INTERVIEWS
HalfQueen on staying cool in commercial spaces
The Aotearoa/New Zealand DJ & curator speaks on staying true to a DIY ethos, as she prepares for her appearance at BWS' Cool Room event.
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH BWS 'COOL ROOM'
For HalfQueen, a DJ and curator who calls Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland home, the importance of authenticity is crucial to how she works with artists, festivals and brands. Later this month, that kind of trust sees HalfQueen among a massive lineup set to grace the stage for BWS’ Cool Room - the event series by BWS, in collaboration with Astral People and Johnnie Walker Black Ruby, aiming to create immersive, genre-fluid spaces.
Returning to Gadigal Land/Sydney on Thursday, October, and headlined by UK garage pioneer DJ EZ, HalfQueen will be joined in a b2b by Mixmag ANZ Cover Artist Lady Shaka, with Mixmag ANZ’s first ever Cover Artist dameeeela, along with C.FRIM, Bella Bella, Bouki, Kilimi & Obeido.
To better understand BWS’ Cool Room, and how it fits into the broader involvement of brands in modern electronic music, we spoke with HalfQueen, aka Shaquille, to get her thoughts.
Q: Shaquille, thanks so much for your time. You said a while ago that you were keen to take some time away from DJing. What’s brought you back?
HQ: Survival and an urgency to bring some realness back to DJing.
Q: You’ve also been responsible for curation as of late, most recently, I saw you curated the lineup for Splore festival, as well as working on ‘Age Of Uranus’, a remix album for Polyhill and Samara. What do you get out of curating that you can’t find within performance?
HQ: I guess it’s really the same thing, just a different vessel; contributing to the design of an experience via myself and my orbit – the feeling is the same.
Q: After playing in huge scenes like Glastonbury or across Asia, what do you feel are the most considerable contrasts when you return to Aotearoa?
HQ: The main contrast is the urgency for cathartic release.
Q: What do you think of Aotearoa’s place on the global dance scene in 2025? Does that kind of recognition matter, do you think?
HQ: I guess recognition comes with understanding; for a small place, we have a big amount of talent, so it’s only right that we’re recognised for it on a global scale. Ideally, the recognition shows the government and wider society that the talent, community and scene are worth investing in and caring for.
Q: As someone so responsible for the building and uplifting of community-first, DIY spaces, how do you navigate the tensions that can arise when working in more commercial places?
HQ: If I’m entering into a commercial space, I ensure that the benefit is mutual and the exchange feels as genuine as it can. Elements of cultural consultation and investment are hugely important for it to feel meaningful.
Q: What do you think other brands can learn about how to engage in musical cultures that are often at such odds with commercialisation?
HQ: If a brand can’t exercise duty of care, or an intention for genuine connection and benefit on both sides, then I’d say it’s best to engage in a silent partner capacity, and de-centre the brand.
Q: What sort of advice do you think you would give to other artists conscious of balancing integrity with income to keep themselves afloat?
HQ: Know yourself and understand the directions of your moral compass; that way, you can always find the balance. Money comes and goes – the real value is the love you have for your craft and your community, and how you honour that with integrity.
Q: What do you think the idea of a ‘legacy’ means in an increasingly globalised musical culture?
HQ: To me, it means maintaining your truth and voice. Legacy means you’ve created a map for the next to explore and traverse. Each one teaches one.
Q: You’re set to go back-to-back with Lady Shaka at BWS’ upcoming event. What do you think makes a b2b partnership the best it can be?
HQ: Operating on similar frequencies and having an understanding that for it to work best, we must fuse energetic forces to create something new. Sparking joy together.
Q: And finally, how do you stay cool when the summer gets hot?
HQ: A body of water, deep joy and deeper rest.
Tickets to BWS’ Cool Room are free but strictly limited, with the secret location being revealed during the week of the event. Sign up via BWS’ website here.
