The definition of dance music can mean many things to many people, and even different things to the same person. When it comes to PAYDAR, the Iranian-Danish DJ and producer, the concept of dance music stretches far and wide, all pulled into a singular vibe. She blends everything from Persian and South Asian music with electronic music, rap, and more. Her DJ sets are a mix of everything from dancehall, South Indian music, amapiano, and more. She might make a bootleg of a classic 90s RNB song flipped with Middle Eastern samples or produce an experimental electronic track fused with original instrumentation from an Iranian musician. It’s East-meets-West in the broadest musical sense.
PAYDAR will be DJing at Rover on Sunday, Feb 23.
PAYDAR’s musical roots stretch back to her childhood. Her parents would throw weekly parties at their home near Copenhagen with friends and family, where they would play old and new school Persian songs loudly—nights where not dancing was not an option. “I don’t ever remember a time not knowing about dance music, it was just always present,” she says. “My first memories of dancing were at these parties around the age of five.” Her entrepreneurial father owned a disco as a side business, her mother was a singer, and her older sister took dance classes with her. Eventually, PAYDAR started going to the club and got her own mixer, and that’s when things got serious.
When making remixes, PAYDAR tends to gravitate towards rap, R&B, and dancehall. Her original productions are notably more electronic, albeit with a hip hop bounce that ties it all together. She also prefers the social element of collaboration, rather than working solo, so that she can build on the energy of another person. “I don’t control what interests me in music,” she says. “I don’t like to think about how a track should sound before I’ve made it.” She often works with other musicians from Iran (some that live in Iran and some in Denmark) and feels they’re able to collaborate in a special language together.
PAYDAR’s production is a mix of new production, original instrumentation, and samples. She might use an original melody from string instruments like santoor and tar; sample drums from South Asia or a short melody from an old Persian song; or create a short loop from a Middle Eastern track. “Persian music is influenced by a lot of Eastern music, and while it’s all unique in its own way, it also melts together at certain points—which is the beauty of music in general,” she says.
As someone with diverse roots, PAYDAR feels privileged to represent them. It’s not just a geographical combination of sounds, it’s also a connection to different times, bridging the sounds of her childhood, the electronic music of today, and the creation of something entirely new.
As a DJ, PAYDAR draws from an even broader selection of music than the music she produces. Although she keeps in mind the venue she’s playing at when deciding on what to play, you can always expect it will be her own unique sound. “It’s a challenge every time,” she says. “At the end of the day, they signed up for PAYDAR. I’ll make small tweaks and adjustments but never dim that down.” She hopes that her music helps to bring people together and make them more open-minded. “Diversity is always necessary. How else can we learn and evolve? Mixing between different genres shows how many people we can reach, touch, and connect.” Although she’s representing her roots, she’s mostly representing her own path; one that might just help others discover their own.