A vessel filled with house, 90s vocals, and progressive sounds transits our way as the amazing Jessica Nightlife takes us on a queer-drenched journey.

We’re super thrilled about Jessica’s latest addition to our mix series. Venus Vessels member and high-energy dance-floor specialist Jessica Nightlife joins us for a euphoric journey into some punchy and sweaty club cuts they’ve been rinsing around.

Debuting in some of the hottest clubs and parties like De School, Spielraum, Gayhaze, and Phantasy Dance at Gewoelbe, Jessica is making their way into our hearts by giving us an amount of dance-floor energy that goes beyond. With an amazing year ahead, we checked in with Jessica about standout moments, Venus Vessels, and some key dance-floor ingredients.

Heyy Jessica, I’m so glad we finally made this happen. It’s an absolute pleasure to have you on board. How’s winter treating you so far, and what’s been keeping you busy these days?

Hi Jaimy, hi Joe. Thank you so much for having me for this mix and interview, I’ve really enjoyed the process. As well as DJing, I’m currently studying to finish my Master’s, so I’ve been kept quite busy with academia during these winter months. Right now, I’m working on my own research – looking into gay magazines from the Weimar Republic. A lot of these magazines from that time are in a really delicate condition, so it’s quite interesting navigating how to access them, and of course it’s an insightful zeitgeist into gay culture of that time.

Things are pretty uplifting these days as you’ve performed some amazing gigs like Hypersoft, Gayhaze, and, not to miss, your big debut at De School last year. How’s this ride been treating you? Any standout moments?

I really can’t complain – I’m super happy with how things have been going so far.

There have been quite a few special moments in the last months actually – I’ve met so many new and cute people along the way, and I’ve played some amazing b2bs. Playing for Gayhaze at the amazing Asiat Park, as well as going b2b with dj sweet6teen at Phantasy Dance in Cologne (on this insane sound system at Gewoelbe) are some recent moments which stick out to me.

I would have to say though, that a definite standout moment was my De School debut – the first time I played for Spielraum – that was crazy. After overcoming my nerves, I really went into this certain and very pleasurable state that I call the DJ zone. It’s like when you don’t really have to think about which track to play next, because it just comes to you, and where everything is just automatically, and almost symbiotically, falling into place – one’s own energy, the energy of the crowd, and the music. Plus, I will never forget one of the most special moments of this set, which is when some queens were doing a little catwalk on the pedestal in front of the booth whilst I was playing.

Overall I have to say that I’m extremely grateful for all these great opportunities. And I’m really excited about what’s still to come.

You’re co-running and empowering the beloved party and mix-series Venus Vessels alongside the amazing DHC. We’re big fans of the project as passion and love flare out of it. What does Venus Vessels mean to you, and what has it brought you so far?

Venus Vessels will always have a special place in my heart. It’s what has put me on the map, and it’s something which gave me a great platform right from the start. Without Venus Vessels, I would probably not be writing these answers right now haha. This would probably also be the moment for a big shoutout to THC & DHC for always pushing me, and for their support.

One of the best things about Venus Vessels is that it emerged from a friend group whereby we created not only something we enjoyed, but also something that could be enjoyed by others. Having the chance to work on this closely with so many other super talented queer artists, and friends, has definitely had a huge impact on me. It was – and still is – a huge source of inspiration for me.

As mentioned earlier, you’ve played some amazing shows, heating up many dance floors. What’s a key ‘dancefloor’ ingredient for you, not only as a DJ but also as a dancer?

I think first and foremost, and (for me) most obviously – good music. Besides that, I think it’s important to be in touch with oneself, as well as to be open for togetherness, and to embrace this. For sure the best DJ gigs I’ve played were the ones where I was always, to an extent, immersed in the energy of the crowd.

Finally, what can you tell us about this mix you’ve put together for us? How did you approach the mix, and what kind of energy can we expect?

For this mix, I’ve really tried to finally showcase some of my favorite house tunes – ones which have been accompanying me for a long time – but I’ve also tried to bridge the gap between these and some recent favorites, as well as tracks that I’ve been rinsing in the club lately. I think you can also really notice this when you listen to the mix, since it progresses from a steamy but punchy vibe, into more energetic, euphoric, and overall clubbier spheres towards the end. I think, as well, that this mix is drenched in queer, and femme, attitudes. This mix is definitely, at its core, a coming together of the more private Jessica with the Jessica Nightlife who stands behind the decks.