With over a decade spent building an enviable reputation in the clubs of Paris, Jennifer Cardini is now firmly an international Dance Music icon.
Her infectious charisma and versatility has led to performances at such famed nightspots as Panorama Bar, Nitsa, and Fabric, while her label Correspondant continues to go strength to strength with a steady string of top tier releases. Recently, this tastemaker also unveiled her new Dischi Autunno imprint, which focus on the more ambient/experimental side of the spectrum.
On Friday, 13 April, Jennifer Cardini will join us as DHA descends on Mayrhofen, Austria for the 2018 edition of Snowbombing. On the evening, the Bruck N’ Stradhl will also feature Dusky, Nastia, Honey Dijon, and our very own Kimou b2b Faasse. Ahead of the greatest show on snow we caught up with Jennifer Cardini to speak all things winter sports, Paris, Berlin, and more.
“I see Correspondant as a garden… something that grows and evolves.”
So, what is your relationship with winter sports like? At Snowbombing, naturally the mountains are a huge aspect of the event.
I love skiing, I was born in the South of France, not very far from the Alps. We used to go skiing every winter holidays with my family, I must have a picture somewhere of me wearing a yellow ski outfit and being around 3 or 4 years old. Mountains are so majestic, I also enjoy them in summer, hiking is for me the best way to gain energy back.
Skiing or Snowboarding?
Both, but I have to admit that I’m better on skies also as I don’t go every year, skiing is just easier. It’s like biking, once you know it…
Though you are in Berlin now you’re career very much holds its roots in Paris. Can you give us a rough comparison behind the nightlife scenes in the two capital cities?
It’s totally different. Berlin is more rough but also more “free”. Paris has a lot of rules you need to respect way more than Berlin. Most of the venues in Berlin were not “clubs” but old banks, warehouses, buildings while in Paris electronic music is more confined to clubs, discotheques or since a few years to big festivals. The prices are double in Paris which forced the young generation, since a few years, to do raves outside Paris. And finally, Berlin is Queerer while in Paris there is (not all parties) often a separation between Queer and Straight, they don’t always mix up. When they do it’s awesome.
What made you make that initial move to Berlin?
I always wanted to live here, since I first came to play Tresor in 1998. For many reasons, I’ve always been fascinated by Berlin. It also made more sense to be in the same city as my partners Noura and André.
Since your arrival in Berlin, how has the city changed in relation to its accessibility for creative?
We are only here for one year and a half so hard to tell. Berlin was always a city where artists were welcome and where you could because of low life costs easily survive as an artist. This has definitely changed in the last ten years making it more challenging but it is still a very exciting place, so many people we work with live here which brings a lot of possibilities and opportunities.
Many know you as the mind behind Correspondant, but you also have a recently launched experimental/ambient label Dischi Autunno. How was this second imprint born? Do you consider it a companion to Correspondant, or a stand-alone platform?
A mixture of both, “a stand- alone companion”. Both labels are of course connected as I A&R them both but Dischi is more focused on albums and open to different genres while Correspondant is more and more dancefloor focused. When Dollkraut came to us with “Holy Ghost People” it became clear that we had to start a new label, Dischi was born. We have a lot of project line up already, remixes from Dollkraut and The Magic Ray’s album will be released before summer, Curses is putting that last touch to his album which will be released in October …
Actually, I’m curious to see how you even define ‘experimental”?
Off Road… Experimental is a genre of its own but when we mentioned it in the description of Dischi we meant Off Road, Curious, Adventurous. If someone send us a killer Experimental album I’ll be totally up for it though.
Do you see Correspondant as a “brand”? Does this idea of branding cross your mind as important in your career? Is this mindset conducive to a creative mindset as well…or is it contradictory?
I see Correspondant as a garden… Something that grows and evolve. I do not see myself as a brand, no. To be honest this is not too much our thing. You could argue that when you have logo and sell something you are a brand, yes, but this is not our mind-set and not the way we build relationship with the people we work with.
Do you have any new signings to either label upcoming you are willing to disclose?
Yes, we have a few new signings 😉
Finally, with summer around the corner, what can you tell us about your plans during this peak season?
Playing “Sex on the Beach” from Dj Assault while drinking some home-made lemonade.
I have the feeling that its peak season all the time. It became so global and it’s always summer somewhere. I just came back from Australia where it’s summer and festival season.
9 – 14 April | Snowbombing 2018 | Tickets | Mayrhofen, Austria
