Born in Belarus, shaped by Hamburg’s house scene, and now based in Berlin, ChewChew brings deep, emotional selections that blend classic grooves with fresh releases. With her party series All You Can Feel and work at rotary mixer brand resør, she lives and breathes sound behind the decks and beyond.
This Kingsnight at 160K, together with Submid, she flips the script: Queensnight is on! And with our brand-new resør mixer just arrived, she’ll be one of the first to break it in. Before the party, we asked her a few questions.
Could you tell us a bit about your musical journey?
Sound has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother studied music in Belarus, she played piano and accordion, and after we moved to Germany, she continued to fill our home with classical compositions. I picked up the guitar as a kid, so melody and rhythm were always present, even before I had any idea where they might lead.
As a teenager, I got into Hamburg’s nightlife with my friends, by sneaking out while my parents were asleep. When thinking back it feels kind of wild, but at the time it just felt natural, like something I had to do. That period marked a real turning point for me. The city had a strong Deep-House scene, and it introduced me to a style of music I hadn’t heard before—hypnotic, electronic, rhythmic. I remember my first night at Golden Pudel Club like it was yesterday. The energy, the crowd, the sounds, it was intense and intimate at the same time. It felt like stepping into another world, one that made me want to keep going out and keep discovering. Back then, there wasn’t much documentation of nightlife, no phones on the dance floor and the constant pressure to post everything. There was a kind of secrecy to it, something more lived-in. You had to be there to feel it, and I think that made it even more magical. Later on, I worked in a record shop, which deepened my connection to music. Around that time, I also started organizing parties with friends—small ones, but full of intention. It taught me a lot about the dynamics of a night and how sound can shape a space.
I live in Berlin now and DJ—not full-time yet, but it’s something I’d like to focus on more once I’ve finished my master’s degree. I do some gigs here, but lately, I’m playing mostly abroad. I also work with resør, a rotary mixer brand that aligns with the things I care about: good sound, thoughtful design, and the emotional layers music can hold. Being involved with them has also opened up a new side of things for me, the technical facet, which I’ve become more and more curious about.
When I think about it, all the steps along the way, growing up around classical music, discovering club culture, working in a record store, and throwing parties with friends, have shaped how I approach music today. It’s not just something I enjoy doing; it’s something I want to keep building my life around.
My Analog Journal
Where did the name ChewChew originate from?
People often assume it has something to do with trains or drugs, but it’s actually much simpler than that. I saw the name on an ice cream back in the day and thought, hmm, that’s kind of cute. And it just stuck. haha
How do you feel about Berlin? Which places and venues inspire you in this city?
I’ve been living in Berlin for a while now. I moved here during the pandemic, when the city felt unusually quiet. Not much was happening, so I ended up spending most of my time on music research. I got into a rhythm of digging, listening, and crafting mixtapes. Coming from an architecture background, I was already used to long, quiet hours—building models, drawing plans, often working alone. During that time, mixtapes became something I could hold onto. They gave structure to the stillness. I began to understand how much thought and care can go into a mix, how it can create a whole atmosphere if you take the time. And even now, when life feels busy, I still try to return to that same place: where things slow down, and music becomes a way of connecting again—with myself, and with others. That slower, more introspective start also shaped how I first related to Berlin. My connection to the city didn’t happen overnight, it’s been a gradual process. In the beginning, I found it hard to access. It felt a bit distant, maybe even cold at times. But the more I traveled and came back, the more I started to see what makes it special. Especially the cultural side, this ongoing exchange with people from all over the world. There’s a certain openness and creative energy here that I haven’t found anywhere else yet. And over time, that have become something I really appreciate.
What I do miss in the city though are clubs that strike the right balance between sound quality and musical curiosity, something I’ve come to value even more since working with resør. So I tend to go to parties organized by friends who really care about musical curation and spaces where the listening experience matters. Lately, I’ve been inspired by nights at OHM, Else club or open air parties at Plötzensee. And whenever I have a quiet moment, I love visiting some of the newer hi-fi bars around the city, places like Unkompress, Rhinoçéros Bar, Bar Neiro or Pastiche. They offer a totally different way of listening, which I find really inspiring.
What’s one of your favorite tracks to dance to at the moment?
“The Blue Notes – Disco Explosion“. I found this record recently in Paris, where I played a vinyl-only set at Fréquence—a beautiful venue you absolutely have to check out! We went digging at the flea market and stopped by a seller called VINYLSSHOP. The amount of disco and funk they had was incredible, it was pure joy going through the crates and discovering this gem. The moment I heard the song, I felt like I had been transported straight into a real discotheque in the ’80s. It’s full of energy, so groovy and euphoric, and it instantly makes you want to dance. Since I found it, I’ve had it on repeat and it’s been making its way into nearly every set!
Berlin feels mainly techno-oriented; how do you navigate this as a DJ more oriented towards organic sounds?
Music has always been something I felt deeply connected to. It helped me through some of the most difficult moments in life and kept me grounded. Over time, I realized that what really speaks to me is a more organic approach, a broad palette of sounds, rhythms, and emotions. I’ve always been curious to dig deep into different genres, simply because I’m genuinely fascinated by music in all its forms. That’s also why Berlin’s dominant techno scene never really excited me. I think my early club experiences, especially nights at Golden Pudel Club, shaped that. Even though the focus back then was often on Deep-House, DJs took more risks, played more eclectically, and didn’t stick to one formula. That mindset stuck with me: to stay curious, to keep learning, and to take risks behind the decks.
To me, a DJ isn’t just someone who plays one genre, it’s someone who has a wide understanding of culture and shares that knowledge on the dance floor. And maybe because DJing wasn’t my first plan in life, more something that grew out of passion, it allows me to express something very personal through the way I select and play. So I don’t let the city’s “techno label” steer me away from what I believe in. For me, staying true to what moves me is what keeps it authentic. Especially in a time where things around us feel quite performative.
You also organize your own events called ‘All You Can Feel’. What kind of energy are you aiming for at these events?
Since I started organizing parties, I realized how much impact curating an event myself can have, it sets the tone for the evening and creates room for genuine connection. At the moment, All You Can Feel is on hold because I’m working on my thesis and things are a bit hectic. But soon I’ll be starting a small residency in Munich, where I’ll get to reconnect with a community that means a lot to me. The idea behind these gatherings is simple: to bring together friends and talented selectors I look up to, and to offer an environment where people might come across sounds they haven’t heard before. In a way, it goes back to what DJing was about in the early days—sharing records, surprising the crowd, and opening ears to something unexpected. There’s no big concept behind it, it’s about a feeling. A night you like to remember.
We’ve seen you make very regular appearances in the Netherlands and all throughout Europe these days, how has traveling abroad influenced your musical exploratioon and your perception of the dance floor?
Oh yes—actually, something I forgot to mention is that one of the reasons I didn’t fully connect with Berlin at first was because I missed more soulful events and organic parties. In the Netherlands, I often find exactly that, thoughtfully curated nights with open-minded crowds and a certain warmth on the dance floor. But I do feel like things are shifting here too. Slowly, but surely, I’m meeting more like-minded, music- dedicated people who carry a vision for nightlife again.
As for traveling, I’m incredibly grateful to have had the chance to visit so many beautiful places through music. It’s one of the most inspiring parts of this job. Hearing the selection of other DJs in clubs or sharing a spontaneous back-to-back session often opens up whole new worlds for me. Every city has its own pace and energy on the dance floor, and tuning into that teaches me a lot, not just about the selection, but also about connecting with the crowd. Music has this beautiful ability to bring people together, both in the moment and beyond. For instance, I met Ajuma while playing abroad, and performing together is always an adventure, not just because I’ve discovered so many different genres through her that I probably wouldn’t have come across otherwise, but also because we became good friends. That kind of connection, where musical exchange turns into something deeper, is what makes DJing so meaningful to me.
These moments have also influenced how I approach my own sets. With every gig, I pick up something new—about people, how they respond, and how energy moves through space. That’s why I like playing across different kinds of venues—festivals, clubs, and more intimate hi-fi bars. Early in my career, I played a lot of bar gigs, often lasting several hours. That taught me patience, freedom in my selection, and how to move between genres without rushing. That kind of experience feels essential, particularly when it comes to all night long sets, which have become one of my favorite ways to play. There’s something unique about shaping a night from beginning to end: being able to take people somewhere, build tension, slow things down, shift the mood. That’s when DJing becomes more than just playing records, it turns into storytelling.
Are you looking forward to anything particular in the (near) future?
There are quite a few exciting projects coming up with resør that I’m really looking forward to. It’s such a joy to work for a company where work rarely feels like work. I’ve always dreamed of having a job like this, where passion and profession go hand in hand. I’m also really excited about my upcoming residency in Munich. Not only because I love being in that beautiful city, but also because it feels like such an honor to be giventhis opportunity. I can’t wait to bring some of my favorite artists there and share special nights together. And of course—finally handing in my thesis in August and becoming a free woman again, haha. I honestly can’t wait to fully dive into music again, spending more time behind the decks, learning how to produce, and just going deeper with it all.
Last but not least, what’s the most Berlin thing that has ever happened to you at a Späti?
Haha, that’s a good one! I once went to a Späti in the middle of winter, and while I was waiting in line,
someone walked in wearing nothing but a fur coat, rollerblades, and headphones, completely unfazed.
They grabbed a Club-Mate, nodded at the cashier like they were old friends, and rolled back out like it was the most normal thing ever. Nobody even blinked. That moment really made me think: yeah, I live in Berlin.
Thanks ChewChew!