RUSSIAN & EASTERN EUROPEAN MUSIC BY DJ MISHKA
I’m striving to introduce Russian & Eastern European music to people worldwide
Who is DJ Mishka?
“I’m Jessica Makhlin; for the past 5 years I’ve carried the DJ pseudonym ‘Mishka’, as a nod to my culture.
The Russian word ‘mishka’ is a common colloquialism that translates to ‘cute/little bear’. The bear was adopted as a symbol of national pride for many Russians and those brought up in ex-Soviet states.
I’m a first-generation American, raised in San Francisco to proud Russian and Ukrainian immigrants. I grew up embedded in Russian culture: my father played in a Russian band, my mother fed me delicious katleti (russian cutlets), I attended Russian schools and hung out with kids of similar backgrounds. As I grew older American cultural assimilation began getting to me, maybe it was comments about my foreign home-packed lunches or my funny accent or wanting to fit in with my new English-only speaking peers. Looking back, it was silly to ever feel sheepish, but for a chapter I tried so hard to diminish my Russian identity, only to later rediscover how vital it was to who I am.
After moving to Los Angeles for college, I began DJing for the independent radio station KXLU 88.9FM. It was through music, and by immersing myself in deeper cuts of styles and genres to fit my weekly three hour show, that I chiseled out my identity as DJ Mishka. Radio will forever be a part of who I am. I now hold a monthly residency on NTS where I play Russian and Eastern European music, blending my multifaceted identity for listeners. I’m also a resident DJ at the up-and-coming San Francisco based radio station Hyde FM and work as a Music Supervisor, curating music for film, television, and other mediums. ”
What are your goals?
“Through my NTS show I’m striving to introduce Russian & Eastern European music to people worldwide, especially to unfamiliar ears. I’d love to travel to these regions and meet fellow diggers who can tune me in to more gems and connect me to the artists I play. My goals include bringing on more guests on my show, creating a platform for them to showcase their talents and diverse sounds. In terms of my music supervision role, my aim is to normalize the use of international music in influential American cinema and television.”
What Inspires/motivates you?
“My visit to Russia last year allowed me to meet dedicated diggers, photographers, creative space-makers, and fellow DJs who left me with a newfound excitement and inspiration by the insane talent that lies in the East. The government there still has somewhat of a reign in terms of freedom and inclusion in art spaces; many artists are still silenced and a deal of creative/safe spaces struggle to remain open amid frequent raids. I’m motivated daily by the young creatives who stand their ground and continue fighting for their right to make art; those at risk of losing their creative expressions yet continue to host underground warehouse shows, create safe gallery spaces, or reflect on daily politics through art inspire me... A big shout out to Test FM, Klub/Kisloty, Present Perfect, Dig Record Store, Fonoteka, Masterskaya, CXEMA, and NIl (НИИ) for shifting culture forward through their headlined talent and platforms. ”
Why do you choose to play Russian and Eastern European music?
“Late one night during my KXLU radio show I was sifting through the endless records of radio gems at the station dating back to the early 70s. Randomly, I came across a 45 record from the early 2000s UK indie band ‘The Projects’ covering ‘A Million Scarlet Roses’ (Миллион Алых Роз) by Russian superstar Alla Pugacheva. This song was a staple for Russian/Eastern European people growing up since its inception in 1983. I’d argue it qualifies as one of the most popular songs to emerge from Russia since the 80s. Playing this track ignited a wave of nostalgia, flashbacks of car rides to school listening to Pugacheva’s Greatest Hits CD and asking my mom to play that specific song over and over again. This song was so personal to my upbringing, which only added to the shock value that a low-profile UK band was familiar with it and went to the lengths of recording it in Russian and releasing it worldwide.
From then on I became infatuated with finding new and forgotten Russian/Eastern European music, spending countless hours in internet holes and grilling my family and Russian friends about music from their upbringing or in their current libraries. I learned of the long history of oppression in art during the Soviet and early post-Soviet times, the effects on the struggling music scene and the lost physical music. When I played Russian post-punk or a lost disco track on my show, I’d soon enough get numerous callers curious about the track, the lyrics, and how to purchase and support the artists. There were ears out there that had never heard music from that side of the world, so I began dedicating an hour to music from these regions on my NTS show. Radio is the best way to connect to international music, better than solo searches on Spotify or YouTube. There’s brilliant music from places including Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, and Belarus that will never show up on any Spotify post-punk or indie playlists, artistry that will go forgotten and drown in the content of the internet. Playing and discovering Russian music is my way of staying connected to my heritage from across the globe, practicing and strengthening my language, and keeping Russia at the forefront of impactful music history.”