Meet Zuzy Dabrowska | Creative Director and Music Producer

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

Hi Zuzy, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

I’ve been moving around my whole life. I was born in Poland then right after I turned nine we moved to Spain, then, China, Switzerland, Mexico and the United States. That does something to you, the constant change in environment and cultures,  you learn to appreciate everything around you and empathize with people on another level. So when I had the idea of starting my own business, I tried to do it in the same way I’ve lived my life – spontaneously, courageously and quickly. The basics had to be settled of course, but I didn’t want to run it traditionally. I wanted to get the business started so I can feel it out, see what people like, what they don’t like, what works and what doesn’t. With House of Locura, I really wanted it to be inspired by what I’ve learnt whilst travelling so much, the imperfection and beauty of it. As well as be open about the process of running a business. We’ve been public with all of our successes and failures.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

My music career has taken so many turns, I’ve always been into music. I started off with dance as a kid, then moved on to playing drums, DJ’ing, playing the guitar, singing, and piano. It all really started when I went to boarding school for my high school career. There was a small studio there with limited gear, and I’d just sit there playing around with Logic Pro X, different microphones, and instruments. That’s how I got into producing and writing my own music. From there I went to the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU TISCH, where I major in Recorded Music. The program is very holistic, meaning you have to learn everything, not just one aspect within music. Naturally I progressed to making my own music and writing for others, with time my skill set developed. Electronic music was always in my blood, I got my first DJ set at the age of 11. I’d lock myself in our basement, and spend hours listening to various artists such as Avicii, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Alesso, etc.

When COVID hit and we had our first quarantine, I turned back to electronic music. I realized it really makes me feel things, it makes me happy on a level that I cannot explain – like an adrenaline rush. So I made my first remix, it did well so I made another, and then another, and then another. Getting here was tough, not everyone has had the background as I had, that really allowed me to feel free, and confident that I can do something and be proud of it. With that said, one of the most important aspects to success in the music industry is surrounding yourself and working with great people. People who make you better, who aren’t afraid of criticizing your work. People you can trust. It never ceases to surprise me how many people will just compliment your music when really, they think otherwise. But that’s life, that’s how it works. I want the world to see the whole journey of how I got to where I am. I never lived in one place for too long, and in the same way, I’ll never be able to just do one thing, or pursue one career. My brand and my story will always be unexpected and diverse, and I hope with time people will see that and join the journey. Because just like my life, I didn’t do anything alone, and I don’t plan to for my career either.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
New York City is so special to me, I think the energy is just unbeatable. If a friend was visiting me, I’d start off simple by taking them for dinner at my favorite restaurant called Kyma, and then for drinks at Mr. Purple which is a rooftop bar with the craziest view. I love keeping busy so I always try to find fun spots with activities. One of my favorites is this little place downtown called Paint N’ Pour, where you paint and drink with an open bar for 2 hours, hilariously fun. I’d take them to MOMA and the Met, my two favorite museums. After the Met we’d take a stroll down central park and stop at this small cafe called Via Quadronno, the best coffee and Italian sandwiches in NYC no doubt. We’d make our way downtown, stopping at some stores, displays or markets. In the evenings I’d take them out to dinners, I like to really mix it up to show the diversity of NYC. You can experience international life within a 5 mile radius. I’d say that the places I’d be most excited to take them are bar hopping around downtown, and to comedy clubs. I love walking, so naturally NYC is the perfect place. I try to walk everywhere which my friends often complain about when they come to visit. My favorite spot is Dumbo, you have the perfect balance of city life and nature there. If whomever was visiting me was not Polish, I’d take them to Greenpoint which is highly populated by Polish people, cuisine and culture.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I’d love to shout out Marta Motz and her brand Coastal. They produce a phenomenal line of sustainable swimwear, surfsuits and activewear. She’s killing it, and definitely deserves this shoutout. 

You can find out more here – https://coastalofficial.com/

Website: https://houseoflocura.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zuzybby/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zuzy-dabrowska-779899172/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zuzybby

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdYfRSWhALvgUAMx-J4FebA

Other: MUSIC – https://soundcloud.com/zuzyy

Image Credits
Lyric Christian, Mikaela Stenmo, Hector, Sarah Hussaini, Gabi Konska, Nina Dabrowska, Aleksandra Dabrowska, Zuzy Dabrowska