Ones to Watch: ELIF
Few artists can channel energy and emotion quite like ELIF. The Turkish-born, Barcelona-based DJ, producer, and label head builds her DJ sets with the precision of a designer, and her productions follow the same trajectory.
Her rise has been steady, driven by depth, empathy and an unshakable sense of purpose that bleeds out of every set, release and production. And, as it turns out, she learnt how to do this away from the dance floor.
“In architecture school I was creating stories of people who’d experienced the building. It’s a very similar thing the DJ does,” she said in an interview with 15Questions. “I think of music in spatial terms. I imagine how a sound will fill a room — how it will breathe, how it will connect people.”
That mindset defines her artistry: she goes beyond just playing sets. She designs sonic environments that invite connection, reflection, and release.
The Beginning
ELIF’s journey into music was not linear. Before clubs and labels, there were sketchbooks and building models. “If I weren’t a DJ or producer, I’d probably be an architect, a yoga teacher, a CEO — and lately, I feel like I could even be a farmer,” she recently told Gray Area.
Istanbul is a city that bridges continents, and ELIF is influenced by the duality of those surroundings. “Istanbul teaches you balance,” she told Elle Uzbekistan. “It’s a city of noise and beauty, and learning to exist within that taught me how to listen.”
Her first encounters with electronic music came through underground parties that valued atmosphere over spectacle, where she learned how sound can alter perception. “Music is how I make sense of the world,” she told Mixmag MENA. “It’s how I connect to others without having to explain myself.”
Sound and Vision
ELIF describes her sound as “deep, groovy, a bit dirty.” Her sets blend hypnotic rhythm with emotional storytelling and she gets “obsessed with every perspective of creating a track, from sound design to arrangement to how it makes you feel in a room full of strangers.”
As her sound has developed, she’s maintained a sense of pride over her journey. “Nothing makes me cringe,” she says. “I love seeing progress and change. I’m proud of myself.”
That self-assuredness comes from years of patient work, long sets, and an ever-evolving sense of identity. “My favourite set length is three to five hours,” she says. “I’m ready for longer.”
And her current crowd-hyping weapon? “It changes every two or three months, but right now it’s an edit of Messy by Lola Young from Canvi,” she told Gray Area. "We released it as a free download on Marginalia.”
Lessons and Milestones
ELIF’s trajectory has been anything but ordinary. From debuting at Burning Man to commanding dancefloors in Montreal, New York, Berlin, Zurich, and London, her presence has become a global constant.
But there have been challenges, too. When we asked her about the most expensive mistake she’s made, she told us: “I tried to bring something cool to my hometown Istanbul, but with the wrong partners — and got screwed over. Live and learn.”
Technology has thrown its share of chaos her way as well. “My computer crashed on me a few times — always at the most inconvenient moments,” she says. “Luckily I could recover almost everything. A few tracks are lost or glitchy, but I learned how to detect them. It was a nightmare then, but now I know better.”
Roots and Rituals
Offstage, ELIF is quietly introspective. Her pre-show routine is simple: coffee, matcha, nuts, and dates. Her sanctuary is home and nature, and her greatest joy is her dog Bambam. “When I play the ukulele and my dog puts his chin on my leg, I feel at peace,” she says. “He doesn’t like electronic music much but really enjoys acoustic sounds.”
And when life gets chaotic, she reminds herself of the essentials: “That life is short and we’re lucky to be alive.”
The Label and the Mission
Her label, Marginalia, has become a creative playground for like-minded artists — a space where ELIF can champion a global sound rooted in groove and emotion. “It’s about connection,” she’s said in multiple interviews. “About giving space to voices that don’t always fit the mold.”
That sense of community extends to her role as a mentor and collaborator. She’s been a regular presence at the International Music Summit, where she’s helped shape conversations about creativity, technology and wellness in electronic music. “There’s so much more to this world than parties,” she says. “Music can heal, inspire, and transform if we let it.”
Looking to the future
Despite her success, ELIF remains humble and motivated. In 2025 she released “Eos” on CORE Records, a hypnotic, melodic techno cut that showcases her flair for deep, slow-building tension; “Praise The Sky” with Predex on Frau Blau — a soaring, emotionally charged EP featuring remixes by Ae:ther and Rodriguez Jr.; and “Being An Artist” with David LeSal on her own Marginalia imprint — a textured, introspective track that reflects her label’s mission to champion boundary-pushing producers.
Ultimately, ELIF is a sonic architect who structures her music around feeling and connection. As she once told Mixmag Brazil: “I’m just building spaces where people can be fully themselves — even if just for a few hours.”
And that’s exactly why ELIF is one to watch.
