Globally renowned Thai techno DJ Nakadia took a hiatus from the rave scene to tell her story in Positive Energy – Becoming Nakadia
We’ve danced to her percussion groves and powerful beats, and now it’s time to get to know Nakadia a little better. The Isaan girl, a phenomenon on the global DJ circuit, recently completedher autobiography titled Positive Energy – Becoming Nakadiawhich describes her inspiring journey from the rice paddies in Nakhon Ratchasima to DJ booths at major electronic music festivals around the world. It’s the fascinating story of a self-made artist who has worked hard to overcome obstacles and prejudices and make her dreams come true, always with a smile on her face.
“It’s the story of my life, and I hope it will inspire people to stay optimistic in these difficult times,” says the 40-year-old DJ.
“The book vividly describes Nakadia’s ups and downs, her triumphs and her disasters,” explains Sebastian Lehmann, Nakadia’s manager and co-author. ‘It captures the moment she discovered techno and knew she was born to be a techno DJ, the hours spent relentlessly practising and crafting her sound, and the constant barrage of musical, political, social and sexual prejudice that at times made it seem like her career was over. But Nakadia never gave up, following her dream without taking any shortcuts. Positive Energy – Becoming Nakadia is a truly inspiring and highly personal book, a tale about embracing opportunities without fear, and a belief in the power of positive energy.”
Nakadia, real name Seephrai Mungphanklang, grew up in rural part of Khon Buri district in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. As a teenager, she quit school and worked for minimum wage at a series of factories in pursuit of a better life. Later, she landed a job at an Internet café, where she taught herself basic English and got to know Sebastian online. The two quickly becamefriends and in 2002, he invited Nakadia to visit Germany. There she heard techno music for the first time and it was love at first beat.
Nakadia devoted herself right away to practising her mixing and finding the perfect sound. In 2003, she moved to Koh Samui, where her performances quickly catapulted her onto the global stage. Her life became a roller coaster of constant struggles, massive failures and incredible success. Nakadia pioneered the rise of the underground in Thailand, conquering the rest of the world at the same time. She is now based in Berlin, which she has called home since 2011.
By the time COVID-19 hit, she could look back on an impressive 1,600 performances across 76 countries, including gigs at Tomorrowland, Love Parade, Loveland, Parookaville, Nature One, Family Piknik, Watergate Berlin, D Edge Sao Paulo, The Egg London, Marktkantine Amsterdam, and Rainbow Serpent Australia, plus countless other top venues, festivals, and events. Nakadia released on labels like Filth on Acid, Get Physical, Codex, and Set About, and Carl Cox signed her for his Intec imprint.
Positive Energy – Becoming Nakadia is slated for release on 31March, but a limited pre-release edition is now available at www.nakadia.com.
