Welcome to Seven Minutes in Heaven, GO Magazine’s interview series that profiles a different queer babe each day, by asking them seven unique (and sometimes random) questions. Get to know the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of the groundbreaking, fierce forces-of-nature in the queer community.
Whenever I need a good laugh, DJ Tikka Masala’s posts pop up on my Facebook newsfeed and it’s amazing. She writes about all the queer drama she sees unfold from her DJ booth at Henrietta Hudson. She has amazing revelations to share, hilarious antidotes and even astrology information. We at GO wanted to get to know Tikka a little more—beyond the world of Facebook and nightlife. So of course, we asked her to be interviewed for Seven Minutes in Heaven.
Enjoy all the juicy lesbian info Tikka has to offer.
GO Magazine: Who are you and what do you do?
Tikka Masala: I am DJ Tikka Masala, I’m a DJ, Composer, and Media specialist based in Brooklyn. I work with Henrietta Hudson, Project Parlor, Friends and Lovers, Hot Rabbit, and LAVA Brooklyn. I’ve been working as an NYC DJ since 2004, when I moved here for graduate school, to study documentary film.
GO: Where do you go for inspiration when you’re feeling discouraged or depleted?
TM: When I’m feeling discouraged or depleted, my preference is to travel or have an in-city adventure. I’m fortunate to have an awesome chosen family here in Brooklyn, so another outlet is having a regular ritual about going out and dancing it off. Spending time with my cat, cooking food, reading from time to time, working on collaborative projects with friends, these things all work great for me. I also keep a blog about the stuff I see from the DJ booth, so that’s an ongoing project that keeps my brain busy (dykebarchronicles.tumblr.com).
GO: Who are your queer role models?
TM: Queer figures that have inspired me or changed my point of view include Octavia Butler, Grace Jones, Prince, and Audre Lorde,but you know I have many queer role models in my life, I even work for a few of them, I even know a few of them. I always get inspired by folks creating beautiful outcomes for themselves in spite of intense challenges to success, folks who are able to create their own path in uncharted territory.
GO: Describe your DJ style in three word.
TM: My DJ set in three words: Libidinous, Emotional, Intuitive.
GO: What music are you listening to right now?
TM: Right now I’m listening to a Spotify playlist of women RnB and dancehall artists from the 90’s.
GO: Why do you think it’s so important to have queer-centric events and spaces?
TM: Many queer-centric events and spaces give folks seeking community a chance to find each other, and also generate culture by providing space for fresh responses to the cultural and political conditions of the moment. They are incubators for so many variations on queer creative identities, and arriving in those spaces can help folks find new roots in unexpected places. I also like the idea of safe space, or a sanctuary feeling where attendees really feel at home. It can be life changing for people to find community. Queer cultural economies are also critical for being able to support emerging LGBTQIA artists.
GO: Where can people find you?
TM: People can find me at Henrietta Hudson every Thursday and Sunday nights. I also work with Hot Rabbit, Friends and Lovers, and Project Parlor. I try to keep my gig schedule accessible on my Facebook page.
