. Why do you choose to represent yourself this way?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

I always loved pixel-art title screens from 90's VGA and SVGA games, and I was a big fan of Fred Deakin's portrait/self-portrait art but I didn't want to use vector graphics. Originally I was just doing some vaporwave styled art based on the tv-show (inspired by DJ Seinfeld's soundcloud art) but when I needed a cover for This Is For The Lovers, I decided to just create one from scratch.

That particular cover became the album cover and I just kept making more as I didn't know anyone who'd want to do it for me, haha!

(VI)

COSMOS.PRESS

Outside of music, what inspires you creatively?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

Not very much! I love retro games and 90's-00's T.V. (mostly comedy) and some 80's T.V. but mostly all I do is music!

(VII)

COSMOS.PRESS

Diving through your website, there are many illustrated books listed along with your music. What prompted the release of the 'Charmed: The 115-page Illustrated Novelization'?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

I had the idea (and started working on it) before the album became so successful (I expected it to do okay, maybe slightly better than Enchanted?) and when the album took off, it made sense to get it finished as there might actually be an audience for it!

All of the albums have hidden and not-so hidden meanings that I wanted to expand on for this album in particular, I guess the length made it more viable than the others. I also wanted to go for a different art style, inspired by Machi Abé's art from The Woman In The Dunes, Ralph Steadman's Fear and Loathing drawings and emotional sketches from therapy sessions.

(VIII)

COSMOS.PRESS

While researching, the phrase, 'will she rise again' kept coming up when discussing the duality of a half-witch / half-mortal.

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

The existential questioning novel details the artist's emotional decline through years of personal and professional failure, using work as a healing technique, but becoming more and more unstable and emotionally drained from lack of success. Each album I've done I've not been sure if I wanted to continue or not; Freedom on Makin' Magick was leaving the question of more music open-ended and Goodnight from Witchkraft was meant to be a swan song.

End Of An Era was going to be a final song if nobody liked Charmed, which I expected in some ways, the book just elaborates further on each song's depiction of elation and depression, and I wasn't sure if I was actually going to do any more after the Pentalogy was complete.

(IX)

COSMOS.PRESS

How are dualities represented in your art?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

In all ways, they are a direct reflection of my feelings and/or my perception of other people's feelings, happy or sad, angry or calm, etc.

(X)

COSMOS.PRESS

Can you elaborate on what witchcraft means for you?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

I love all things wiccan, it's very important to me!

(XI)

COSMOS.PRESS

What's next for DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ?

DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ

More music, as always!!!

ARTIST LINKS: BANDCAMP - SOUNDCLOUD

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