Since opening its doors to the public for the first time in 2007, Woei has left its mark on the international sneaker and streetwear community with several collaborations including Asics, Patta, and Stüssy along the way.
But the interests and passions of the Woei crew reach far beyond just shoes and apparel. Besides providing the streets with the latest from Nike, Adidas, and Co., music has always been at the heart of the store. Considering the highly curated playlists and mixes that can be heard in the store and hosting some of Rotterdam's most notorious parties, the belief that music unites is deeply ingrained in the Woei DNA.
Based on this deep connection, we want to shine a spotlight on some of our favorite local musicians to talk about what sparked their passion for music and hear their take on common dilemmas in the music industry.
For WOEI FM episode #30, we met with Kim, aka Kimmah to catch up on her running projects, sudden introduction to DJing, and differences in nightlife in Vietnam and Berlin vs Rotterdam.
Can you please introduce yourself?
I’m Kim Nguyen, also known as Kimmah. I’m 25 years old and have been living in Rotterdam for about 4 years now. Grew up in Utrecht, and come from Vietnamese parents. I studied Architecture and Urbanism in Delft, where I’ve also lived for a couple of years.
How did you come up with your DJ name?
It’s a nickname given to me by friends. Whenever we went out I would always be called Kimma, and that just stuck with me, even before I had the intention of DJ’ing. For my first ever radio show for Ampfeminine
I had to come up with an artist name quickly, so the pressure of choosing a name was very eminent. I decided to choose my nickname and added an extra “H” to make it feel more balanced.
What do you spin, exactly?
I play on a very broad BPM range, from 60 to 180/190 BPM. Genre doesn’t matter to me, as long as the vibe feels right. To me, it’s about the energy and connection to the music.
From Electro to Breakbeat, Downtempo to DnB, Asian to European tunes, it all depends on how I feel.
How long have you been spinning now?
Not for that long, I think it’s now been two years since I’ve actively started playing in clubs.
What does a typical day in your life look like?
Every day is essentially different. I do gigs on the weekend in the Netherlands or abroad, so my rhythm is usually messed up throughout the week. I’m a real night owl, so I’m usually really active at night.
I keep myself busy with multiple projects, one might say a bit too many. I work for the nightlife council (N8W8) with Thijs Boer, which looks into the relation between nightlife in Rotterdam and urban planning, and how to keep the two in harmony.
Aside from that, I have my own radio show at Operator called ’Scattered Waves’. I started it with a focus on Asian electronic music because I noticed that there was practically no platform playing it in the West.
I was in Vietnam twice last year, and I met so many great and talented artists that it would be a shame to not let the people here know that Asian music is not simply the old and traditional stuff. In The Netherlands, people see me as Asian, but in Vietnam, I was seen as European, which means that it was quite easy for me to get gigs in Vietnam, while it’s very hard for Vietnamese artists to get gigs internationally due to visa problems, so I started the show to bring their sounds to our ears here.
We were walking around the Benthemplein just now, what does this spot mean to you?
As I previously mentioned, I studied Architecture and Urban Design, and one of the first projects that intrigued me in Rotterdam was the Benthemplein. I find it very interesting to study public spaces and how people use them in their own way.
It was designed to be the so-called ‘drain of the city’, where excess rainfall is collected and is able to go back into the ground to avoid the streets from flooding. During Covid times I was roaming around there with my camera and noticed that there were many skaters there, so It was cool to see it being used for something else besides the drain aspect of the place. I climb next door in the bouldering hall, and my music studio is also located in the area, so I’m here basically every week.
"(...) it’s very hard for Vietnamese artists to get gigs internationally due to visa problems, so I started the show to bring their sounds to our ears here."
When did you realize that music had such a big impact on your life?
Way too late, I was always busy with my hands and visual work, but have always been listening to a broad range of sounds, Techno, House, Hip-Hop, Indie, etc … Aside from traditional Vietnamese music, my parents never really introduced me to other types of music so I discovered everything on my own.
I was standing in the middle of a club once and something just clicked. As a bedroom DJ I never really thought of playing outside of my living room. I guess you could call it a hobby that got out of hand.
Is it true that you’ve lived in Berlin?
Yes, that’s true. I studied Urban Design in German for a while.
How would you compare Berlin’s nightlife to ours?
The vibes are completely different. From the perspective of a visitor as well as an artist.
People are more easygoing and free there when it comes to clubbing, I feel like it’s less judgemental, as weird stuff is happening all the time. And people there just go absolutely nuts on the weekend, as club tourism is a big thing, then move on Monday like it’s nothing.
I feel more comfortable in Rotterdam, where the vibe is more chill and there is more room to experiment with different kinds of music that is not limited to a 4x4 kick pattern.
What was your first performance, and how was it?
It was at Weelde, for a small party hosted by FOMO, located on the terrace during prime times of Covid, so dancing closely was strictly prohibited. I was nervous as fuck, even though all my friends were there to support me.
Digital or Vinyl?
Digital in the Club and Vinyl at home, or for Radio.
Clubnights or Festivals?
Clubnights 100%
Was there once an incident while you were spinning that made you go ’TF just happened?’
Lots of weird moments. Being a woman of color involved in nightlife sadly does bring its downsides sometimes, especially safety-wise. People don’t always realize that I’m not there to party but to do my job.
How do you select your music for upcoming gigs and/or mixes?
I make sure that newly discovered tracks are within reach, so I can try these out and experiment. Sometimes I make a playlist with the vibe I want to create, but I usually add the rest on the spot while I’m playing.
"I feel more comfortable in Rotterdam, where the vibe is more chill and there is more room to experiment with different kinds of music that is not limited to a 4x4 kick pattern."
Do you have certain routines you follow before performing?
I like to arrive about an hour before my set to check the vibe of the venue and the dancefloor, and what BPM the previous DJ is playing on. It’s not mandatory per se, but I do like to light up a joint beforehand.
Opening or Closing?
Closing.
Club Nights or Festivals?
Club Nights.
Is there a certain club/venue where you’d still like to spin?
In Vietnam I’ve played pretty much every spot I wanted to, so the next step for me would be an Asia tour.
In the Netherlands I would still like to play at De School, I haven’t had the chance to play there yet! Tbilisi is another nice city I’d love to play in, I heard it has a very dark, edgy, and raw energy.
How are the crowds in Vietnam?
They’re definitely a bright crowd, they’re very into happy music. Electronic music is starting to become more popular recently.
Is there a tune you’d like to share with our readers?
CATA - Rhetorical Question
Is there something on the planning that you’re able to share with us?
After the summer period I’ll be starting a new residency at a nightclub here in Rotterdam. I’m super stoked to start curating my own nights!
