CLARA CUVÉ: THE BEAT OF VISION BY CHIARA ANZIVINO

PHOTOGRAPHY FINN WALDHERR
STYLING CAMILLE NAOMI FRANKE
HAIR ANNA RIVERA
MAKEUP PASCAL WINTER
PRODUCTION ELVIN AYANOGLU
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT LEWIN BERNINGER
STYLING ASSISTANTS VICTORIA NUSSBAUM, OLIVIA EHRENBERGER
SET ASSISTANTS ALEXANDRA SCHMIDT, FRANKA MAGON
LEAD TALENT RELATIONS & SPECIAL PROJECTS USMAN BIN LATIF
TALENT CLARA CUVÉ

CLARA CUVÉ HAS TAKEN A PATH FAR FROM ORDINARY. TRAINED IN CLASSICAL MUSIC AND ONCE DESTINED FOR A CAREER IN PATENT LAW, SHE STUMBLED INTO DJING ALMOST BY CHANCE AND DISCOVERED HER TRUE CALLING. HER TRANSFORMATION FROM A SHY PIANO STUDENT TO A LEADING FORCE OF BERLIN’S TECHNO SCENE IS A STORY OF COURAGE, DEDICATION, AND FEARLESS CREATIVITY. NOW, CLARA CUVÉ BLENDS INTENSITY WITH EMOTION, WHETHER SHE’S PERFORMING AT TIME WARP, WALKING THE RUNWAY FOR RICK OWENS, OR CURATING UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS FOR HER AUDIENCES. IN THIS CONVERSATION, SHE OPENS UP ON OVERCOMING SHYNESS, SHAPING A LIFE AROUND PASSION, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO STAY TRUE TO HER OWN VISION.

CHIARA ANZIVINO: CLARA, WHERE’S THE HOTTEST SPOT TO PARTY?

CLARA CUVÉ: BERGHAIN. IT’S THAT ATMOSPHERE – THE DARKNESS, AND ALSO THE ANONYMITY. I STILL GO OUT WHEN I’M PLAYING SOMEWHERE, BUT NOT AS OFTEN ANYMORE SINCE I DON’T WANT TO PARTY ALL THE TIME. BUT WHEN A LOT OF FRIENDS ARE THERE, WHEN THE VIBE IS RIGHT, YOU JUST STAY LONGER AND THE PARTY KEEPS GOING.

CA: YOU STARTED PLAYING PIANO AT THE AGE OF FOUR AND LATER MOVED FROM MUNICH TO BERLIN. LOOKING BACK, WHAT WOULD LITTLE CLARA HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR MOVE AND YOUR CAREER NOW?

CC: I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO SOMETHING SAFE, SOMETHING MY PARENTS WOULD AP-

PROVE OF. I EVEN STUDIED PATENT LAW AND WANTED TO BECOME A PATENT ATTORNEY. BUT THE TRAINING TO BECOME A PATENT ATTORNEY IS REALLY INTENSE, AND I WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO DO ANOTHER DEGREE. IT WAS FUN, BUT IT DIDN’T FULFILL ME – NOT THE ENVIRONMENT, NOT THE PEOPLE. I DID EVERYTHING MORE AS A HOBBY. I DIDN’T ACTUALLY WANT TO BECOME A DJ, BUT IT JUST HAPPENED NATURALLY, AND I KIND OF GREW INTO IT. RANDOMLY, I FOUND MY PURPOSE THAT WAY.

CA: IF YOUR YOUNGER SELF SAW YOU NOW, WOULD SHE BE SURPRISED ABOUT HOW THINGS TURNED OUT?

CC: DEFINITELY! I THINK I’VE REALLY SURPRISED MYSELF. I WAS EXTREMELY SHY GROWING UP, ESPECIALLY IN MY TEENS, AND VERY RESERVED. NOW I’M COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I’VE CHANGED A LOT AND BECOME MUCH MORE OPEN, OUTGOING, AND SOCIAL, WHICH NATURALLY COMES WITH THE JOB SINCE YOU MEET SO MANY PEOPLE. AND I LOVE THAT.

CA: HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOUR JOB HAS HELPED YOU OVERCOME YOUR SHYNESS?

CC: I’D SAY QUITE A LOT. BUT HONESTLY, IT’S ALSO PART OF JUST GROWING UP. I’VE HAD TO PUSH MYSELF PAST A LOT OF FEARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MEETING NEW PEOPLE. BACK IN SCHOOL, I’D EVEN SKIP CLASS IF I HAD TO GIVE A PRESENTATION OR SPEAK IN FRONT OF EVERYONE.

HONESTLY, I DON’T EVEN OVERTHINK IT ANYMORE. I JUST FOLLOW WHAT I FEEL AND TRY NOT TO FOCUS TOO MUCH ON WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING, SINCE THAT CAN DILUTE YOUR OWN CREATIVITY AND VISION
CA: WHAT ELSE HAS THIS JOB TAUGHT YOU?

CC: TO WORK HARDER AND BE MORE INDEPENDENT, BECAUSE YOU REALLY DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF. SINCE I ENJOY IT SO MUCH, I’VE PROBABLY BECOME A BIT OF A WORKAHOLIC. I ALWAYS WANT TO BE DOING SOMETHING, PREFERABLY A THOUSAND THINGS AT ONCE. AND IT HAS DEFINITELY TAUGHT ME DISCIPLINE.

CA: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND?

CC: I JUST WANT IT TO FEEL SEXY, SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE CAN FEEL. I PLAY HARD TECHNO, BUT I ALSO PLAY A LOT OF OTHER THINGS LIKE DRUM’N’BASS OR PSYTRANCE. I ALWAYS TRY TO KEEP IT VARIED, BUT WITH A CLEAR THREAD RUNNING THROUGH IT. IT SHOULDN’T JUST BE TRACK AFTER TRACK – IT SHOULD BUILD, CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE. NOT JUST A PARTY, BUT SOMETHING THAT PULLS YOU IN AND CARRIES YOU ALONG.

CA: BERLIN AND THE MUSIC SCENE ARE CHANGING. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO PRESERVE, AND WHAT WOULD YOU WISH TO CHANGE?

CC: WHAT I LOVE ABOUT BERLIN IS THE ANONYMITY. IF I WENT CLUBBING IN SPAIN, I’D PROBABLY BE TAKING PICTURES THE WHOLE TIME. BUT HERE, PEOPLE ARE SO USED TO DJS GOING OUT THAT NO ONE CARES. YOU CAN JUST LET GO AND ENJOY YOURSELF. I REALLY HOPE THAT STAYS. THE NO PHOTO POLICY IS SOMETHING I REALLY VALUE. AT PLACES LIKE BERGHAIN, EVERYONE RESPECTS IT. NO ONE BOTHERS ANYONE, PEOPLE DO THEIR OWN THING, YET YOU CAN STILL CONNECT WITH OTHERS. IT’S RELAXED IN A WAY I HAVEN’T EXPERIENCED ANYWHERE ELSE.

CA: WHAT DOES YOUR LIFE LOOK LIKE BETWEEN SETS?

CC: SHOOTS, PROJECTS, THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON. I RARELY HAVE A DAY OFF. MANY PEOPLE THINK DJS WORK WEEKENDS AND RELAX DURING THE WEEK, BUT HONESTLY, I CAN’T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I HAD A DAY JUST TO CHILL. THERE’S ALWAYS MUSIC TO MAKE, CONTENT TO SHOOT, AND THINGS TO PROMOTE.

CA: WITH SUCH A BUSY SCHEDULE, HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO RELAX?

CC: I TRY TO TAKE A DAY OFF EVERY FEW WEEKS OR SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY. THREE WEEKS AGO, I HAD THREE DAYS OF VACATION WITH THEM. JUST REAL QUALITY TIME – WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS – WHERE YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, JUST BE TOGETHER.

IT’S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COMPLIMENT WHEN THEY STILL REMEMBER A SET YEARS LATER. THAT’S WHAT I AIM FOR: TO GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING LASTING AND UNFORGETTABLE.
CA: IN THE END, IT’S REALLY JUST ABOUT DOING WHAT YOU LOVE, YOUR PASSION, YOUR PROFESSION, RIGHT?

CC: TOTALLY. AND THAT’S BEAUTIFUL, BECAUSE A LOT OF MY FRIENDS ARE IN THE SAME FIELD, THEY’RE ARTISTS OR SELF-EMPLOYED, TOO. SO WE CAN COMBINE IT, OR MEET SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE WORLD AND HANG OUT TOGETHER. THAT’S REALLY SPECIAL.

CA: AND THEN SUDDENLY YOU WALKED THE RICK OWENS RUNWAY. HOW DID THAT FEEL, AND WOULD YOU SEE YOURSELF MORE IN THE FASHION WORLD IN THE FUTURE?

CC: YEAH, DEFINITELY. I LOVE FASHION. I WOULDN’T SAY I HAVE DEEP KNOWLEDGE, BUT I’M VERY INTERESTED. AND I LOVE RICK OWENS. HIS DESIGNS WERE MY FIRST BIG FASHION PURCHASES. I BOUGHT MY FIRST RICK OWENS JACKET IN NEW YORK, LITERALLY WITH MY LAST CENT. SO YEAH, IT WAS AMAZING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND TICK IT OFF MY LIST.

CA: IMAGINE YOU COULD PUT TOGETHER AN ENTIRE SHOW WITH RICK OWENS – THE FASHION, THE RUNWAY, THE SOUND. HOW WOULD YOU SHAPE THE WHOLE CONCEPT?

CC: ACTUALLY, ON MY WAY TO PARIS DURING FASHION WEEK, I PRODUCED A 20-MINUTE TRACK I IMAGINED AS A RICK OWENS FASHION SHOW SOUNDTRACK. I’VE ALREADY

DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT SIMPLY OUT OF INSPIRATION. I’VE SEEN HIS OLDER SHOWS THOUSANDS OF TIMES AND CREATED SOMETHING BASED ON THEM. I’D LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. HIS SHOWS ALWAYS TAKE PLACE AT PALAIS DE TOKYO, A BRUTALIST, ATMOSPHERIC SETTING – AN AESTHETIC I DEEPLY CONNECT WITH AND THAT ALSO REFLECTS MY OWN STYLE.

CA: DOES THE TRACK YOU MADE FOR HIM SOUND LIKE THAT, TOO?

CC: YEAH, IT’S VERY VARIED – SOMETIMES DEEP, SOMETIMES DARK, SOMETIMES ATMOSPHERIC. IT SLOWS DOWN, THEN SPEEDS UP AGAIN.

CA: BEING VISIONARY OFTEN MEANS SENSING SOMETHING BEFORE OTHERS DO. WHAT ARE YOUR OWN PREDICTIONS FOR THE FUTURE?

CC: MUSICALLY, IT’S CHALLENGING BECAUSE EVERYTHING CHANGES SO FAST. HONESTLY, I DON’T EVEN OVERTHINK IT ANYMORE. I JUST FOLLOW WHAT I FEEL AND TRY NOT TO FOCUS TOO MUCH ON WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING, SINCE THAT CAN DILUTE YOUR OWN CREATIVITY AND VISION. SOMETIMES, I WISH I COULD UNFOLLOW EVERYONE ON INSTAGRAM, BUT I DON’T WANT TO OFFEND ANYONE, SO I DON’T. STILL, I FEEL WE GET TOO MUCH OUTSIDE INPUT. YOU SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING AND THINK, MAYBE I SHOULD DO THAT, TOO, AND THEN YOU DRIFT AWAY FROM YOUR OWN VISION. I TRY TO AVOID THAT AND STAY TRUE TO MYSELF.

CA: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL VISION?

CC: THAT’S HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS. LAST WEEK, I PLAYED IN MELBOURNE, WHERE I ALSO PLAYED THE PITCH FESTIVAL TWO YEARS AGO. SO MANY PEOPLE CAME UP TO ME SAYING, “THAT SET WAS INCREDIBLE. IT’S WHAT GOT ME INTO TECHNO.” IN THAT MOMENT, I THOUGHT, WOW, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANT – TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO MUSIC THROUGH ME. IT’S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COMPLIMENT WHEN THEY STILL REMEMBER A SET YEARS LATER. THAT’S WHAT I AIM FOR: TO GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING LASTING AND UNFORGETTABLE.

CA: DO YOU ALSO LISTEN TO TECHNO PRIVATELY?

CC: I LISTEN TO SO MUCH TECHNO EVERY DAY – JUST BECAUSE OF WORK. BUT WHEN I FIND A TRACK I REALLY LOVE, I’LL LISTEN TO IT NONSTOP. AT THE SAME TIME, I TRY TO LISTEN TO OTHER MUSIC, TOO. A LOT OF CLASSICAL MUSIC, MAINLY PIANO. THAT HELPS ME RELAX. OR I JUST PLAY MYSELF. SITTING AT THE PIANO GIVES ME INNER PEACE LIKE NOTHING ELSE. AND I LISTEN TO A LOT OF HIP-HOP, TOO.

CA: CONSIDERING YOU HAVE A CLASSICAL BACKGROUND, IT’S PRETTY VISIONARY TO CHOOSE A DJ CAREER. HOW DID PEOPLE REACT?

CC: AT FIRST, MY PARENTS THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE – THE BERLIN TECHNO SCENE, BERGHAIN, THE WHOLE LIFESTYLE. THEY WORRIED I MIGHT GET INTO SOMETHING DANGEROUS OR LOSE CONTROL. BUT OVER TIME, THEY REALIZED THIS WAS A REAL CAREER. I CAN SUPPORT MYSELF AND MAKE A LIVING FROM IT. THEY MAY STILL NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND IT, BUT THEY’VE BEEN TO MY GIGS, THEY’RE PROUD, AND THEY SUPPORT ME COMPLETELY. IT JUST TOOK A BIT OF TIME.

CA: WAS IT YOUR PARENTS WHO INFLUENCED YOU TO START PLAYING PIANO?

CC: YEAH. MY FAMILY ISN’T REALLY MUSICAL, BUT MY PARENTS MADE SURE WE HAD A MUSICAL EDUCATION. I STILL LOVE LISTENING TO PIANO MUSIC AND I STILL PLAY MYSELF.

I ALSO PLAYED AT THIS RADIO STATION IN NEW YORK, THE LOT RADIO, WHERE YOU LOOK OUT OVER THE BROOKLYN SKYLINE. IT WAS SUCH A VIBE. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME IN YORK, AND STANDING THERE IN THAT SPACE, I HAD TEARS IN MY EYES THINKING: OH MY GOD, THIS IS AMAZING.
CA: I IMAGINE THAT ALSO PLAYS A ROLE IN YOUR CURRENT WORK. HOW DOES IT IN- FLUENCE THE WAY YOU APPROACH CREATING YOUR SETS?

CC: I KNOW MUSIC THEORY, CAN WRITE MELODIES, AND UNDERSTAND WHICH NOTES AND KEYS WORK TOGETHER – THAT MAKES PRODUCING MUCH EASIER. I ALSO THINK IT CHANGES HOW YOU APPROACH A SET WHEN YOU PLAY WITH KEYS AND HARMONIES. FOR DJING ITSELF – NOT SO MUCH. BUT IN NOVEMBER, I’LL BE PERFORMING MY FIRST LIVE SET WITH PIANO. IT’S SOMETHING I’VE DREAMED OF MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I CAN’T WAIT. IT’S NOT EASY LOGISTICALLY, BUT IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING!

CA: ARE YOU AS RELAXED ABOUT THAT, OR DO YOU ALREADY FEEL NERVOUS?

CC: YEAH, I’M KIND OF SHITTING MYSELF. I MEAN, YOU CAN IMPROVISE A LOT, BUT IF YOU HIT THE WRONG NOTES, THEY’RE OUT THERE – MISTAKES, LIVE.

CA: SPEAKING OF CREATING NEW THINGS, IF YOU COULD PERSONALLY INTRODUCE A LAW FOR CLUB CULTURE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

CC: IT’S HARD TO GENERALIZE. I LOVE BERLIN’S NO PHOTO POLICY, WHERE EVERYONE CAN JUST FOCUS ON THE MUSIC AND DANCING. AT THE SAME TIME, I ALSO ENJOY HAVING MOMENTS CAPTURED – IT’S NICE TO HAVE MEMORIES. I THINK IT’S GREAT THAT BOTH OPTIONS EXIST. WHAT I DO MISS, THOUGH, IS BEING ALLOWED TO SMOKE IN CLUBS.

CA: IF YOU COULD ONLY PICK ONE PLACE IN THE WORLD TO DJ FOREVER, WHERE WOULD IT BE?

CC: WHAT I LOVE IS PLAYING IN BEACH CLUBS WHERE YOU HAVE THE SEA IN THE BACKGROUND, OR THE SUNRISE AND PALM TREES. I THINK THAT’S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. THE SAME GOES FOR SOMETHING LIKE THE MONEGROS FESTIVAL IN SPAIN, OUT IN THE DESERT – THAT’S JUST UNREAL. BUT ALSO, PLAYING AT TIME WARP IN GERMANY, INSIDE, IS ALWAYS SPECIAL FOR ME BECAUSE IT’S BEEN A DREAM OF MINE FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.

CA: SO IF IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE PLACE, WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES A GIG TRULY UN- FORGETTABLE FOR YOU?

CC: FOR ME, THE BEST CROWD IS DEFINITELY IN SPAIN, BUT THE BEST PLACES… THERE’S ALSO AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO MANY OF THEM. LIKE WHEN I PLAY AT TIME WARP, IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING PERSONAL AND SPECIAL. THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES WHERE YOU THINK: WOW, I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M PLAYING HERE. I ALSO PLAYED AT THIS RADIO STATION IN NEW YORK, THE LOT RADIO, WHERE YOU LOOK OUT OVER THE BROOKLYN SKYLINE. IT WAS SUCH A VIBE. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME IN NEW YORK, AND STANDING THERE IN THAT SPACE, I HAD TEARS IN MY EYES THINKING: OH MY GOD, THIS IS AMAZING.

CA: DO YOU STILL HAVE A DREAM LOCATION WHERE YOU’D LOVE TO PLAY IN THE FU- TURE?

CC: I THINK COACHELLA WOULD BE AMAZING. THAT’S DEFINITELY A GOAL. I LOVE THE US, I LOVE PLAYING GIGS THERE, SO THAT WOULD BE HUGE FOR ME.