On Claiming Space with Sound: Mireydi
Every year, bbatx curates a monthly residency highlighting the work of 10 to 15, Texas-based women and nonbinary visual and musical artists that create work and perform in our programs. As we move to take our programs online, we’ve partnered with Bumble to launch a digital version of The Residency. From now through November 1, 2020, you can tune in for weekly mixes, visuals and workshops from 16 women and nonbinary artists and DJs.
Today, as part of the series, we’ve got an interview with Austin-based DJ and artist Mireydi, also known as DJ Pos Guau. In conversation with bbatx committee member Amanda Vaughn, Mireydi chatted with us about how she got her start DJing with Chulita Vinyl Club, the story behind her DJ name, and some of her favorite records.
ABOUT MIREYDI:
Mireydi aka Pos Guau is a Mexican-Austinite producer, DJ and artist. Pos Guau’s rowdy, deeply rooted live sets reflect her experience of attending too many quinceañeras & bodas and her recent influences of disco, house, pop and anything in between.
How did you start DJing? We’d love to hear about your first gig, what inspired your name, at what point you branched out more… whatever you’d like to share. :)
Individuals who I was surrounded by were DJing, and I was intrigued but never felt like I had the guts to actually do it. I moved to Mexico City and started compiling mixes out of heartache, or more like an outlet. Then, I was accepted into Chulita Vinyl Club—that was the moment where I felt like I could come back to Austin. CVC offered a place of being welcomed, and honestly, they were the ones (along with bossbabesATX) who made me feel welcome back into Austin all over again. CVC truly taught me how to DJ with vinyl. Then, I transitioned to a controller in trying to play a bit more recent music. I remembered being so nervous at my first live DJ event, but I had a kind gentle fellow Chulita, Simone, who taught me how to transition and how to feel the song rhythm and BPM. Simone was there for me. When I was nervous letting that record go, she encouraged me to continue transitioning. Even when I messed up and drew an awkward pause, she was like, “It’s okay. Move on.” DJing has always been in that fashion—let's continue growing, recording and moving on in a sense. So my DJ name is derived from that. “Pos Guau” is a Spanish form dictated unenthusiastically—Pos Wow. This phrase is essentially after someone is not impressed but wants to make you feel better. I started branching out after spending time in Mexico City and wanting to expand in a digital format with no vinyl, but in a way capturing the rush of going next after someone who has dropped a tremenda cumbia and you have to follow that.
Why do you DJ?
The simple answer is to take up space with the tracks I play. Perhaps it’s not something that people are used to, but I’m in a way attempting to fuse my Austinite heritage (my father’s) along with a very rooted Mexican culture (my mother’s) of who I am in spaces that perhaps take either or blend them. I’m attempting to blend what I grew up dancing to and listening to and seeing the bigger picture of what the masses accept. I DJ to introduce songs that my Mexican village has danced to in a Baile and see the interaction with the same song at Cheer Up’s. I DJ to rebel and to see what people sway their bodies to or not.
Where do you buy records? What is your favorite record and why?
OOF that’s hard. I inherited my records from my grandfather, and that was my original introduction. I buy records everywhere, but I love buying them while traveling throughout Mexico. My favorite thing is to buy a record with a great cover art and not play it—just purchase it. Here are some of my favorite records:
Future Sounds of Buenos Aires
Captain Planet - Mystery Trip Vol. 2
La Sonora Dinamita - 16 Exitos
Beyoncé - Lemonade
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Classixx - Hanging Gardens
Xandao - ¡Un Saludo! Mexican Soundsystem Cumbia in LA
How do you build your crates? How do you transport all that vinyl?
It definitely depends on the mood and length of the event. When building a set with CVC, I feel most welcome to bring in records that inspire me or that I wanted to experiment with on the dance floor. As I've been branching out, it's nerve-wracking knowing you are responsible for someone's X amount of time. I’ve kept the same attitude in bringing about new tunes that perhaps people haven’t listened to and adjusting to the set time.
Last season at bbatx, we explored the theme of RISE. What does that mean to you, and how do you find rise in your DJ practice?
I rise in my DJ practice in learning along the way. With the struggles comes tranquility in perfecting the craft of DJing little by little.
What are you listening to now?
During these trying times, I’ve been listening to A LOT of 90s pop music, Third Eye Blind, Dolly Parton and Dua Lipa.
LISTEN TO DJ POS GUAU’S BABES FEST RADIO MIX. :)
About This Mix:
This mix by DJ Pos Guau (@soymireydi on SoundCloud) includes some of the songs that blast from her neighbors techo (rooftop) while quarantining in Querétaro, Mexico. Constantly being inspired by the gentleness of everyone she's met during this time, DJ Pos Guau wanted to create an uplifting dance mix after five months of businesses being shut down and the city finally opening up.
TRACKLIST:
1. Amalucan - Orihuela M.S.S. (Yelram Selectah Remix)
2. Mister Cumbia - Pinche Cumbión Bien Loco
3. Super Grupo G - La Inconforme
4. El Combo Loco De Mike Rodriguez - Baila Conmigo
5. Karol G, Nicki Minaj - Tusa
6. ROSALÍA, J Balvin - Con Altura (ft. El Guincho)
7. DJ Caution - Donna Summer (ft. Fito Olivares)
8. Selena - On the Radio
9. Dua Lipa - Don’t Start Now (LA Live)
10. The Sacados - Ritmo De la Noche
11. Robyn - Love is Free
12. Joswa In Da house - Ella Quiere Cualto
13. Sergio Mendes - Magalenha
14. MULA - Nunca paran
15. Bad Bunny - Si veo a Tu Mamá