CeeKayIn2u
DJ | Choreographer
CeeKayIn2u, Ceekay Juicy Ninja and Carmel Köster. All three names go back to one artist who lives and breathes various forms of DJing, dancing, choreographing and filmmaking.
Based in Berlin, the multi-faceted No Shade co-founder has been working her way through the city’s club circuit since 2016. Bouncing off the warmth and flow of ideas that radiate from her fellow No Shade crew members, Carmel uses the moniker of Ceekayin2u to flex her taste in bass, tropical house and 'femme beats' to engage her dancefloor and create a tangible sense of energy. As well as DJing at No Shade parties, she also helps to meticulously plan every aspect of the event series to reflect the vision and ethos of the femme, trans and non-binary-led platform.
As Ceekay Juicy Ninja (referencing her belonging to The Iconic House of Ninja & The Legendary Kiki House of Juicy Couture), Carmel has played at specific parties called Balls which celebrate Berlin’s Vogueing community. Seeped in extensive knowledge about ballroom culture, Ceekay Juicy Ninja is an outlet for Carmel to bring the sounds of the 1980’s, Black & LatinX-pioneered dance style from New York through to Berlin’s contemporary music scene. If that wasn’t enough, she also merges the steps of hip hop, vogueing, contemporary dance and more by teaching regular weekly dance classes at motion*s.
Balancing the acts of dance and DJing, Carmel is clearly well-used to multitasking, so it’s no surprise she has also cut her teeth into the world of filmmaking. Her projects document movement and various ways the body can showcase emotions, and are edited in all shapes and formats from minimal tones to heavily stylised and visually saturated productions.
Going back to a peak moment with her No Shade family below, Carmel paints the full and fantastic story behind this picture, and shares more about how she is honestly feeling about her career and future at the moment…
Photo: Ceren Saner
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it?
This photo was taken by Ceren Saner at our last No Shade party that I worked on organising.
It was lit.
Party of the year.
Period.
We rented out the whole strip club, the entrance was free, the DJs were on fire.
It was the graduation/premiere gig for our 360 program mentees and we had A.G and KABLAM headlining. There was also VJs and pole dancers and it was just such a joyful night and such a kick start for so many of our graduates. The whole thing felt very magical, we hosted it on 29th February and it ended up being the last pre-Covid party we did. Two weeks later Germany entered lockdown.
How have you been over the last few months and what's life like in Berlin at the moment?
I think everyone is feeling confused and a bit lost right now. I think the timing of the pandemic here helped a lot with people's mental health as it was spring going into summer and even though we didn't have our normal outlets, you could still go to the lake, walk in the parks, try making it out to a forest rave etc. I feel the real test is going to be heading into winter and how we can manage that without losing our mind and keeping some kind of income.
As an artist who is very much involved in the worlds of dance, choreography and filmmaking as well as DJing, how have you adapted to the impact the pandemic has made on these industries?
It’s definitely been a reality check but I must say being based in Berlin and how the government has dealt with this situation has made the whole experience pretty cushioned compared to so many of my friends abroad who are truly struggling ATM.
Since there are no “normal” gigs, I’ve looked towards government funding schemes for creative projects in these fields and some have been fruitful which is great because I can continue being creative and inviting people to participate.
I’m trying to fully rethink the structures that have been in place for these mediums and find new exciting ways to go about things without having to compromise on the fun aspect. Like, I don’t see the point of doing an indoors club night with 25% of the people who would normally be there wearing masks, that doesn't resonate at all. Instead I’m trying to think of new concepts that do work with the restrictions we have in place until further notice.
Always been a blessing and a curse doing so many different things but right now, it feels like, thanks to having the skills in all these fields, I’m able to work on putting together these hybrid projects that might otherwise be very tricky to go about.
In terms of music, have you fallen out of love with certain genres? Or perhaps you have rekindled a connection to older sounds and artists since the pandemic changed the landscape of electronic-music-led events?
There’s always all kinds of music playing in our house but I feel I’ve generally preferred to listen to a lot more stuff with vocals rather than instrumental club beats. It’s been summer too so rap, dancehall, R&B and the new DJ Lycox album have been on heavy rotation.
Don’t make no sense to drown myself in cold industrial sounds when all the windows are open and it’s 30 degrees outside, you get me. Let’s see what moods A/W2020 brings. Been enjoying the latest Croatian Amor release so much these last days.
At this moment in time, how do you feel about the future?
Honestly, I feel sceptical, I don’t know if there will be a light at the end of the tunnel or if we’re too late for that as humans.
I’ve always been the hustling type with the ‘glass is half full’ mentality so I’m here to ride it out the best I can and try to bring something positive to the table but I’m thinking the next decade will be very intense. This whole when are we “returning to normal” for me doesn’t make sense. And normal was fucked up anyway so it’s time to reshape for sure.
The challenge I feel for artists in general is to find an inner sense of purpose, if we're not working as much, it's easy to feel like what's the point of me even being here just trying to survive and consume. Somehow, centering ourselves in this chaos is going to be very important. Going back to the basics and finding genuine joy in doing small things. Obviously trying to make an income meanwhile is a real struggle. IDK.
What’s the one thing that has remained a constant source of comfort for you over the last few months?
For me, it’s got to be keeping physically active and dancing. It’s always been a constant theme in my life, I need to feel connected to my body to feel confident in myself and it truly helps me keep my sanity. That and cooking up a feast with my bae. That’s always a lot of fun. And Festi, our doggy.
Listen to the No Shade’s megamix by CeeKayIn2u & ShaunyB666 for Mary Ann Hobbs’ show on BBC Radio 6 here and follow Carmel under her alias below: