What began as a lockdown pastime has turned into a full-blown career for Fania Folaji – better known by her DJ alias LOVEFOXY – taking her from bedroom mixes to the booths of Berghain, Badaboum and beyond. After releasing her debut EP Burning Down the Sluthouse with New York’s iconic Nervous Records, one of Berlin’s most exciting new exports returns with her new EP Lord Juice. Here, she charts her meteoric rise, the importance of her roots and the pulse of the ever-shifting cultural melee that is Berlin nightlife.
Your mother helped shape Berlin’s club scene, opening the city’s first house venue – a spot rumoured to have been frequented by David Bowie. How important has her influence been on your career?
My mum moved to Berlin from Nigeria. She was a beautiful and free-spirited individual who grew up in West Berlin which, back then in the 80s, had this punkish mentality. Sometimes I’m envious of that because there was more space back then for people who thought outside the box and were able to do something different. The whole family was very musical; she was a singer and sang on records. One of the famous ones was with Paul van Dyk. She started a club in the mid-80s called Tempelhof, which was a little house club that was open for like 24 hours [at the weekend]. Electronica music was flourishing back then, and she definitely created a space for people to do what they wanted.
When did you start to dig through her records?
They were always around me, so it wasn’t something I just discovered. I became interested in records again when I finished my position at Highsnobiety and started to play on vinyl. Every Wednesday during the lockdown, I would learn how to play with Sally C. This was when I started going through my mom’s collection again, going through her records and even seeing the ones she was on.
There must’ve been some gems in there. Fast forward – how did it feel to drop a record with Nervous Records, a label steeped in house history?
It sounds super corny, but it was a dream to do something with them. Nervous has a logo that you can’t forget and ‘Rain’ by Kerri Chandler is one of my favourite records. There was this one point where I was playing Boiler Room, and I was playing this track from Nervous [‘Never Ending Love’ by Crackazat] as my opener. Afterwards, Nervous reached out to me and even reposted my set.
So, I then had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I asked them if they would release my music – what would eventually become Burning Down the Sluthouse. They were interested in working with me and I got to meet the people from the label. We became friends and they loved the track.
Are you surprised by how quickly you rose to fame?
I’m really aware that I was in the right place at the right time. We all know there was this boom in lockdown DJs, because people needed something to do and were interested in learning. I had a great tutor in Sally C, and at some point, I did a show with her on Refuge Worldwide. It turned out really good. Then HÖR reached out and offered me a show at 8pm on a Friday night. I hadn’t really played many gigs at that point, but the show was seen by many people, which then turned into a lot of bookings. I started to play everywhere and it became a full-time thing. All of this happened while I was still learning, and I was still so nervous. I couldn’t believe people were paying me to go places and play. I had this imposter syndrome.
In the beginning, I think people were a bit infuriated because of how quickly things happened. But then I realised you shouldn’t really care about what people think if you’re really behind something and love the thing you do. I’m really trying to push that classic house sound, regardless of what is cool right now. House music is just really special and has this energy to it.
What clubs were you sneaking into back in the day?
We would sneak into Berghain and other clubs. Back then, there was [a lot of] house [music]. We would go to Prince Charles, Panorama Bar and watch DJs like Maya Jane Coles, Steffi and Virginia. All of that was really exciting. We never checked the lineups, we just went out.
I was even kicked out of school because I was partying a lot. … My mom was pretty strict, and she said that if I wasn’t going to school, then I would have to go to work. I moved out and I was on my own, and I danced my ass off, on the dance floor and in the studio. I’m a classically trained ballerina and I played the violin and piano. I ended up getting a scholarship in Barcelona when I was 18, and then I got a degree in stage management.
I realised you shouldn’t really care about what people think if you’re really behind something and love the thing you do. I’m really trying to push that classic house sound regardless of what is cool right now.
What do you think about what’s happening with the cultural scene in Berlin with the cuts to cultural funding?
You have all of these institutions closing down and then this motorway going through all the clubs as well. I don’t know what’s happening to Berlin. It’s undeniable that the city has a DNA and a nightlife that supports freedom and attracts tourists. It’s sad, you can feel that the ball is being dropped on this. The club scene was booming 15 years ago – how is a motorway more important than this?
Do you think the lineups in clubs are becoming more diverse and reflective towards those who attend the parties?
I think there’s more work that needs to be done. But that being said, it’s also about understanding things, rather than just saying, “Okay, we need a POC artist for our lineup.”
These days, they think they just need a diverse DJ for the lineup, but that doesn’t really solve the long-term problem. There needs to be more understanding of what’s happening, and that’s not really being done. It needs to be more than just filling in gaps.
What is your favourite event to play in Berlin?
There’s an event run by my friends called Body Language. It’s a queer party for everyone, which also has safe spaces. They also have a special ticket price for those who can’t afford entry, and a fund to help people get to and from the venue. For a party to even think of that is something else.
As a DJ, it’s somewhere I can play and dance with my heels on the table. I’ve played some of my greatest sets, thanks to the energy of the people who go there.
Sometimes I play lineups where I think ‘this is going to be a banger of a party’, and in the end it doesn’t work. You realise it’s not only the lineup, it’s about the energy that goes into it. Even if I had a lot of fun being somewhere, I have to pump up the queer energy and have my fun with it, which is kind of my brand and what I want to do. For me, I don’t think of it as being provocative.
Who would you like to work with in the future and what are your next career plans?
I’d love to work with Kerri Chandler. We had dinner together, and he’s amazing. Other than that, Mr. G or Robert Hood as Floorplan. The sounds these artists make create an unforgettable feeling. With Lord Juice I was listening to a lot of Floorplan at that time, which is why it has more of that punch.
I’m also in the midst of starting my own label, which I’m learning a lot about right now. It’s very interesting for me, to not be tied down to certain timeframes. In the end, I just want to do whatever the fuck I want to do.
Lord Juice out now on WHP Records. Keep up with Fania on IG @lovefoxy.
