by PETER LIGHTBURN

Touch of Glass is a brand new one-two punch consisting of locals DJ Emmanuelle, a fashion photographer by day, and Athesia, a seasoned vocal performer and lyricist who has been accompanying DJs for the last two years. Emmanuelle fine-tuned her skills at High Bar (where she worked) for hours long after closing and at first "couldn't put two records together." Athesia, who has been singing since she was 13 and performs at various small clubs, has worked with the likes of Mark Anthony, Alain Vinet and Angel Moraes. The Mirror talked to them about their coming-out party at Salon Daomé over coffee and croissants.

Mirror: Because you are such a multifaceted artist, what is about spinning that stands out in relation to the other stuff you do?

DJ Emmanuelle: Through DJing, I'm able to share my sensibilities for people, art, colours and what I have learned in life. Music is what brings people together who don't speak the same language, because it is something that you feel.

M: How did your musical tastes evolve?

DJE: My dad was a jazz purist to the bone and I grew up with Billie Holliday, Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald. I used to buy records by Madonna, Sting, Beastie Boys and Prince and would go out of my way to discover new sounds for myself. The house aspect came about through meeting Christian Pronovost, which opened avenues to my appreciation for classic house and Fela Kuti. My musician and artist friends were also big influences.

M: Turning to you, Athesia, are you a singer-songwriter or primarily a vocal performer?

Athesia: I'm very versatile, meaning I can do vocals, lyrics, voiceovers or even crank calls. I am primarily a singer and use my voice as a tool for creating different things.

M: How did you end up vocalizing with DJs?

A: Three years ago, I hooked up with this DJ who was looking for a singer. We would practice at his place and eventually had gigs at private parties. Our paths diverged because I was taking this very seriouly.

M: What will make your debut so special?

DJE: It will be a fun night of classic disco, rare groove and deep house. A gathering of special friends, a wonderful singer, great music and dancing with no compromises.

A: Music, for me, is expressing my interior emotions. I think and hope people will enjoy it.

At Salon DaomÉ on Friday, Oct 3, 10pm, $8

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