Carista is more than just a DJ. The Utrecht native has also captivated the world with her talents as a music producer and curator. She has the sensational ability to take listeners on intriguing journeys, effortlessly weaving through genres, she ignites smiles and the desire to dance.
Her raw energy and soul-stirring selections have been showcased at her monthly show on London-based online community radio station NTS and dance-floors worldwide. She has already played countless prestigious venues and festivals in the world such as Fabric, Nitsa, DeSchool, Lofi, Lowlands, Dekmantel, Pitch in Melbourne, Australia and AVA in Belfast, Ireland we are sure that Carista is well on her way to becoming a household name. She has turned the heads of music lovers and taste makers as her BBCRadio1EssentialMix was nominated for 2020’s Mix of the Year and was followed by a stellar 6 month residency at the station in 2021.Whilst ensuring to remain in touch with her fan base during these challenging past few years, she continues to make significant contributions to the music community by being herself at all times.
Her label and platform UnitedIdentities, has been instrumental in her journey to curate and share music. A few years ago on her mission to connect like-minded lovers of contemporary music, Carista initiated the club night and music label. In the process she engaged with many yet unfamiliar and surprising local artists as she remains to keep an honest interest and kindness to everyone she meets. Carista has helped Amsterdam-based online radio station RRFM, by setting their musical DNA as their former Head of Music from its early beginning in 2020. She has been the music director of Celestial Space and curated events for cultural institutions like Centraal Museum on her resumé. You can definitely say that Carista always seems to have a clear know-how in curating and consulting, bringing it to a new level while discovering exciting never- heard-before music by artists on a global scale along the way. All of these experiences not only contributed to her exceptional taste in music and a keen eye for spotting new talent, but also inspired her own music production process.
After a great length of silent tweaking, she released her first single Aisa’sDream, a dreamy introverted amalgamation of her broad spectrum of musical influences and experiences in 2020. Modern Intimacy Volume 1, Carista’s first double12” vinyl compilation album for United identities, is a captivating and forward-thinking selection that shines a light on the rising talents from The Netherlands. After setting the tone with the compilation album she is always on the look out for new musical talent and personally reaches out to local artists such as Thrills in+41, QUANZA and mayo to release on the Utrecht-based independent music label in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
She is determined to give artists the same push she got when she started out DJ-ing in 2009 and renowned music magazines such as Mixmag, DJ Mag, and Dutch media outlet 3voor12 recognised Carista, her remarkable work at United Identities and its artist roster for creating their own utopian world and narrative within the music industry.
Following the wave, Carista starred in the NikexPatta campaign for the collaborative Air Max 1 that was released between the brands alongside Skepta, Mo Farah, Little Simz and directed by acclaimed directors, Steve McQueen and Mahaneela. Her interview with Dazed shines light on the project and how to build long lasting creative careers. After being tipped by Mixmag as a rising star in 2018, Carista has proved to be an unstoppable force with her charismatic and infectious style that is built upon the delightful chemistry and response she draws from crowds. Most famously demonstrated at numerous Boiler Room performances with AVA festival, Dekmantel and United Identities. These live performances naturally carried over into a mix for Boiler Room on AppleMusic.
Having been awarded the highly acclaimed and independent Gieskes-Strijbis Podium Prize in 2021 which recognised her ‘strong drive and great perseverance’ who knows what the future holds for the United Identities head honcho. One thing for certain is; she’s looking forward to more shows in 2022 such as Primavera Sound, Tomorrowland, Lente Kabinet, Best Kept Secret Festival and to playing some more intimate undergrounds hows.
Carista has certainly left us with a strong taste for more. With a swiftly growing fan base she shows no signs of slowing down and will continue to create and curate remarkable music.
