Carlita and Agathe | Senza Fine

Turkish-Italian DJ, producer, and classically trained multi-instrumentalist Carlita has quickly become one of the most sought-after electronic music stars of this generation. Raised in Istanbul and now based in Brooklyn, Carlita’s kaleidoscopic sound has a plethora of influences ranging from Turkish Psychedelia to old school Rock N’ Roll. 

 Carlita continues to rise with momentum, with recent releases including a remix for Grammy-Award winning trio RÜFÜS DU SOL, performances on some of the world’s most exclusive stages including Tesla’s Giga Factory opening, Circoloco, Burning Man, and Cinecittà Studios with Cercle, and high fashion collaborations with brands such as Louis Vuitton, Nodaleto, Raisa Vanessa, and Les Benjamins.

Proving to be next in line to merge the worlds of music and fashion, Carlita hosted the second edition of her multi-sensory party concept, Senza Fine, during NYFW this past weekend. Senza Fine opened with a groundbreaking official NYFW runway show debuting Raisa Vanessa's Spring/Summer 2023 Collection as the main stage transformed from runway to rave. 

Skillfully integrating elements such as architectural design, colored haze, and an exclusive signature scent developed by Carlita, Senza Fine proved to be an elevated and immersive sensory experience. On par with their reputation for throwing NYC’s most exciting parties, underground events promoter Teksupport powered Senza Fine. 

Continuing to blur boundaries, Senza Fine’s lineup also sat on the intersection between genres and creative worlds; Carlita was joined by the likes of Heron Preston, Rony Seikaly, Parallels, Xander and Fede, Gawdat, Cole Trickle, and DJ Tennis as they debuted their new collaborative project, Asta Club. 

Fellow designer, founder of unisex brand Chapel Paris, and face of YSL Beauty Agathe Mougin was also on Senza Fine’s stacked billing and sat down with Carlita  to discuss their breakthroughs into the electronic music and fashion scenes.

Agathe: As we haven't properly met yet, would you be able to give me 3 tracks that describe you as the person you are today?

Carlita: You’re right, we haven’t properly met yet, but I am super excited to finally meet you and have you play at Senza Fine. This is a great question and a very hard one to answer at the same time as there are so many tracks I could choose. Growing up I was a classically trained musician and played the Cello from a young age so this music has definitely shaped the person I've become in many ways. Now I've obviously got a bigger focus on electronic music and there are so many artists/songs which describe me. These are 3 that really stand out though.  

1. Philip Glass - Einstein on the beach:knee 1

2. Jorge Ben Jor - cade tereza

3. You man & Jerge - everybody

Carlita: What are 3 tracks that best describe you?

Agathe: 

1. Club DZ / Acid Arab

2. Sounds like a Melody / Alphaville

3. Faar-I-Kall (Terje Extended Mix) / Lindstrøm

Agathe: Can you tell me about the first time it all clicked and you decided, I want to be a producer/DJ?
Carlita: Growing up in Istanbul I wasn't exposed to the electronic music scene so much and with the rules there about going to nightclubs being so strict I didn't experience it too much. This led me to explore lots of different musical genres and one of main ones I fell in love with was psychedelic rock as there was a lot of that in the small vinyl stores spread across Istanbul. Once I left Istanbul to study in Boston, this was when I really fell in love with the idea of becoming a DJ/Producer. 

I had always been making lots of playlists only soundcloud and spotify for my friends and always had to be very specific about the order the songs were in on these playlists because I felt like they were taking people on a journey. After doing this for a while I decided that I should really start trying to DJ and that’s when I got myself my first set of CDJ’s and with the help of some friends in Boston I started learning how to mix.

Carlita: You started your career in the Modeling industry, when was it that you wanted to make the transition over to a musical career?

Agathe: I got discovered when I was 18, but to be honest, I wasn't really ready. I was super shy and introverted. Music was already a big part of my life, and the only moments I felt free were on the dance floor of the REX Club, listening to Jennifer Cardini, CHLOE, Ivan Smagghe, and many others. I've always been fascinated by the energy of a full dance floor. So when Chanel offered for me and my friend Wladimir Schall to play for them, I was just as afraid as I was excited... and then I never wanted to stop.

Agathe: The industry has changed in the last few years and it has become much more democratic to listen to house / techno (for exemple fashion parties). We also see more DJs featuring as producers for big artists like Drake or Beyoncé. Have you felt that change? What other changes would you like to see happening in the industry?

Carlita: You’re right the industry definitely has changed quite a lot, especially in recent years. I think this has been both good and bad in a number of ways. We now have house and techno producers producing for the likes of Drake which is incredible to see that they are finally getting the recognition they deserve as producers and obviously it brings more eyes onto our scene which is never a bad thing. With lots of new people now showing more interest in the house and techno scene it does come with added pressure as we now need to really find our niche and make ourselves stand out from the crowd. 

One big thing which I've noticed happening a lot around the world in recent times is the closure of a lot of very famous venues. This is really sad to see because these venues bring so much joy and happiness to so many people and in many cases are really the only place where some people can go and express themselves and truly get that sense of freedom where they otherwise wouldn’t be able to. So I would love to see more venues being able to stay open and also to see new unique spaces opening up to host parties and events where people can really be creative.

Carlita: Music and Fashion are closely linked, what are the big differences you find playing fashion parties and club shows?

Agathe: I remember playing really accessible and popular tracks when I first started DJing fashion parties, as people were a bit scared of "techno." Now I feel like it has become a big part of it. You just have to look at the line ups to see how electronic music has become democratized. I love playing fashion parties because it is a really good exercise, where the main goal is to bring together people who have really different tastes in music on the dance floor and have them let go. I have recently been playing in a lot of clubs, and I prepare my sets completely differently. I want people to go through a journey with me, and when you make that happen, well, you can feel it because the energy is unique.

Agathe: Where did the idea for Senza Fine come from? Where do you see it going?

Carlita: I have always wanted to host/produce my own events and this is how Senza Fine came about. I wanted to try and do something different than anything I have experienced before. Senza Fine is all your senses. At the events everything is carefully designed/curated with all your senses in mind. 

It’s still very early stages with the brand and my sole focus is always going to be making sure that the next event is a huge success. In the long run I would love to produce Senza Fine parties around the world in some of my favorite cities like London, Paris & Tokyo.

Carlita: What are the things you love most about being a model in the music industry and do you think it has influenced your musical journey in a certain way?

Agathe: I don't really see myself as a model to be honest, but I have always loved fashion. Fashion helped me a lot in finding who I was, defining my identity... and music played a big part in this too.

Agathe: What are your keys for creating a beautiful party?

Carlita: There is so much needed to create a beautiful party but I think the most important thing is always the crowd. Without a great crowd it is almost impossible to create a beautiful party, you could spend as much as you like on production but if the crowd isn’t right then you will not have the vibe that you want. 

Then obviously you need to make sure that the music is right and we put a lot of time and effort into curating the line ups for our parties as we feel each artist will bring something completely different to the event and that’s what makes it so special.

We have an amazing team working on the production for Senza Fine and I can't wait for you to see what we have been workin on behind the scenes.

Carlita: What was the best show you’ve played this year and what made it so special?

Agathe: I got invited by Pvblic Xcess to play in the Wild Corner of HI in Ibiza. Why "wild?" Because the DJ booth is basically in the middle of the toilets... and the energy was incredible!