Into the Sound

From jumping a fence at a festival in Sydney at the age of 15, to hypnotising crowds in Berlin and Ibiza with her magnetic sets, the DJ Bella Sarris graciously navigates the fluctuating waves of the clubbing scene. This summer she will abandon crowded dance floors for a while and seduce you into a spiritual trance in the heart of Swedish nature at Into the Valley festival. Anything can happen when her transcendental sound reigns over Dalhalla

 

 

 

Your sound is an ambiguous mix of genres, free from classification. How do you look for challenges and new ways of making your music?

“Inspiration comes in waves. The highs are often transitory and fleeting, compared with the lows. You have to make the most of it when it comes and while it lasts. Sometimes I’m not really ‘feeling it’, like I am riding on a low wave, and then it hits me out of nowhere and suddenly I’m on an up again.

“When I’m feeling low I try to surround myself with different, interesting people, sounds and experiences to re-energise.”

Right now, you produce with a smaller, boutique agency. Does that help you to keep your independence?

“It’s always been important to be able to be me[ITALS] in this industry. That’s not always as easy as it sounds. People can get too caught up obsessing with constructing a persona that other people want to see, or trying to fit into a specific genre or category. I prefer to focus on creating my own world and allowing people to hear and see what is the real me. Having a small boutique agency allows this, presenting me as the artist I am.”

How does living in Berlin enrich your spirituality?

“Berlin is both my sanctuary and my provocateur. It’s the place I feel safest and at peace, but also the place where I want to go out, cause the most trouble. Like in any healthy relationship, you should feel completely comfortable and free to try new things. Berlin, for me, is just like that relationship – I can be a weirdo without having the fear of being judged.”

What has been the most holistic experience you have had in a club, either as a DJ or a clubber?

“Moments with the Gang, even if I’m not playing. It may sound vague, but when I’m with them, everything seems to make sense.”

 

 

Into the Valley Festival “takes the pulse of the city into the heart of the forest’” – as a child of urban sound and most busy dance floors, what is your relationship with nature?

“I grew up in Sydney, which is the perfect mixture of coast and country, bush and city. I got the best of both worlds, but I am still a city kid at heart, feeling most comfortable in urban surroundings. My friends will tell you how difficult it is to get me to the ocean. What I have learned from nature, however, is that, with my lifestyle, I need balance, otherwise I could burn out hardcore.

“My way of achieving this balance is eating – it keeps me healthy both physically and mentally. I am a bit of a psycho, gluten-free almost[ITALS] vegan, but I would literally die without sushi. I can be a control freak with this, but it gives some order in the chaos of my life. However, I do allow myself a healthy amount of tequila – not sure if that is really vegan, but hey, no one’s perfect… ”

Would you describe making and playing music as part of your personal spiritual trip?

“I’m not very good at communicating my emotions in words. I find it a lot easier to be vulnerable through my music. Music is the purest form of emotional expression and permits insight into one’s personality. When I play, I like to think that I open a window into how I am feeling at that particular moment. It’s not always going to be perfect, but it’s honest. The ritual of searching and playing music allows me to understand myself better.”

Which club in the world would you recommend for an “out-of-body” experience?

“For me, that’s usually Berghain, but not every time. It can be anywhere, it just depends on the balance and harmony of music, people, location and sometimes substance(s). It should be somewhere you can lose yourself and then find it again two days later.”

 

 

 

Credits:

Words by Weronika Pérez Borjas

Into the Valley, Dalhalla, Dalarna, July 31-August 1

Photography by Louis Vignat

Styling Andrea Horn

Hair and make-up by Anne-Marie Wittchen

Stylist assistant: Kelly Niessen

Fashion Credits:

1. Waistcoat by Bassike, T-shirt by Issey Miyake, jeans by Rag & Bone, sunglasses by Karen Walker, boots by Dr Martens, suitcase by Rimowa

2. T-shirt by Issey Miyake, jeans by Rag & Bone

3. Jumpsuit by Henrik Vibskov

4. Dress by Minimarket