It’s A Man’s World? We Chat With Muri About Her Experiences Within The DJ Industry

House music, two radio hits in Denmark, a sweet soul, and sick modeling skills; Meet Marianne Christensen AKA Muri, Copenhagen’s ‘IT’ girl and DJ. The charming 22-year-old takes us on a ride through her professional and personal life – All the ups and downs, personal growth, being a part of Cirklé Management, finding herself in a male-dominated industry & more. Without further ado, let’s get into it…

Muri, when did you first started DJing – and what or who was your first influence that brought you to the world of music? 

To be honest, I can't remember nor identify my initial influence for music, it sort of just came naturally - as cliche as it may sound. From a very early age I just started dancing to tunes, feeling the vibrations through my body. The rhythms were literally speaking through my movements. In 2019 I bought my first DJ Desk a Pioneer DDJ-400 DJ Controller. I was DJing in my bedroom for a long time, and the reason I started DJing was because I needed to do something different. I found a lot of my inspiration from all the nights out and standing behind the DJs in clubs and seeing people’s appreciation for the music. So, I came up with DJing to take in the energy and enjoy the music I love; getting that validation by sharing good vibrations with people who appreciate it is very fulfilling. 


What are some of the main challenges you’ve stumbled upon, while entering the music industry? 

The most frustrating challenge I had to face is definitely the lack of respect and not being taken seriously. A Club friend of mine said he didn’t believe I could get a job as a DJ, so I worked harder until I proved him wrong. I have experienced icky situations several times while preforming at clubs, but I understand that people are usually drunk and full of jargon when partying – still it can be incredibly exhausting. I feel that as a woman in an industry like this, one can quickly become labelled – and it sucks!

If you dress or act a certain way you get labelled, if you don’t make the effort to dress or act another way, you also get labelled. Nonetheless, at the end of the day you just must do what feels right for you and be your true self. 
 

How would you describe your personal music taste – including the music you like playing best? 

When it comes down to music and music taste I find myself being quite versatile and open, I've always listened to a lot of music, and a lot of different music at that. When talking about booking & playing gigs you are bound to hear house, EDM and disco sounds with a feminine touch. 

What do you think about mixing your personal & professional life? To be exact; Do you attempt to make life and creativity blend seamlessly or do you try to separate the two? 



Having your passion as an occupation makes this particular part of life more effortless, yet at the same time it's also a challenge. Sometimes it can be a challenge to distinguish yourself between the two, as they go hand in hand in my case. It's more a practical separation of the two and it really reflects on the environment I'm in. I'm still trying to figure out what works best for me – learning on the go I suppose.

Can you define your mindset during a DJ set? What contributes to this effective state of mind, and what are the distractions? Is there a way to enter this state more easily?

My mindset is very much about feelings for the music, I put everything else aside and think about how I, myself, would be listening to the music. I’m not trying to compare myself to other DJs and I’m doing what feels best in the given moment. I want to deliver a good show, but a show that reflects me, even though it may sometimes not be perfect. 


What was your most memorable or favorite gig thus far?

I was playing for the first time in my hometown the other day for the ‘Street Party’ tour, and it was a completely surreal feeling to stand there and look down on the streets where I once partied. My whole family was there, and it was a moment I will never forget. 

David Penn, Carl Cox, Low Steppa, Kevin McKay, Zhu, David Guetta are all great DJs – How do you feel being a woman in a “man’s world”? What are the pros & cons? 

Ah yes, the so called ‘Man’s World’ – Well I strongly disagree! Of course, the industry is incredibly saturated by men, but there is more than enough space for strong & independent female artists as well. When talking about pros and cons, it’s two different sides of the same coin – Sometimes, as a girl, you’ll receive early opportunities & gigs just for being a girl. However, the other side of that coin is not being able booking certain jobs, again, just because you’re a girl. 

I am definitely excited to be a part of a generation that can potentially abolish this way of running ‘the business’, but for now it’s simply thrilling to see female DJs excel at their jobs.

Do you ever fear of being overly objectified or even sexualized, considering that the industry is male centered? 

Sometimes I fear it of course, but I’m not afraid that it will happen. I know it can be hard sometimes, but I do not want to let that fear go beyond of something that I love to do.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to young Muri?

To be patient and not let anyone treat you as less in this industry. That it is important that you look through those who will take advantage of you and those who see you for your talent. Oh, and another thing! – Surround yourself with creative and supportive people!

What exactly do you mean by ‘Surround yourself with creative & supportive people’?

Well this of course includes my family and friends, but also all the delightful DJs, content creators, models & creatives from my mother agency Cirklé Management, whom have been nothing but helpful on this exciting journey. In my case, when I surround myself with creative people, I tend to be innovative, artistic and most importantly productive. 

Before we let you go, what can we expect from Muri in the future?  – plans, hopes & dreams. 

I somehow always think it's a difficult question because I have so unbelievably many dreams and goals, and many expectations for myself. but you should expect to see me play more gigs In Denmark. I have a dream of being able to play at the Melt festival which is being held in Germany. I'm also working on getting some more music released.

Model: MURI
Photographer: Maja Lumholt Madsen
Stylist: Matija Max Vidovic
Production: Cirklé Management