SENAIDA, Artist / Producer / DJ
💭 Thoughts on Arca, DAWANG NEW YORK, and what happens when you create a beat a day.
Thought Enthusiast is an AdHoc Project where we chat with fascinating thought leaders across various facets of music, tech, and culture whose work we admire, simply asking “what’s on your mind?” and “why do you care?” 💭
Toronto-born, SENAIDA (pronounced “Shuh-nay-duh”) is a multidisciplinary artist, sound architect, creative director and futurist based in Brooklyn. Their work explores the intersections between art, emerging technologies and sustainability and how they can be used to create transcendental, collective experiences. They have performed at Carnegie Hall, founded a music-neurotechnology startup: MiSynth, presented at conferences such as ASCAP, NAMM and Abbey Road Red (UK), performed as a DJ for New York Fashion Week, and more. They are also the founder and resident DJ for WE ARE THE FUTURE!, an underground interdisciplinary collective focused on creating innovative, intersectional and inspirational spaces for creatives and artists in Brooklyn.
🦾 Arca’s Mutant;Destrudo
I recently saw Arca’s Mutant;Destrudo at Park Avenue Armory and I was so moved by the performance and energy in the room that I couldn’t stop crying at the end. Arca is one of my biggest inspirations as an artist, and to see their vision come alive on stage was one of the best experiences of my life. The performance incorporated surround sound audio, visuals, lighting and technology in the best ways possible including a piano that is triggered using an electromagnetic field and Arca performing with custom MIDI heels. I loved how in between each song, Arca would talk to the audience and get very real, which created a beautiful, welcoming atmosphere.
🎶 Producing a beat a day
Last October, I challenged myself to produce a beat every single day for the whole month for a project which I called: Beatober. Although I was in Berlin at the time, I set aside some time every day to make a beat and I ended up learning a lot of new tools as well as creating beats that vividly captured my experience each day. I decided to do it again this year because I haven’t been spending enough time making music recently. I’ve been making a beat every day on the Elektron Syntakt and it’s been really fun to get out of my Digital Audio Workstation and focus on using hardware. It’s also a great exercise for me to practice giving myself a time limit and seeing what I can come up with on the spot.
I’m currently re-watching Mindhunter on Netflix with my partner and I really do think the show is a masterpiece, from the writing to the cinematography to the acting. Though it’s based on a book, the show does an incredible job of showing the true essence of human nature and behavior that is a result of our repetitive societal behaviors. I don’t want to spoil too much, but the show is based on real tape recordings of interviews by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker of the FBI with violent criminals, and every show feels like you’re also walking into the interview room with them.
🧠 Neurable
A brand I’ve been following for quite some time now is Neurable, a hardware brain-computer interface company that was founded by MIT grad students and researchers. When I founded my startup, MiSynth, I had the opportunity to meet and chat with Ramses Alcaide, the founder of Neurable and I could already see how innovative and revolutionary their soft-EEG sensor technology would be as a consumer product. I can see Neurable taking wearables and smart technology to a whole new level when they launch in early 2024.
I’m working in collaboration with Electric Sunshine on a remix EP which includes the mix I created for their NYFW 2023 runway show in September. We’ll be dropping the single, “Orbital XVI” later this week and I’m really looking forward to sharing it since it’s been over a year since my last release. The track is based on a sample of the 1962 Karl Schuke organ at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, Germany. The remix album features some of my favorite producers/collaborators and dear friends: Caity Croft, Bombardier, Pursuit Grooves, and RAEGAN.
🕉️ Mantra of the moment
“RADIANCE” – I feel like at especially dark times, people look for the light and beauty in experiences and moments and I want to create spaces in my art and music that reflect that light. I love curating spaces that allow people to express themselves creatively and form deeper connections. I think there’s definitely an art to curation that I have yet to learn, and I’m really grateful to be surrounded by many people who mentor and inspire me.
A brand cutting through the noise is DAWANG NEW YORK – they have been putting out some very unique pieces in their new collection. They’re a brand that understands how to use bold campaigns to showcase their identity. They combine a variety of fun and detailed clothing, which Daisy Wang is the mastermind of, and I’m especially excited for their PAOPAOBAO X DAWANG Puffy Handle Bag.
Follow SENAIDA on Instagram.