Hailing from a small village in Sardinia, a great place where she will spend a few days this summer and which can boast of its beautiful beaches, great weather, and amazing food, Elisa Bee has worked hard to make a name for herself in the music scene. Now, after having been mixing for over seventeen years and gaining considerable airplay both on the dancefloor and on the radio, always keeping the enthusiasm and humbleness from the beginnings of her professional adventure, the resident at Milan's Tempio Del Futuro Perduto since 2022 is getting ready to take part in the first edition that the festival will hold in Berlin, from August 30th to September 1st.
“I’m very excited! It's gonna be the first time that we meet in person, and I'm so happy it will happen at Tempio Festival,” she responds when we ask her about the b2b set she'll be offering together with Confidential Recipe at Tempio Festival Berlin 2024, an event with over 130 artists, featuring DJs and performers coming from around the globe, that will electrify the entire city. In the interview you can read below, we also talk about why this is one of her favourite projects all over the world, what makes Tempio so special, and how she is living the countdown, as well as her beginnings in the industry, how she disconnects from work, and what her next projects are.
Elisa, you just released your new track, Mythos, which represents a journey that starts in 1988 with Bordin’s victory in the marathon at the Seoul Olympics. Could you tell us more about your latest release?
It's a special track I released as part of a project by iconic Italian sportswear brand Diadora to celebrate the Mythos running shoe designed by Italian Gelindo Bordin, who won the marathon of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. The story behind the project starts with this victory, then continues through the late 2000s with the birth of the Mythos avant-garde shoe model designed by Bordin and produced by Diadora, and culminates in the present with a launch that further enhances its technology. I combined these historical moments into the track, using sound elements from the iconic Seoul victory. I sampled the sounds of the finish line recorded at that time, adapting them to my style while maintaining the connection to my musical influences from the 2000s. It has been a cool challenge to get to find the right samples and cut them in a way that makes sense to me. I'm pretty happy with the results!
I’d like to know more about the emotions that arise on the day you share new music with your followers. Do you feel nervous about their reactions and opinions, excited, or once you release the track, you have your eyes on what’s next?
For me, producing music is a solitary ritual where genuine emotions emerge. Sharing the results of these moments feels like revealing my true self to the world. When I decide to share, I don't feel nervous; I'm curious about reactions and opinions but definitely not obsessed with knowing them. It is different when I get to play my tracks in front of a crowd because that is a moment we share all together through my music, and it's important for me to feel a connection between all the elements in the room!
Two months ago, you shared one post on Instagram saying that you had the best night of your life performing at Berghain. “I also received a ring from a cute dancer while playing,” you added. Why was it such a special party?
The gig was truly amazing; everything fell perfectly into place. I played on Sunday late evening, right after Luke Slater and just before Ben Sims' closing set. The energy in the room was incredible, and we were all so connected! It was my third time performing at Berghain, and with a bit more confidence, I delivered what I believe to be my best set ever. The crowd was on fire for four hours, and when I played the closing track, I saw people smiling, screaming, and crying with joy. The good vibes were so intense that I felt them for at least two weeks afterwards!
You’ve been working diligently since 2007, and since then you have become a fixture on labels like Hardgroove, Symbolism, and Balkan Vinyl. What memories come to mind when you think about the beginnings of your professional career? Do you feel you’ve changed a lot?
The memories that come to my mind make me smile, as they take me back to the small village in Sardinia where it all began. There were no music-involved family members, no money, and no record stores nearby—just a huge curiosity and an innate love for music. I work every day to keep that spirit alive and feel fortunate to have experienced life before the internet era. I've changed, of course, because change is inevitable, but I like to think that the humble beginnings of my career greatly shaped the attitude that defines me today. I'm grateful for that.
You’ve also been a resident at Milan's Tempio Del Futuro Perduto since 2022, where you’ve said you always feel completely free to express yourself. What makes this place so unique?
Many many things: the fact that it's not “just” a club but a multidisciplinary cultural centre, a safe space with avant-garde inclusive policies, and a place where humanitarian, creative, artistic, and eco-sustainable activities are carried out every day. During the parties, the attention to detail is very strong, with an Awareness Team always ready to help and give free water for everyone. Also, its design and 3D printing studios, music production studios, a vinyl shop, the largest book sharing project, and the most important wall of kindness in Italy make Tempio very unique and special. Its architecture and the garden are the cherry on top! I suggest reading all the story behind Tempio; it's amazing and very inspiring.
This unique project is now getting ready to land in Berlin for the first time, from August 30th to September 1st, with the Tempio Festival hosted at Alte Münze, a sprawling cultural hub spanning over 10,000 square meters in the heart of the city. Are you excited?
I'm very excited! And also very proud of Tempio's team, always working hard to make good things happen. I'm pretty sure that the festival will be a unique experience, as every Tempio initiative is.
For all those who haven’t yet been part of this experience but have already bought their tickets and are counting down the days until the Tempio Festival begins, what would you say? What can they expect from this experience featuring DJs and performers hailing from around the globe?
In Tempio's words: “One hundred thirty artists, including DJs and performers from all over the world, will invade the entire city: six art and photo exhibitions, free contemporary dance and yoga lessons, an anti-mafia workshop, a panel talk to which the mayor of Milan and German institutions are invited, street food, and much more. People will be able to enter the music nights for free by bringing a used book or clothing as a gift to those in need.” What would you expect by reading this, if not good vibes, great energy, personal and collective growth, and inspiring experiences?
Who are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?
My b2b partner Confidential Recipe! It's going to be the first time that we meet in person, and I'm so happy it will happen at Tempio Festival. I'm curious to see all the acts and activities; the lineup is really huge!
“I would like to pursue my radio experience and travel as much as possible,” you said in an interview in 2016 when asked about your future projects. Would you say you are achieving your dreams?
Yes, I'd definitely say that! After that interview, I achieved my radio projects: I worked for ten amazing years as a radio producer at the Italian National Radio RAI, and I had my residency at Radio Raheem in Milan for many years until I decided to focus on my productions and DJ sets only. But my big love for the radio remains, and who knows what will happen in the future. I have to admit that my dreams are constantly evolving... and so is my reality!
Tell us about your plans for this summer. Are you going on holiday somewhere?
Coming from Sardinia and still having my family there makes every summer visit feel like a holiday, especially since I rarely get to go back home. The beautiful beaches, great weather, amazing food, and friends coming back to the homeland from all over the world make it special. I'll spend a few days in my hometown, and for the rest of the summer, I'll be making music and working on many new projects.
When taking a walk along the shore to disconnect from reality for a while, rest your mind, and charge yourself with energy, what music do you listen to? Do you have a favourite playlist at the moment?
It'd be one of the few moments of my day where I'd turn off the music and listen to the sounds of the water and the wind, my steps in the sand, and nature in general. But of course I've put together a playlist perfect for hanging out by the water with friends! It features a mix of jazz, afro-jazz, tribal vibes, ambient, Latin American beats, and piano tracks. If you're interested, DM me and I'll share it with you (laughs). I've tested and updated it many times over the past few years, and it's definitely my favourite playlist right now.
Is there anything you can tell us about your upcoming projects?
Many remixes will be released in the upcoming months, and my collab EP with legend Rolando will be out soon on his R3 imprint. I'm also working on new music and will be announcing some very cool gigs! That's all I can say for now... but as always, for me, it's all about the music, you know?
