Lillian’s Journey of Sounds and Self

From the classical timbre of the viola to the rich sounds of vinyl, Phoenix-based deejay, Lillian, is making her mark in the local techno scene. With a blend of surreal energy, genre-fluid sets, and good-natured altruism, Lillian’s presence is redefining the local scene, her platform becoming a beacon of community and encouragement for those who are waiting for their chance to play.

Lillian started playing the classic viola and the guitar in fourth grade, the instruments serving as the beginning of her performer era and her music career as a whole. To her, performing is a spiritual journey, one that would later lead her to the rave and techno scene, her 19-year-old self quickly falling in love with deejaying.

“[Performing] is an energy exchange,” she says. “It's important that I'm in the right headspace. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed with everything and have to remember it's an intentional and spiritual thing for me.”

While she primarily focuses on techno sets, Lillian’s sound is heavily influenced by Brazilian funk and Latin tech. Taking inspiration from fellow deejay Oscar Mulero and composer Anthony Rother, Lillian often bounces around many genres, her performances becoming the surreal, fun, and trippy experience every raver is looking for.

“When I prepare for a set, it’s a long love letter of all of my influences,” she says. “I want my sets to be a kickstarter [to] a rave experience. Anything that gets the audience bouncing and dancing.”

Performing to a crowd whose energy level can fluctuate drastically can make it difficult to keep the audience as hyped as possible, but Lillian remembers her spiritual intentions to stay grounded and present. She typically spends a couple nights a month playing at local Phoenix clubs in hopes that her performances with leave her audiences with a budding curiosity about underground techno.

“I want people to connect with me as an artist and understand what and why I play it,” she says. “I hope it leaves them [wanting to do] more research. Most people haven't heard the right techno. I just want to share the more niche sounds that don't necessarily get the spotlight all the time.”

Lillian is currently planning her own fully self-curated event to give others a platform to play their sets, an increasingly difficult endeavor in an otherwise saturated and male-dominated market.

“I want to highlight people who should be highlighted.,” she says. “Women, gay, trans, nonbinary people, etcetera, a lot of times, you'll see with local DJ line-ups, it's always the same people. I want my events to be very feminine and LGBTQ+ focused.”

In just over a year, Lillian is on the threshold of transforming the Phoenix techno scene into a more vibrant, inclusive, and connected one. While she’s still in the beginning stages of producing, original tracks are on the horizon and her event is optimistically scheduled for December 2025.