Meet Mimi Lee | DJ & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mimi Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mimi, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
When it comes to producing, my favorite affirmation is that there’s no such thing as a bad idea. As long as the idea can inspire another one, that in itself makes it an idea worth pursuing. I used to struggle with song writing because I wanted every idea to be perfect. But ever since someone gave me this tip, whenever I face writers block, I try to step back and just create something ridiculous. And sometimes in the process of doing that, an idea might spark.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started playing the violin at a young age and classical music was my introduction to the world of music, which I pay homage to in my DJ name, SENZA, which is an italian word often used in classical music! I fell into the world of electronic music when I attended my first music festival and haven’t looked back since. I started making mixes for my dance team in college, then after graduating, I made mixes after work as a way to destress. As I got into producing music, then playing local shows in San Francisco, I was able to meet fellow djs and producers in my community. The community aspect has always been so important to me, I always strive to surround myself with people I want to be more like and I really pull a lot of inspiration and motivation from the people around me.
Finding time to work on music while balancing a job at a tech start up was difficult at times, but it was always the people around me that gave me the energy to keep going. Eventually after a long conversation with my manager, I was able to work out a part-time at my company so that I could focus more of my energy on music. I never knew this was a possibility in my career, but I guess the lesson here is to always push what you believe are the boundaries of society and pave your own path.

In the same way, being an asian woman in the bass scene is sometimes unnerving. There are times when I’m not sure how to navigate the male dominated industry and even navigating the dichotomy of the aggressive bass music that I make and the stereotypes of being an asian woman. But I love what I do and that keeps me going above all else.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely take them out to Koreatown in LA to check out all the amazing korean restaurants. At night, I’d take them to pochas which are Korean style pubs where there’s drinks and Korean bar food. I admit I spend an ungodly amount of time in ktown but that’s because there’s always new food and pochas to check out!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I think first and foremost, I’d like to shout out Ben, my manager. We met in a dance team in college and he’s actually the one who first introduced me to EDM and inspired me to start making mixes. As I got started on my music journey, he’s always been there to support and give guidance through the music industry. I definitely wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am in my career without him.

I’d also like to give a quick shoutout to BTO collective, they picked me up when I was on the verge of giving up and they’ve been there to support every release and every show. BTO stands for “Better Than One” and every member really embodies that. Really grateful for the support I’ve received so far and look forward to growing together with everyone as well!

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Image Credits
Eric Dew Matt Nguyen Danny Nguyen