Xenia Torino: "I needed something to feel alive again"

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22 hours ago
5 min read

Xenia Torino is a Ukrainian DJ and producer who, emerging from the challenges of her homeland, has found music to be a universal language. With her unique style that blends melodic techno, indie dance, and peak time techno, she has captured the attention of prestigious venues in Ukraine and beyond, taking her sound on tour across Europe. Each of her sets is an emotional journey, where technique meets passion, creating an immersive experience for the audience. Now focusing on her own music production, Xenia continues to explore new sonic territories, believing that music has the power to unite and heal, even in the darkest times.

You started your musical journey during one of the most difficult times for your country. How did the war influence your decision to become a DJ and producer, and how has it shaped your sound?

Before the war, I never thought I’d become a DJ. But I always loved music and was the one playing tracks from my phone at parties with friends. Since 2019, I’ve been deeply into electronic music and became a big fan of ARTBAT and Miss Monique.

In 2022, when the war started, many of us felt lost. I needed something to feel alive again. For my birthday, a friend gave me a certificate to a DJ school. The first time I touched the Pioneer decks, it felt amazing, even though it seemed hard. I was so excited—like I’d finally found something that truly captured my soul and gave me purpose when everything else felt broken. I also started exploring music production - first through YouTube tutorials, then a production course, learning step by step.

To be honest, it wasn’t easy for me. All of this has shaped my sound by pushing me to experiment with emotions in music. I’m drawn to deep sounds with emotional vocals and powerful beats and bass. That mix reflects everything I’ve been through.

As someone who’s still new to music production, what have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced so far, and what has helped you push through them?

The first challenge was feeling alone in this big, unfair musical world, surrounded by strong competition. Competition is a major problem, and often, your colleagues see you as a competitor rather than as a collaborator. In the beginning, I went through a difficult journey on my own, not really knowing what to do and stumbling through the first steps. That was until I found a supportive community of DJs and producers, where I could connect and get help. But finding true, supportive people is, I guess, the biggest challenge.

The second challenge I faced was dealing with moments of self-doubt, which were particularly difficult when I felt like I wasn’t making progress as quickly as I’d hoped. Who am I kidding, I still face this sometimes. There were times when I compared myself to others who seemed to be advancing faster or achieving more, and that made me question whether I was on the right path. But I learned to accept that progress isn’t always linear, and growth takes time.

You recently released "Temple" in collaboration with YampolSky on Sonatic Records. How did this collaboration come about, and what message or feeling did you want to convey with the track?

This is actually our second collaboration, and I’m truly grateful to YampolSky because he has greatly inspired me and helped me grow in music production. Working with him is incredibly comfortable, and we even have very harmonious B2B sets together. The inspiration for this track came to us when we visited the St. Michael’s Cathedral in Kyiv together.

The experience of being there, surrounded by the incredible acoustics and the choir music, sparked the idea to create something epic yet modern in sound. The blend of that powerful, almost spiritual atmosphere with a driving melodic techno drop resulted in something truly unique. There’s something deeply spiritual and magical about this track, as it was created in a place that carries such a sense of history and energy.

The music scene is increasingly saturated, and there’s a lot of pressure to chase social media numbers. How do you stay true to your artistic vision without getting caught up in that?

Oh, that’s an interesting question. When I first started recording videos for my YouTube channel, I used to count every subscriber and every like. I could feel very upset when a video didn’t perform well. But now I know that subscribers can be bought, likes can be inflated, and all those numbers can be easily manipulated.

I’ve decided not to focus on that anymore and just to continue doing what I love. I know how hard it is to reach your first thousand subscribers on YouTube or your first streams on Spotify, and that’s something I really appreciate.

Of course, if one day I hit a million views on YouTube, I’ll be happy, but I’m more about creativity and quality than focusing on the "image" and pretty numbers. I don’t need the whole world, I just need my people, my audience, who come to listen to me personally. That’s much more valuable to me.

Looking at the electronic music scene in Ukraine and globally, what changes or challenges do you see emerging for new artists, and what advice would you give to someone just starting out?

In Ukraine, we’re living through incredibly difficult times. The music scene here has faced—and is still facing—huge challenges. For the past three years, we’ve had a curfew, meaning all parties, bars, and clubs must shut down by 11 PM. Some venues have closed completely since the war began.

The first year was especially tough—we didn’t even know how to keep dancing while people were dying. But eventually, we realized we needed something to hold on to, to stay sane, and that the war wasn’t ending any time soon. Slowly, the music scene in Ukraine started to come back to life. Some venues even began inviting international artists again, and I’m genuinely proud and grateful to those brave enough to come and support us. I’m writing this with tears in my eyes, because it means the world to us.

On a global level, the electronic music scene is incredibly saturated and highly competitive. There are just so many DJs and producers right now. That’s why my biggest advice is: find your niche. Discover your own sound, your unique style—something that sets you apart. You need to stand out.

Also, don’t ignore marketing. Today, it’s essential. Learn how to promote yourself. And most importantly: find your people. Build a community, collaborate, support each other. Don’t act like lone wolves—be friends. I truly believe that kindness and unity will win in the end.