squuid. is helping shape Nashville’s rapidly growing underground electronic scene with a dark, high-energy blend of house and techno rooted in self-expression, confidence, and connection. With a sound that feels both raw and intentional, she’s quickly emerging as one of the city’s standout rising artists.
In this exclusive interview, she opens up about finding her sound, the deep sense of community shaping Nashville’s scene, navigating the industry as a woman in dance music, and the personal experiences fueling the next chapter of her project!
In Conversation with squuid.
seradopa: For those just discovering your project, how would you introduce squuid? What were the early days like, and how has the vision evolved into what it is today?
squuid: squuid is a Nashville-based dark house & techno DJ/producer. My sound is both raw and refined – balancing dark grooves with bold, emotive energy and driven by themes of self-expression, confidence, and sexuality. My sets are less about escape and more about embodiment—an invitation to feel empowered, present, and in love with yourself and the community moving around you.
Back in the early days of this project, I was really learning to find my sound and what I felt the most passionate about playing. I always knew one of those genres would be techno, and I loved tech house, so I decided to find a way to blend the two for my house sets. Therefore, I carved out a space for “dark house” in Nashville to live. I practiced DJing and would dig for HOURS after I was off work to find music that really embodied my project and brand. After I became more confident in my DJ skills, I would play at after-parties with my friends and learned a lot from them as well. I finally started playing live shows in September 2024, and the rest is history!
seradopa: What influences helped shape the foundation of your sound early on?
squuid: I’ve always liked electronic music, but I grew up on classic rock, alternative, indie rock, and rap, so I like to incorporate elements of those genres when I can.
Electronic artists who inspired me include Tini Gessler, Azzecca, Jackie Hollander, Marie Vaunt, Max Styler, and many more. I find new artists that inspire me all the time.
seradopa: Was there a defining moment where the SQUUID project really started to take shape or feel “real” to you?
squuid: Being booked for Deep Tropics was definitely a defining moment, but one moment that really stands out to me in projecting my project forward was after Bonnaroo was canceled last year (2025). Avary Entertainment, a promoter here in Nashville, had a renegade stage on Friday night after the cancellation. I played a techno set to, like, over 1000 people.
Someone posted on Reddit asking about who I was, which I thought was really cool [laughs]. That same weekend, my good friend Pardue threw a rave on the pedestrian bridge in downtown Nashville. I had a ton of people from the renegade stage talk to me there. Then, the next week, I had my debut at Skydeck as direct support for Layton Giordani. The crowd was huge, and people were still talking to me about my Bonnaroo weekend sets and how excited they were to see me perform at Deep Tropics. It was a whirlwind of two weeks, but I definitely think those moments helped me move forward. I’m really grateful for all that happened last year!
seradopa: Nashville has been gaining serious traction in the underground electronic scene. How does it feel to be part of that growth?
squuid: It’s honestly a huge honor to be a part of the movement and growth of the electronic music scene in Nashville. I had no idea where this project would go when I first started, but I’m so grateful for the support and the opportunities I’ve had so far. I don’t take any of that for granted.
That said, I have to give a huge shoutout to our local promoters and clubs that are helping move the needle, push the scene forward here, and present us with great opportunities. Without them, this scene wouldn’t be gaining the traction that it is. Along with all of the talented DJs and producers we have in town, the people working behind the scenes to make this scene what it is are extremely important.
seradopa: There’s been talk of a really tight-knit, supportive community forming there. From your perspective, what makes the Nashville scene unique? How does the energy in Nashville compare to other cities or scenes you’ve experienced?
squuid: We’re all friends!
Like, EVERYONE knows each other. The listeners, the DJs, the promoters, you name it. We’re all friends and love each other a lot. This community genuinely feels like a family. We support and care about every single person. And it goes beyond just showing up to support someone at their shows. We’ll go to dinner, the movies, or have a game night at someone’s house.
Most importantly, though, we all want each other to succeed. We want to help each other grow and hone our craft. If one person wins, we all win, and we celebrate that. I think it’s a really beautiful and refreshing community to be a part of.
seradopa: Your sound leans into darker, more techno and dark house spaces. What draws you to that side of electronic music?
squuid: I’ve always been drawn toward darker and grungier sounds in music. I think it pulls out a side of me that’s more intense and mysterious, but can still uphold my energetic side. I don’t think it’s a style that is super common in general, but especially here in Nashville. But it genuinely is just … me! I feel the most connected to the music I play when it leans dark, intense, and mysterious. I feel like there’s a surprise at every point in the tracks I play, and it keeps things exciting.
seradopa: What kind of emotional or physical energy are you trying to create when you’re building a set or producing a track?
squuid: My goal is for people to fully embody what they’re listening to and let go of the things that may be clouding their mindset. I want people to feel in tune with themselves, their confidence, their sexuality, every single part of who they are. I want them to feel in touch with their environment and who is around them, and to flow freely.
seradopa: As part of Electric Hawk’s Sparklight series, we’re highlighting emerging women and femme artists. How has your experience been navigating the underground scene as a woman?
squuid: There have definitely been some challenging moments. It can stretch from people thinking you aren’t good at what you do because you’re a woman, getting booked only because you’re a woman, or just thinking you aren’t up to par with anyone else because you’re a woman. But that simply isn’t true. I’ve put in so much work to get to where I am and to hone my craft.
There have been a lot of great experiences too, though. I’ve been able to mentor some female DJs coming up in the scene, and that has been very fulfilling. Most of our promoters are very genuine in who they book as well, and will put you on the shows you fit because that’s your sound. They don’t tend to book women just to “be able to book a woman”, if that makes sense.
seradopa: Have you noticed any challenges or barriers along the way, and how have you approached them?
squuid: Beyond the barrier of being a woman, I think the music industry and navigating it can be challenging in general. Learning to manage expectations, take care of yourself after really late nights, dealing with opinions, and a lot of other things can definitely hurt your mindset.
However, I’ve chosen to take every challenge in stride and as a learning experience. I think the biggest thing I’ve had to learn is to balance my lifestyle in a healthy way.
seradopa: What do you believe has been changing for the better and what do you believe needs to be improved/changed immediately in our industry? How could we better build a supportive community within the electronic scene?
squuid: I think more women, queer, and POC representation is improving. I wish it were improving at a slightly faster rate, but being able to see more diverse lineups has been very refreshing.
I think an immediate change that would be needed is changing the mindset of these types of people, only being booked because they’re in a diverse group. These artists are just as talented and deserve so much.
We can help build a better support system in the electronic scene by continuing to build each other up and celebrate wins with everyone.
seradopa: Looking back, what version of yourself would be most surprised by where you are now? As you look ahead, what kind of artist are you still working toward becoming?
squuid: I think the version of myself that would be most surprised and proud would be the teenage version of me. I had always performed in theater or done music in some capacity, but I never thought I would end up expressing my creativity and love for performing by DJing. I’m so happy I ended up doing what I do, though, because I know it’s where I’m meant to be.
As I move forward, I want to constantly be learning and growing within my craft of DJing and production. There are so many things to learn, and I’m open to all of them. I hope I can be an artist who inspires and teaches people along the way.
seradopa: Beyond the music, how do you want to grow, both within the squuid project and as a person?
squuid: I want to grow and be a safe space for myself and people in the industry. I want to continue building my confidence and help others do the same. I want to continue learning balance and maintaining healthy habits. Overall, just becoming a better person and having that translate into my music would be great.
seradopa: What do you have coming up that you would like to share that the audience should keep their Hawk Eye on?
squuid: I have a new single coming out on a Miami-based label in July! It’s called ‘FLASHY’ and is one of my favorite tracks I’ve created to date. It fully embodies me and my sound. It’s a very fun, energetic, late-night roller. I’m very excited to gift it to the world. <3
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