Artist Spotlight
On the surface, Ukrainian-born DJ and producer Alesia Arkusha, aka Miss Monique, has made light work of becoming an influential artist. Since she arrived on the scene about a decade ago, she’s captured the hearts of millions of progressive house lovers across the globe with her distinctive DJing, captivating YouTube streams, and emotive releases on lauded labels like AFTR:HRS, Black Hole Recordings, and her own Siona Records imprint. Her accomplishments have been unthinkable; this is only the beginning for the young artist.
After attending raves and discovering house music clubs close to home, she became enamored with progressive house. Something stirred her soul from the get-go, and she slowly began to tamper with the idea of making others feel the same way she felt by building a community of her own.
As her early love for house music grew to a full-on obsession, one of her close friends demonstrated the art of DJing to her on a set of CDJs. Once she grasped the basics, she began experimenting with diverse, moving soundscapes. And it seems that almost without trying, she took it on full force as it became a crucial aspect of her being. Something that was once just a lively, amusing hobby transformed into a passion-driven career. The launch of the Miss Monique project allowed her to showcase her authenticity.
Miss Monique’s career has grown in parallel with Ukraine’s dance music scene. A country that birthed a wide array of acclaimed artists like ARTBAT, Woo York, Koralova, and Nastia deserves worldwide recognition, especially now. With the unfortunate ongoing turmoil in the country she calls home, Miss Monique is honored to represent her beloved nation and promote a sense of peace with her uplifting sounds.
“EDM has become extremely popular in Ukraine. We have some of the most incredible artists in my opinion. It’s amazing to see the number of people all over the world supporting Ukraine during these tough times. The electronic dance music community has truly shown its colors during this unfortunate time and I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of this community.”
Instead of relying on a constant stream of new releases to build a fan base, Miss Monique opted to connect with listeners on a much deeper level. Her weekly podcasts put her sparkling personality front and center, allowing her fans to get to know her more intimately.
First came the Mind Games podcast on Radio Intense, a channel dedicated to streaming content from a global network of DJs. Then she took things to her own channel with her weekly MiMo podcasts. Her latest MiMo podcast 037 gained over one million views in just one month, a career breakthrough she’s hugely grateful for.
“It’s funny, I actually went on YouTube a few days ago and saw that my first video was posted eight years ago, which is crazy. People accepted this idea from the moment I launched it, and the sense of community built around it has been so strong ever since. Every stream feels like a small virtual festival in a way. There’s just something special about having 3,000 plus people watching the live streams and getting to chat with them online. I love this aspect of my career so I can connect with my audience and listeners this way."
Her fascination with progressive house, trance, and melodic techno stems from a love for legends like John Digweed, Sander van Doorn, Paul Oakenfold, Boris, Carl Cox, Solomun, and Black Coffee. Miss Monique beautifully intertwines this trifecta of breathtaking genres flawlessly.
Her sound might have evolved, but her extraordinary sonic flair has been steady every beat. Today, she owns one of the most prominent progressive house labels, Siona Records, a label full of tracks that continue to rank at the top of the Beatport charts month after month.
Miss Monique in Argentina
“Progressive house is so fascinating to me because of its moving melodies and beautiful sound overall, but lately, I’ve been loving mixing it in with melodic techno as well to make my sets feel groovier and harder at the same time. It just feels right. There’s no other way to explain it.”
2022 has been intense for the renowned musician as her tour schedule has taken her from Amsterdam to New York and beyond. Whether performing at intimate, cozy yacht parties in Ibiza or taking over the decks at massive festivals like Untold, ADE, or Tomorrowland, she enjoys every second of getting the opportunity to make people move in person.
The rest of 2022 will be filled with even more club and festival performances, and she’s particularly ecstatic about her upcoming EDC Orlando debut in early November. She recently unveiled her first-ever Cercle stream that will be taking place at the Biosphere in Montréal. The first few Siona Record showcases will kick off at various cities worldwide shortly thereafter. With so much more yet to come from Miss Monique moving forward, we can’t wait to discover how else she’ll transform the dance music industry with her every move.
“When somebody labels what I do as a job, I don’t feel that that’s what I’m doing. DJing and producing is not a job. At least it doesn’t feel like work to me. I’m absolutely in love with everything I do and take on 24/7, 365 days a year and I couldn’t be happier. I still can’t believe all of this is real and that this is my life.”
