Hungarian-born, London-based artist BEKEFI is redefining the dancefloor narrative with her heartfelt blend of breaks, acid, house, and techno.
Photo credit: Casey Lazonick
A former professional basketball player turned self-taught producer and DJ, BEKEFI has carved a name for herself within London’s queer dance scene with music that fuses emotional depth and dancefloor drive. Her style is versatile and raw, yet polished with an unmistakable sense of authenticity.
Now launching SOAK—a new queer party and record label—BEKEFI makes her curatorial debut with the ‘Also Me’ EP, a trilogy of releases born from a deeply personal and artistic space. The first single ‘Ascend’ has already laid the foundation for what SOAK stands for: rebellion, freedom, and emotional resonance. Through music and movement, BEKEFI invites listeners to embrace imperfection, welcome vulnerability, and revel in community.
In this interview, BEKEFI opens up about the roots and mission of SOAK, her creative philosophy, and her hopes for a more inclusive and sustainable future in dance music. From martial arts and mindfulness to grassroots club culture and crying on the dancefloor, she reminds us that authenticity is the ultimate rebellion.
EG: Hi, BEKEFI! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now?
BEKEFI: Hiya, thank you so much for having me. I am really good, thank you. Life has been super busy lately, but I am enjoying the ride. I am in London at the moment working on some music in my studio.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the launch of your label and event series, SOAK. You must be thrilled. What does this mean to you on a personal level? What are some of your initial feelings?
BEKEFI: Thank you! Since I can remember music has been an essential part of my being. Music was always in the background. My great grandpa was a violinist and my grandma’s brother was a DJ back in the day. As a toddler I was always dancing and moving and I was fascinated by classical music and Madonna.
Growing up, sport kind of took over. I was scouted by a basketball team at age 14 and moved 300km away from home and then I soon became a pro basketball player. Meanwhile I’ve learned to play the guitar and never stopped thinking about creating and DJing and that’s why SOAK means so much to me. Anyone who knows me knows how much I care about music and dance culture. I truly believe grassroots events are the way forward for the club scene and I am happy I can contribute.
EG: So, what does SOAK stand for as a whole? What motivated you to create SOAK?
BEKEFI: SOAK is KAOS spelled backwards. (My fiancè was the mastermind behind the name). We were at a party dancing one day and I had this thought. What is KAOS backwards? It’s SOAK. And it made perfect sense. SOAK as a label and party is a nod to experimental soundscapes, freedom and rebellion. I wanted to create something that I can pour my heart and soul into and it feels authentic to go with the name and the concept.
EG: By the way, congratulations on the release of ‘Ascend’, SOAK’s first release ever! Why did you decide to have ‘Ascend’ as SOAK’s first release?
BEKEFI: I wanted to put ‘Ascend’ first because of what it represents to me spiritually. ‘Ascend’ has its own meaning with rising, and with the whole release, I was trying to rise above fears and expectations. So it felt like a perfect start.
“I truly believe grassroots events are the way forward for the club scene, and I am happy I can contribute”
EG: And now you’re behind the drop of its follow-up, ‘Also Me’. What can your fans expect to find on this new single? What’s ‘Also Me’ all about?
BEKEFI: ‘Also Me’ is all about letting go of expectations and putting music into a different context rather than focusing on music that has the perfect drop or is made for the club. ‘Also Me’ is a true representation of what felt right in the moment of creating music. ‘Also Me’ features 3 versions of 3 songs. An intro, a breaks mix, and an original mix.
EG: Looking into a distant future. What would you like for SOAK to accomplish, both as a label and a collective?
BEKEFI: In the distant future, I hope to have inspired people via the label by putting out music that resonates with people. Helped emerging artists rise, by giving them a platform to play and also a platform to release music on. Put on a party that paved the way with integrity. Also, a party that has “crying on the dancefloor” moments, because nothing compares to the feeling of euphoria when you listen to music.
EG: Stepping outside of the studio for a bit…what drives BEKEFI aside from music? What inspires you these days?
BEKEFI: If it’s not music, it’s movement. I love martial arts these days (boxing in particular), any flow type of movement, like animal flow or yoga. I feel super connected to myself when exercising. I also draw inspiration from nature and the small things in life. Like how sunshine feels on my skin. Weird, but it truly inspires me. I also love just sitting down and listening to a whole album.
EG: Now, what do you see as the biggest challenge for the music industry in the next few years, and how do you think artists can adapt?
BEKEFI: In the current state that the world is in, I feel like there are multiple challenges to tackle. One being financial, small clubs closing because of rising costs. I think the way to tackle it is to just go to your local smaller clubs, try to trust that you’ll find amazing talent there. It sometimes takes maybe 100 people over the weekend to keep an iconic local club alive. That’s where the heart of the club scene is. In terms of artists, what most people don’t think about is how you can support the artist you listen to on a daily basis. If you go onto someone’s Bandcamp account and purchase their song, they will straight away receive the funds, whereas if you listened to them every single day for a whole year. They would receive in total £0.11/month. It goes a long way to buy someone’s record that they put so much effort into.
Another huge challenge is the safety of the queer scene in the world. Especially trans folk and people of color. I truly believe that promoters, club owners could and should provide a safe space and pave the way.
“I wanted to create something that I can pour my heart and soul into”
EG: Looking forward, what can we expect from BEKEFI in the coming months? Where can your fans catch you next? How does the story of SOAK continue?
BEKEFI: There are some absolutely incredible things happening. Working on my new album has been such a joy, and my future gigs are super exciting as well. To mention one, that’s a huge milestone is SOAK at fabric London on the 15th of June.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, BEKEFI! We wish you all the best for the future. Take care!
BEKEFI: Thank you so much for having me.
BEKEFI’s ‘Ascend’ is out now on SOAK. Stream and download here.
Follow BEKEFI: Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram
