An Interview with Music Producer and Creator Betty Mulat

 by SHINAAZ JOHAL

Photograph by Tianna Franks

Betty Mulat is an Ethiopian visual artist, producer, DJ, creative director, and community organizer based in Vancouver. Her visual art explores the social frameworks of Black identity; drawing on the African diasporic identity and celebrating Black womanhood. She is committed to reclaiming the Black and Brown roots of electronic music through her music productions and activism. 

Shinaaz Johal

What kind of art do you identify most with?

 

Betty Mulat

As a multidisciplinary artist, I express myself through various mediums. I was focused on visual art for a while, particularly painting. However, I’ve been focused on DJing and music production over the last three years. I’ve also recently been immersed in design, and have been working as a creative director and art director. 

SJ

Do you feel that your work is influenced by your background?

 

BM

Oh, absolutely. When I used to paint, my work was strongly influenced by Ethiopian art. With music, my focus is on electronic music, which is informed by my Black identity. I got into electronic music because I learned that the roots of techno and house were Black and queer and therefore political.

 

SJ

How would you describe the music that you typically produce?

 

BM

The music I produce often blends ambient-techno, electro, and trance. I don’t like sticking to categories and avoid producing music with the intention of fitting a certain genre. I often become fixated on certain sounds from movements or previous eras, like 90s Detroit electro or IDM for example, and will often incorporate inspiration from those sounds and organically meld them with my own style. 

 

SJ

When it comes to music, do you prefer working behind the scenes through production or performing live through DJing?

BM

As rewarding as production can be, it entails a grueling learning process. I did not have a musical background prior to producing, so I experienced endless learning curves. Music production can feel tedious since it’s easy to get bogged with all the small details. DJing is no easy feat either, but it produces instant gratification which production does not. With DJing, I didn’t have to learn music theory, navigate a new software (DAW), and learn how to use hardware simultaneously.  

SJ

How has your experience been working in Vancouver as a black woman artist? 

 

BM

I’ve been afforded a lot of incredible opportunities living here partly due to emerging in the music and art scene during a time when things were shifting politically. In electronic music, you used to have to often (not always) prove yourself as an artist to pretentious dudes in order to get booked. That doesn't align with my values, so before I was ever even booked for a show or could mix properly, I was dreaming of creating spaces in Vancouver for Black folks, by Black folks. I’ve had to turn down a lot of opportunities because of misalignment of values, tokenization, etc. but I have no qualms with doing so since remaining true to myself and my values are my number one priority. 

 

SJ

I love that you have this dream, can you speak more on the process you’ve made surrounding it?

 

BM

Me and my friends were disillusioned with the predominately white, male-dominated spaces in Vancouver and after having many conversations about how tiresome the lack of spaces for BIPOC folks was, we figured it was time to do something, so we started a music collective called NuZi. Our aim was to provide a platform for Black artists, regardless of experience. We didn’t have experience organizing shows and learned everything through trial and error. Since the Black community in Vancouver is small, our aim is to bring black people together and create spaces of healing and self-expression, where you can wear whatever you want and dance as hard as you can. 

 

SJ

If you could go back in time and speak with the younger Betty, what advice would you give?

 

BM

Hang in there, keep pushing, things will get better, you’re going to be okay. I sometimes do inner child work and these are the things I often tell that little firecracker.